Camcorder Masterclass Index
Cutting to Music - the strategy

Following our initial discussion about Cutting to Music, Masterclass students, Eric and Ron were given hands on experience using an audio cassette player, a stereo mixer and two synchro-linked Panasonic FS90 VCRS. Basic working practices, including first laying a linear soundtrack and then insert editing the visuals, were followed but we introduced a slight variation to the norm.

This is a broad outline of our strategy - you may need to refer to Use of Insert Edit.

CTM involves far more shuttling of tapes to and fro than other forms of editing and although best quality tapes should always be used the risk of drop-out, and/or creasing, is enhanced.

Initially we use copies of both the original tapes and the Master Edit to create the CTM sequences. We'll call the tape containing the latter "experimental". It becomes a template for inserting the visuals onto the Master Edit. Because much of the shuttling arises from working out and correcting placements of the visuals, the copies will be most at risk, not the valuable original and Master Edit tapes. Now let's put some flesh on these bare bones.

1. "Black" the Master Edit tape.
   Incorporate a sync. mark if the CTM sequences start at the beginning of the video.

2. Audio dub the music onto the linear track.

3. Copy this tape to the experimental tape.

4. Now use a copy of the original camcorder material as the source and insert edit the visuals onto the experimental tape, The first insert must start at the required edit in point, which usually coincides with the opening note of the music.

5. Continue the run beyond the edit out point then stop and check that the positioning is correct. When satisfied the tape should be paused. at the edit out point. This becomes the edit in point for the next visual. Good anticipation and quick reaction is required. If otherwise, or the equipment doesn't provide frame accurate edits, then make the appropriate allowance when setting up the cutting points.

6. Continue as above until CTM is completed and, although there shouldn't be any misplacements, give a final check to the whole.

7. The experimental tape can now be insert edited onto the Master Edit, synchronisation being achieved by aligning the tapes on the two VCRS. Either an identical frame from the sync. mark or from a preceding assembly edited shot can be used.

8. After the transfer ensure that the visuals on the Master Edit are synchronised with the musical linear soundtrack.

   Although properly aligned on the master Edit, the visuals, which are intended as markers only, will be of poor quality and need replacement. The latter is achieved by insert editing identical visuals, using the same cutting points.The replacement visuals are dubbed from the original camcorder tape. Unlike the first occasion when the insert initially continued beyond the edit out point, this time the record VCR auto. stop facility must be used. This involves setting memory and zeroising the tape counter at every edit out point before backtracking to the required edit in point. Allow for any known inaccuracies in the VCRs auto stop mechanism when setting up. Get it right and you should end up with good quality, (second generation) well synchronised, glitch free visuals.

This seems to involve a lot of extra work, but anything which reduces the risk of drop out is worthwhile. In practice the final operation takes considerably less time than CTM on the experimental tape. It is even easier if you possess time-coded material and a good edit controller. Give it a try - there's nothing to lose.

A final point, which frequently gets overlooked. If your VCR is stereo always ensure that when playing back your masterpiece the audio output is switched to linear or mono. This applies to any audio-dubbed S-VHS/VHS video.