🎙️Reporting with Audio and Video Unit 6 – Editing Software and Techniques for A/V

What's This Unit About?

• Covers essential concepts and techniques for editing audio and video content
• Introduces key software tools used by journalists and content creators to produce polished multimedia stories
• Explores basic editing principles that apply across different platforms and formats
• Delves into specific techniques for editing audio, including noise reduction, equalization, and compression
• Examines video editing workflows, including trimming clips, arranging footage, and applying transitions
• Discusses the role of transitions and effects in enhancing the flow and impact of multimedia stories
  • Transitions help to smoothly connect different scenes or segments (fade-in, fade-out, cross-dissolve)
  • Effects can add visual interest or emphasize certain elements (color correction, slow motion, graphics overlays)
• Emphasizes the importance of syncing audio and video tracks for a seamless and professional final product
• Covers best practices for exporting edited projects and managing media files efficiently

Key Software and Tools

• Adobe Premiere Pro: industry-standard video editing software with advanced features and integration with other Adobe Creative Cloud apps
• Audacity: free, open-source audio editing software with a user-friendly interface and wide range of tools
• Final Cut Pro X: professional-grade video editing software for Mac users, known for its intuitive design and powerful performance
• Adobe Audition: comprehensive audio editing and mixing software with noise reduction, effects, and multitrack capabilities
• DaVinci Resolve: all-in-one video editing, color correction, and audio post-production software with a free version available
• Hindenburg Journalist: audio editing software designed specifically for radio journalists and podcasters
• GarageBand: beginner-friendly audio editing software included with macOS, offering a variety of built-in loops and instruments
• iMovie: simple video editing software for Mac and iOS users, ideal for quick projects and basic editing tasks

Basic Editing Concepts

• Non-linear editing: digital editing process that allows for non-destructive, random access to media files
• Timeline: visual representation of a project's sequence of events, where video and audio clips are arranged
• Tracks: horizontal layers within the timeline that contain video or audio clips
  • Video tracks are stacked vertically, with higher tracks overlapping lower ones
  • Audio tracks are mixed together to create a balanced soundscape
• Clips: individual segments of video or audio that can be trimmed, moved, or modified within the timeline
• In and Out points: the beginning (In) and end (Out) points of a selected portion of a clip
• Trimming: adjusting the duration of a clip by changing its In or Out points
• Ripple edit: trimming method that affects the position of adjacent clips when the duration of a clip is changed
• Slip edit: trimming method that changes the visible portion of a clip without affecting its duration or adjacent clips

Audio Editing Techniques

• Noise reduction: process of removing unwanted background noise (hum, hiss, or static) from an audio recording
  • Can be achieved using built-in tools in audio editing software or third-party plugins
  • Requires careful adjustment to avoid affecting the desired audio content
• Equalization (EQ): adjusting the balance of frequencies within an audio signal to improve clarity, reduce unwanted frequencies, or match a desired tone
  • Common EQ adjustments include boosting bass, reducing midrange, or enhancing treble frequencies
  • Parametric EQ allows for precise control over specific frequency ranges
• Compression: reducing the dynamic range of an audio signal by attenuating loud parts and amplifying quiet parts
  • Helps to create a more consistent volume level throughout the recording
  • Can also add punch and presence to vocals or instruments
• Normalization: increasing the overall volume of an audio file to a standardized level (typically -1dB or -3dB) to ensure consistent loudness across different recordings
• Fading: gradually increasing (fade-in) or decreasing (fade-out) the volume of an audio clip over a specified duration
  • Used to create smooth transitions between different audio segments or to avoid abrupt cuts
• Panning: distributing audio signals between the left and right channels of a stereo mix to create a sense of spatial positioning
• Ducking: automatically lowering the volume of one audio track (e.g., background music) when another track (e.g., voiceover) is present
• Noise gating: automatically reducing the volume of an audio signal when it falls below a specified threshold to minimize background noise during quiet passages

Video Editing Techniques

• Cutting: removing unwanted portions of a video clip to create a shorter, more focused segment
• Splicing: joining two or more separate video clips together to create a continuous sequence
• L-cut and J-cut: editing techniques that involve separating the audio and video portions of a clip to create overlapping transitions
  • L-cut: audio from the previous clip continues while the video switches to the next clip
  • J-cut: audio from the next clip begins while the video still shows the previous clip
• Cutaway: inserting a shot of something other than the main action to provide context, add visual interest, or hide a jump cut
• Montage: a sequence of short clips edited together to convey a passage of time, a series of events, or an emotional theme
• Split edits: using L-cuts and J-cuts to create a sense of continuity or to emphasize certain audio or visual elements
• Color correction: adjusting the brightness, contrast, saturation, and color balance of a video clip to create a consistent look or to fix exposure issues
• Color grading: creatively manipulating the colors of a video to evoke a specific mood, style, or aesthetic
• Slow motion and fast motion: altering the playback speed of a video clip to create dramatic or comedic effects
  • Slow motion can emphasize a particular moment or action
  • Fast motion can condense time or create a sense of energy and urgency

Transitions and Effects

• Cut: the most basic transition, where one shot instantly switches to the next without any special effect
• Dissolve: a gradual transition where one shot fades out while the next shot fades in, creating a brief overlap
  • Cross-dissolve: a common type of dissolve where the two shots are equally blended during the transition
  • Dip to color: a dissolve that fades to a solid color (usually black or white) before fading into the next shot
• Wipe: a transition where one shot appears to push the other shot off the screen in a specific direction or pattern
• Fade: a transition where the video gradually fades to a solid color (typically black) or fades in from a solid color
  • Fade-in: the video gradually appears from a solid color
  • Fade-out: the video gradually disappears into a solid color
• Push: a transition where the new shot slides onto the screen, pushing the previous shot off in the same direction
• Zoom: a transition that simulates the effect of zooming in or out of a shot, often used to reveal the next shot
• Page peel: a transition that mimics the effect of turning a page, with the previous shot appearing to peel away to reveal the next one
• Chroma key (green screen): a special effect that allows you to replace a solid-colored background with a different video or image
  • Commonly used for weather reports, virtual sets, or compositing actors into different environments

Syncing Audio and Video

• Importance of synchronization: ensuring that the audio and video tracks align precisely to create a realistic and immersive experience for the viewer
• Clapper: a device used during filming to create a visual and audible cue for syncing audio and video in post-production
  • The clap creates a sharp spike in the audio waveform, making it easy to align with the corresponding frame in the video
• Timecode: a numerical sequence embedded in the audio or video file that identifies each frame, allowing for precise synchronization
• Automatic synchronization: many editing software programs offer tools that can automatically sync audio and video clips based on their waveforms or timecodes
  • Examples include Adobe Premiere Pro's "Merge Clips" feature and Final Cut Pro X's "Synchronize Clips" function
• Manual synchronization: in some cases, editors may need to manually align audio and video tracks by visually matching the waveforms or using reference points like claps or spoken cues
• Drift: a gradual misalignment of audio and video tracks over time, often caused by differences in the recording devices' clock speeds
  • Can be corrected using tools like Adobe Premiere Pro's "Synchronize" panel or by manually adjusting the clips
• Dual-system recording: a production technique where audio and video are recorded separately using different devices, requiring synchronization in post-production
  • Often used to capture higher-quality audio than what the camera's built-in microphone can record

Exporting and File Management

• Export settings: choosing the appropriate file format, resolution, bitrate, and other parameters based on the intended distribution platform and audience
  • Common video file formats include MP4 (H.264), QuickTime (ProRes), and AVI
  • Common audio file formats include WAV, MP3, and AAC
• Compression: reducing the file size of exported media by discarding some data while maintaining acceptable quality
  • Lossy compression (e.g., MP3, H.264) removes data permanently but results in smaller file sizes
  • Lossless compression (e.g., WAV, ProRes) retains all data but results in larger file sizes
• Resolution: the number of pixels in each frame of a video, typically expressed as width × height (e.g., 1920×1080 for Full HD)
  • Higher resolutions offer more detail but also result in larger file sizes
• Frame rate: the number of frames displayed per second in a video, measured in frames per second (fps)
  • Common frame rates include 24fps (cinematic), 30fps (standard), and 60fps (smooth motion)
• Bitrate: the amount of data processed per unit of time, usually measured in kilobits per second (kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps)
  • Higher bitrates result in better quality but also larger file sizes
• File organization: implementing a consistent and logical system for naming, storing, and backing up project files and media assets
  • Use descriptive file names that include relevant information (e.g., date, location, subject)
  • Create separate folders for different types of media (e.g., video, audio, graphics) and project stages (e.g., raw footage, rough cuts, final exports)
  • Regularly back up project files and media to external drives or cloud storage to prevent data loss
• Archiving: preserving completed projects and their associated media files for future reference or re-use
  • Use high-quality, lossless file formats for archival purposes
  • Store archived files on reliable, long-term storage media (e.g., LTO tapes, high-capacity hard drives)
  • Include documentation (e.g., project notes, edit decision lists) to provide context for future users