Video editing can be done with both the PC and Mac platforms. Mac operating systems handles the process easier and cleaner, but with a practice and patience PC can edit video, and produce fair results.

I. Equipment Needs for Video Editing

• Speed - a fast computer is needed.
  • Mac at least a 350 MHz processor
  • PC at least a 400 MHz processor.
    
• RAM, at least 128 MB of RAM.
• You need lots of Hard drive space. A five minute video clip, with transactions often is 1 KB in size. Most software companies recommend a dedicated hard drive for all your video, which means a hard drive just for video, either external or internal.
• Firewire connections are a must for speed, all newer Macs come with 6 pin Firewire connections, some PCs can, but most times do not, but can be added.
• PCs need a IEEE- 1394 video capture card (which is a 4 pin firewire connections and will work great and interchanged by purchasing the proper cable.)
• Digital Video cameras usually have a 4 pin firewire (IEEE 1394) connection, so to hook your video camera to a Mac you need a 4 pin to 6pin cable. With a PC, either 4 to 6 pin or 4 to 4 pin cable.
• Digital Video Camera or an analog to video convertor.

~~ Shooting ~~ Equipment ~~ Software ~~ Space ~~ Media Formats ~~ Online Info. ~~

II. Shooting Advise

• Be sure to include extra tape at the beginning and and the end of a scene, about 30 seconds each way.
• Be aware of back lighting, back light darkens your subjects.
• Be aware of extra noise in the room, listen for air conditioners, machinery and ventilation sounds, prompt participants not to chat unnecessarily.
• Use remote microphone, if possible.
• Zooming tips:
  • When possible, use close proximity in lieu of zooming, this will give you a cleaner, clearer audio track.
  • Know your zoom.
  • Do NOT overuse your zoom, it produces jumpy footage.
  • Spend some time practicing with your zoom button to get a feel for it's speed.
• Do not leave timecode breaks, this means don't leave gaps in your shooting.
• If you need to talk during shooting, be aware that your voice is louder than others, so speak softly.
• If reshooting a scene, leave audio space before and after the reshoot. (Don't talk over reshoots, transitions need footage, so prompt your participant when to start talking.)
• For more shooting advice, Click here.

III. Overview of Editing software

• Mac - iMovie - comes free on most new Macs, easy to use with low learning curve.
• Mac - Final Cut Pro, higher learning curve, see link for details.
• PC - VideoFactory by Sonic Foundry is one simple program for video editing, low learning curve and priced around $50. for education.
• PC- Premier - professional program from Adobe, higher learning curve and much pricier than VideoFactory
• Tutorials:
  • iMovie
    • Apple iMovie  - quick simple tutorial
    • The atomic learning library iMovie, more in-depth tutorial.
  • VideoFactory - by Sonicfoundry. Video factory software contains "Show me" tutorials, which can be accessed during video editing.
  • Adobe's Premier - high end video editing software, considered the best PC - video editor, beginner level tutorial.
  • Final Cut Pro - high-end Mac video editing software
    • Ken Stone's Final Cut Pro tutorial
    • tutorial by Atomic Learning Library.

IV. Overview of Spacing Concerns

• Video files are huge!!!
• A 10 minute DV file can be 8 GB in size, (transitions and text add to size of files.)
• The easiest way to store the final product is to send it back out to DV film, then capture it on VHF.

• therefore... 1GB = 1000 MB = 1,000,000 KB = 1,000,000,000 Bytes
• Prefixes for binary multiples ...adopted by IEC

How to Calculate File Sizes and Disk Space for Digital Video

• To calculate the size in kilobytes (K) of one frame of uncompressed video, use the following formula:
  • Frame size K = ([Pixel Width x Pixel Height x Bit Depth] / 8) / 1024
• Where 8 represents an 8-bit byte, and 1024 equals the number of bytes per kilobytes. For example, the size in kilobytes of an uncompressed frame of full-size (640 x 480), 24-bit video is:
  • Frame size K = ([640 x 480 x 24] / 8) / 1024 = 900K
• To determine the file size of one second of uncompressed video, multiply the image size by the number of frames per second (fps). For example, one second of uncompressed, full-size, full-speed (30 fps), 24-bit video is:
  • 900K x 30 = 27 MB
• To determine how compression affects file size, divide the file size by the compression ratio. For example, a 10:1 compression ratio will make a 27 MB file 2.7 MB.
• When processing an image pan, most software requires three image buffers and up to 3 MB of memory for application overhead. To determine how much memory is needed to process an image pan use the following formula:
  • Memory MB = (image size x 3) + 3
  • For example, to process an image pan for an 8 MB image, you need 27 MB of memory.
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Calculating Audio Size

• To determine the size of an audio file, use the following formulas:
• 8-bit mono: Seconds x kHz = Size
  8-bit stereo: (Seconds x kHz) x 2 = Size
  16-bit stereo: ([Seconds x kHz] x 2) x 2 = Size
• For example, the file size for 30 seconds of 16-bit, 11kHz mono audio is:
• (30 x 11) x 2 = 660K
• This value is an approximation because 1K = 1024 bytes, not 1000 bytes. The results are accurate enough to estimate data rates.
• 16-bit mono: (Seconds x kHz) x 2 = Size

Calculating Hard Disk Space Requirements for Digital Video

• NTSC - US standard system
  The following information compares the disk space requirements for NTSC video (640 x 480 and 29.97fps) compressed using various date rates. The data rate information is shown for each of the standard data rate calculation methods: by frames and by seconds:
• 60 KB/Frame: 1.8 MB/sec 9.25 min/GB
  80 KB/Frame: 2.4 MB/sec 6.94 min/GB
  100 KB/Frame: 3.0 MB/sec 5.56 min/GB
  120 KB/Frame: 3.6 MB/sec 4.63 min/GB
  140 KB/Frame: 4.2 MB/sec 3.97 min/GB
  160 KB/Frame: 4.8 MB/sec 3.47 min/GB
  180 KB/Frame: 5.4 MB/sec 3.08 min/GB
  200 KB/Frame: 6.0 MB/sec 2.78 min/GB
• The DV standard of 720 x 480 video with 5:1 compression requires 3.6 MB/sec and 4.63 min/GB.
  

V. Video formats

• DV - DV is stored on tape as computer codes, not pulses of magnetic energy. Editing can be done on the computer, it is the highest quality and has the biggest file size. For example: a 5 minute DV movie can be 5-6 GB in size.
• QuickTime Movies - video saved as QuickTime movie have smaller window, frame rate is slower and video is compressed. These three aspects save space and make QuickTime movies a good solution for Internet. QuickTime and format can change a 10 GB DV movie to a 3 MB movie.
• AVI file format - Video for Windows, DV files are changed to AVI files after rendering, smaller than DV files, but large, For example: a 5 minute AVI file can be 2 GB in size. Adding text and transactions add to the size of a file.
• MPEG file - Motion Picture Experts Group, is a file format that compresses video files effectively but is not as standardized as QuickTime or AVI. This file format is generally used for the Internet and CD-ROM, it can provide good quality video.

  File type	extension
  DV	.dv
  QuickTime	.mov
  Video for Windows	.avi
  MPEG	.mpg
  Real Media	.rm
  Windows Media Video	.wmv

   

  ~~ Shooting ~~ Equipment ~~ Software ~~ Space ~~ Media Formats ~~ Online Info. ~~

  VI. Online Information and Activities

  • Rendering
  • Glossary of Helpful Terms and Information - about video filming
  • Video Guide - Web page with helpful advice, activities to help teachers get started with video filming. (Site does not contain digital video advice.)