Step 5: Tweaking the Video

• To simulate a lightning flash
  
  • To edit a flash of lightning into a movie - insert 1 or 2 white frames. Try two white frames, followed by 3 frames of video, then followed by two white frames.
    
• Image correction
  
  • If you are going to do any image correction work, it has to be done now before you proceed with other editing work. Image correction is a distraction that most people can do without - for this reason I have provided the details at the end of this lesson - refer to "Supplementary Advice".
  • If you are making a drama - forget about image correction - go back and take the shot again. When we are on a shoot - we always check all the shots at the next coffee break or lunch break.
  • Dark Video-8 and dark VHS shots can be improved with image correction.
  • When you are learning to transfer film to video image correction is virtually a must -hopefully my advice in "Part 21 Transferring Film To DVD" will help you to avoid problems.
    
• Transitions - keep them simple
  
  • Cross-fades join the shots together in a smooth manner that does not interrupt the visual flow of the scenes. Each scene may consist of several video shots. Normally connect the shots with a one second cross fade or a soft cut. Soft cuts take the sharp edge off a cut.
    Note, a shot that is mainly dark does not cross fade well to a mainly bright shot - so use a three frame cross fade.
    
  • Soft cuts are created by using 1 to 10 frame cross-fades. The effect is subliminal on the audience. You can see 4 frame cross-fades if you look carefully for them, but the audience won't notice them. I use 3 frame (1/8 second) cross-fades.
    
  • Three frame cross fades. There are 25 frames per second in the PAL video system. Each frame contains two half frames that are scanned with every second horizontal line missing. The first half frame has the odd numbered horizontal lines: 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. and the second half frame has the even numbered horizontal lines: 2, 4, 6, 8 and so on.
    When you look at a still frame in the forward play mode, you see the first half frame; when you are in reverse mode, the still frame that you see is the second half frame. This is why you should go in reverse as well as forward when searching for any disturbance at a cut.
    
    Now using 3-frame cross fades may seem ridiculous, but it works! Remember, 6 half frames are being cross faded. This takes the sharp edge off the cut. The iMovie software cannot be set to a 3-frame cross fade, it has to be 2 or 5 - I have found that a 2 frame cross fade will work. On the iMac computer, the cross fades look very peculiar - the video seems to flop from one shot to the next - as though a black frame has got into the transition - but it looks good when it is played back out to the video camera. I suspect that the high definition iMovie software has something to do with this.

• Transitions - cross-fade to and from video black
  
  • This technique is used to shift time or shift the story to another location. Refer to Clip 9 mentioned below.
  • Fade down to black, follow this with a short bit of black, then fade up to the next scene.
  • (a) Same location, same day, short space of time - use a 1-second fade down to black -then a ½-second of black - then a 1-second fade up. The easiest way to do this is - insert 2½-seconds of black between the two scenes and use one second cross fades.
  • (b) Large space of time, or shift to another day or to another location - use a 2-seconds fade down to black - then 1- or 2-seconds of black - then a 2-seconds fade up - to do this, insert 5 or 6 seconds of black between the two scenes and use 2-second cross fades. Fade the audio as well.

• Special transitions
  
  • That drag a victim into a darkened doorway or through a wall.
    Refer to Clip 2 Pass The Parcel (play / download.) The postman is sucked into a darkened door. We hung a dark blanket over the open door. The postman walks up close to the blanket. The director calls "get out of the picture" - the actor steps carefully out of the way taking care not to kick the parcels - the camera is kept recording for another 6 seconds. The editor splits and trims the shots - then installs a 10 frame cross-fade.
    
  • That make a ghost appear and disappear.
    Refer to Clip 9 (2 mins) extract from Violets Are Blue (play / download.) To make a ghost appear and disappear:
    • The director calls out "freeze" to the actors.
    • The ghost walks into the scene and takes up position - the director points to the ghost who starts to act - the director immediately calls out "action".
    • the editor trims the shots, removes the director's voice and installs a cross-fade.
  • This clip also shows transitions to shift time and transitions to shift to another location. 3-frame cross-fades were also used, but the internet version of the video may not show their smooth effect.

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© copyright Arthur Bullock, 2008