Construction: Editing the Footage

After completing the filming process, we needed to edit the footage to turn approximately 100 video clips into our five-minute short film. Firstly, we created a workflow for the steps of editing to avoid wasting any time by having to go back and forth through the process.

• Capture all of the footage from the Mini DV tapes onto Final Cut Express.

• Name the clips, arrange them and then move any outtakes or irrelevant clips into a 'trash' folder.

• Using in-out markers, insert the appropriate parts of footage into the timeline in chronological order. Ensure all Match-On-Action shots are fluent and all of the shots follow on correctly.

• Use transitions to link scenes or particular shots together and add any relevant video effects to the footage.

• Add titles and credits - Titles to be created in LiveType.

• Export the whole project as a Quicktime Movie.

• Import the Quicktime Movie into Soundtrack Pro.

• Add foley sounds and overdub any voices if necessary.

• Export the soundtrack file as an AIFF file.

• In Final Cut Express, drag the AIFF file into the timeline, mute the original sound and then export the whole project as a Quicktime Movie.

• Upload the final Quicktime Movie to YouTube.

Overall, our intentions were to keep comparing the film to our animatic, but as we went through the construction process we realised that we were constantly having new and fresh ideas and this theme continued through the editing process. Although this is not necessarily a bad thing, as I personally believe it has furthered our project more than we could have imagined, we may have to review and revise our animatic or state the difference made.