There are countless articles and tutorials on using video editing software. However, most don't address why cuts are made or how editing establishes pace and contributes to the structure of a story.
"In terms of editing, the key is enough screen time to allow the performance to convince us of the credibility of the situation. The emphasis throughout the scene is on the character's reaction to the situation, allowing us to follow through the logic of the scene. In every case, editing is subordinate to setting and performance. Pace is not used for dramatic purposes. Here, too, performance is the key to pacing." This short excerpt from Chaplin's Modern Times illustrates the point:
The book is full of useful information so check it out.
Today manufacturers offer a number of high definition formats for consumer and prosumer videomakers. The knowledgeable folks at Videoguys.com recently created this handy .pdf to clarify the relative advantages and disadvantages of each format.
One thing you'll probably notice is that as HD formats become more compressed, as for example with AVCHD, the demands on your computer to edit the footage increase substantially. In some cases, transcoding the footage to a more easily editable format is in order. But that adds time and steps to your workflow.
Were I to purchase an HD camcorder today, I'd probably go with HDV. Since it uses tape, archiving source footage is cheap and reliable. And HDV editing is less taxing on a computer when edited allowing me to work with a more affordable machine. Most HDV cameras also shoot DV so if you want to shoot an SD project, that's easy enough to do.
As video camera manufacturers move away from tape toward solid-state flash media, understanding how to implement reliable backups for your media is more important than ever. Zero capture times, longer battery life and fewer mechanical parts to fail may make the appeal of the these new cameras seem like a no-brainer.But without tape, if that file is lost and there is no backup - well you know the rest.
Fresh DV recently conducted an interview with Mike Mihalik, Product Manager at LaCie. It's well worth a listen. In addition to reviewing best practices for data backup, Mihalik notes that even if you copy your data on a separate drive for safe keeping on a shelf, the data may degrade over time and become unusable.
