Best workflow for interview footage

I have 6 videos that each have anywhere from 10 to 30 clips. I assemble the clips, apply a timecode generator and export the video. The video with the timecode is then sent to the customer that wants to make the selections of the footage to be used. Normally if there are only a few clips I then cut the video from the timecode project. Now that the current videos I am working on have some many clips, cutting the timecode project will make it look like a mess. I am curious what workflow would a more experienced editor use for such a project?

"I was in six different grocery stores and purchased 10-30 diff. items. Then, my client selected some. When I stir them all together, it doesn't taste good. What do experience cooks recommend?"

... see?

Your description is so abstract, what kind of advise should some give?
What criteria used your client to 'select'?
What differs the good from the bad ones?
What is the theme of the interviews?
What is the purpose of project ... ?
...

Look around for best-practice examples ... understand the underlying concept, transfer to your project, imitate what you like.

OK, what type of video is this? Educational, wedding, concert, short film, documentary?

Then, why does the client select which clips you use? I'd think that you as the editor are the one who selects the best, and edits them together to tell the best story.

Yeah, more info.

If you're doing what I think you're doing, the client says, "I want these clips at these timecode." Fine, then you take everything else out, toss the TC Generator, then make them tell a story.

Yeah, sort of vague...

Sorry I didn't explain more. Yes this is an educational video with video taken from a research project talking to students and teachers about the methods used for creative writing. Some one else determines what is to be used in the final video.

Like I said earlier when I am doing the videotaping I usually have only one clip recorded on to a Atamos Ninja. If parts of that clip are only going to be used, then I either make Markers where I want to cut or just cut, delete the timecode generator and copy the to be used clips to another timeline. But these videos where shot on a DSLR so for one hour there might be 10 -20 clips in a project. If I were to blade each cut then I will have a mess of a time sorting out what to keep and what to get rid of. I guess what I am asking is how would you physically do the cutting and assemble of the final project. One idea I had was to make a compound clip of the whole timeline, blade the CC at each edit point, copy the clips that I need and paste into another timeline and break apart the CC. But I am wondering if there was a more efficient way of editing these projects?

I think you need to ignore Timelines for now, and learn to make Ranges and Keyword them in the Browser. Keywording and Keyword Collections are meant for this exact type of organization and tracking. I think putting it all in the Timeline is not the way to go. I could work so someone else can decide what footage to use, but then you need to place your playhead there in that "review" timeline, Shift-F to get back to the original in the Browser, select that range, and Keyword it. You're making things way more complex than they have to be.

bobmax48 wrote: … Atamos Ninja … Markers … timecode generator … another timeline… DSLR … blade … cut … sorting out …compound … copy … paste … another timeline …

wow wow, you make me dizzy!! :silly:

What Ben said - get familiar with the many organization tools of FCPX and forget completely (for a moment…) the 'mechanics' to arrange clips.

In best-of-all-worlds, there's a transcription of the whole interview <shock!>, and step one is a paper-edit <more shock "…paper??!">, no Mac, no FCPX, just grey-matter v.1.0.

Watch your material, to get an overview; imagine what should come out ...
Imagine (still no FCPX, just brain-works… ) what you need for what you have in mind.

Examples (without knowing your material:
• Do 3,4 protagonists tell the same, 'confirming' a theses? (it's about 'Writing'? hey, I did that for living, hundred years ago!) lets say, Title: "Every story has a beginning, a middle, an end"; cut, subject#1 says "… every story…", cut: subject#2 says "… every story has…"; cut: subject#3 with a bright grin "… everybody will tell you: every story has a ...."

If THAT is, what's in your mind, you should create
• a keyword for each subject "John"; "Paul", "Ringo" …
• a keyword "same same" (or something ) in case, statements get repeated

then tag your clips - keep in mind: a clip can have several tags; you can tag just parts of a clip; tags can overlap
then, from automatically (!) created [strike]playlists[/strike] smart-lists just filter and select and arrange = 'edit'


• … or, is there a single overall-advice to be told, incidentally told by several individuals? Write it down (damn! no FCPx again!)

If THAT is, what's in your mind, you should create
• a bundle of keywords which guide thru the advice "begin", "middle", "end", "plot point 1", "character" …

then tag your clips - keep in mind: a clip can have several tags; you can tag just parts of a clip; tags can overlap
then, from automatically created smart-lists just filter and select and arrange = 'edit'

FCPX will help you to show 'used' clips; use the filters; don't forget 'favorites' = on tagging, you'll notice 'highlights', a funny face, a smile, accidents, whatever - tag/favorize that for later use.

FCPX will help you to shovel complete 'parts' back'n forth with its Magnetic Timeline (damn, no compounds!)

FCPX will help you to outline the project by forcing (!!) you to create a 'storyline'! The final project will tell one story, shows one interview, gives one advice, follows one thought.

... when the storyline is done, you can add ornaments, most: cut-aways to cover edits. Or 'intersections' to lead to another scene. Or 'titles' to transit to the next point of your story. Or 'lists' to summarize what's told so far. Or .…


.... but "blade/timecode/Atomos/compounds"? ... no need for a good edit.
If you're a scholar, I would give you the housework, to do that project in iMovie ... (ok, no keywords there anymore = paper edit, yippieh!) yep, me grumpy ol' man :evil:


Again, what Ben said:
Way too complicated, way too 'technically', way too ignoring the marvels of FCPX ... :whistle:

I edit this kind of program all the time, using the same method.

My advice is (of course you may already do this) to start with the end clip and work backwards. I find this prevents the timeline becoming a an unruly mess.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I know how to pick what needs to be used in the videos but was looking for what physically to do with this project. Working in the educational field as I do most of my work is to video tape an event and then clean up the beginning and end of the presentation, insert Powerpoint slides, add titles and then export. Not overly creative but someone has to do it. Editing research or studio recorded videos to use in a MOOC is a different game that I am become more and more familiar with. Once again thank you.

What I ended up using for my workflow is as follows: I went through and bladed the sections that were to be used, Command-Option-Up Arrow those sections to take them out of the Primary Storyline. When I finished cutting out the clips I needed then I took the clips that were above and turned them into a Secondary Storyline, deleted the Primary Storyline, wrote the Secondary Storyline to the Primary, using the Timeline Index I filtered for the Gaps and deleted them. This went much faster then trying to go back to the Event Browser and find the sections needed. Your discussions lead me to rethink how to edit these videos in a timely fashion.

bobmax48 wrote: ... I went through and bladed the sections that were to be used, Command-Option-Up Arrow those sections to take them out of the Primary Storyline. ... turned them into a Secondary Storyline, deleted the Primary Storyline, wrote the Secondary Storyline to the Primary, using the Timeline Index I filtered for the Gaps and deleted them. ...

hmmm - just to feed my curiosity:
Why don't you use FCPX as intended?

* you select the wanted parts in the Events-Bowser
* and apply them to the storyline.
* .. no step 3)

j/k/l, i/o, e => done single handed, no blading, lifting, deleting, no gaps, no fuzz ... :blink:

I had created Projects for each timecoded video. So when I had to go back and edit those videos it was easier to do the blading to the timeline instead of finding the range needed for each clip in the browser. Next time I have a project like this I will make compound clips with the footage and the timecode generator. Then I should be able to work in the browser instead of the timeline.