Multi Camera Editing Techniques in Premiere Pro 1.5
 

I know Premiere Pro 2 has a special tool for multi camera editing; however, I have Premiere Pro 1.5.

I've never done anything with more than one camera before. Can anyone give me some good tips & techniques for doing so in Premiere Pro 1.5?

In Premiere 1.0 I put each clip/camera on its own track in the timeline. Align/sync each track to a common sound/event.

In the effect control window resize each clip. For four tracks I use 50%. Then move each clip into a different corner of the screen. This gives you a "multicam" view.

As I go through the timeline I'll rough cut where I want to switch clips. Then I'll unclick the enable for the clips segments I don't want to use. Don't delete the sections of the clips you don't use. By just un-enabling you can always change your mind later.

Once a scene is rough cut I'll enlarge and recenter the first clip to be used. Then copy the attributes of the first clip, select the remaining clips, and paste the attributes so all of the clips are resized and centered.

Barry

Barry that is a great idea.

I still use Premiere 6 and never thought to do that. Just now I have a job in doing multi camera work and hearing this was great, however I have the DV500 Plus Pinnacle capture card and it plays only few things in real-time however it will not play the four cameras (video tracks) shrunk without rendering, so unless I get hardware to do this it would be too tricky in my case I guess.

But a very good idea! :)

Jack

Can someone explain this in a bit more detail. Can't seem to make this work.

I have Premiere 6.5. Placed the clip on the timeline, found the Resize filter
under Transform but I see no way to set anything to adjust the size to 50%.

Am I doing this correctly?

Thanks for the help on this.

I read a lot more than I write on these forums, preferring to listen to the words of the wise, than to offer my own ramblings.

But on this occasion I cannot help but marvel out loud at the ingenuity of your advice, Barry.

Thankyou so much.

Your suggestion has just inspired me to have a practice at multicam editing in 1.5 using footage that I took a few months ago. There were only 2 cameras involved, but the footage gave me ample opportunity to put your idea into practice.

Aligning the clips was relatively easy - the matching audio waveforms being a very useful guide.

Once aligned, I found that splitting the audio and video tracks on both clips and then locking the 2 audio tracks prevented me from slicing into them with the razor tool, thereby minimising timeline 'clutter'.

I discovered that a smooth workflow was helped by arranging the downsized clips in the preview window in a sensible way that corresponded to the timeline tracks.

George - the way I resized the clips to 50% was not by using the Transform/Resize filter, but by using the zoom control within the clip motion settings - hope that helps.

Thanks again, Barry.


Simon

OK. I have two clips one on Video 1A and the other on Video 1B (I have version 6.5 with real time preview). I have added a motion to each making them 50%... one on the left side of the frame and other on the right side.

If I click the Enter key (to make real time preview work) it will play the top clip (1A) 50% in size off to the left side. I hear both audio tracks but do not see the 1B picture on the right. I have my Premiere Monitor set to one screen for preview but that does not seem to make any difference. I only see the one top track.

How are you seeing the other lower track "through" the top track?

UPDATE:

I added a Clock Wipe transition the length of the clips setting the wipe locked at the 50% (12:00 to 6:00 position. This gave me the ability to "see" both sides in RT preview. Is this how you make this work?

PremierePro doesn't have a 1A and 1B track. You should be able to avoid the transition if you use tracks 2 and 3.

Yes, this will work if I turn on Transparency (any form of transparency seems to work just as well) for track 3, the upper most track and place the second camera on track 2.

I assume, if I had more than two cameras, I'd also turn on Transparency for each of the lower tracks to allow the camera underneath it to show through.

However, this creates an issue that is not there if I use the Clock Wipe to split the screen. The top track always takes priority now so when you scan across the timeline you will not see the change between cameras if you are using the "enable track" switch.

With the wipe in place you only have to razor cut and disable the 1A track at the points where you want to select the second camera.

For a two camera shoot this would seem to be easier to edit with and allow you to see the camera switch full screen using the space bar to preview.



Thanks.