Understanding the Main Screen of a Digital Video-Editing Program: Part 2

This next segment will attempt to describe the other basic components (windows) of a timeline editing system. Some of these editing packages can get complicated, with a whole list of things they can do. Right now you just want to start editing, and as I always say, most of your editing time will be spent with just cuts and dissolves anyway. Now that you know what a timeline is all about, let us look at the other windows on your editing screen. These windows may be in different places depending on what software you are using, but they will not be very hard to find. If you prefer, your editing software will probably let you configure the windows wherever you want.

Now depending on your computer hardware (video/audio cards, etc.), the mid-range and high-end editing packages offer the option of using up to several other monitors. Please note that I will be describing a system that is set up to use only one monitor. Before continuing, let me also emphasize that the names of buttons, and the names of features, will vary from package to package. This is a result of the programmers designing these packages unfamiliarity with our industry's terminology. Because of this, various names have been given to similar functions. Occasionally programmers may even change the names of features on the next version of their own software. Sometimes it seems that they just make up words to be different. This may be a little confusing as you follow along, but just refer to your manual as to what your particular software calls it. I will try to describe it best as possible.

The main window you will be watching is the project preview window. It has the same functions that any digital media player does; play, stop, pause, return to start/end, frame step, scroll, etc. In your software preferences, you can change the quality of how your preview will be displayed, depending on how fast your computer is. There may also be file tabs inside the preview playback window. This is so you can choose what to view. In some software packages, there is another screen behind the preview that will show you a detail of any clip you choose in the timeline or storage area. This is sometimes known as the source screen. In some instances, it is found right next to the preview screen on other editing programs. Most software will automatically bring up the source screen when double-clicking on any clip in storage area or the timeline. Remember that the preview screen will only display what is selected in the timeline. The purpose of the source screen is to make any clip adjustments prior to dropping it into the timeline. It is also used to modify clips while they are in the timeline.

All of these screens have one thing in common besides their playback features. Somewhere inside the window, usually near the playback buttons, will be small icons. They may be arrows, brackets, small M's, or whatever. These are for 'marking' the clip you have selected. However way you are viewing the clip, whether on the project preview screen, or the source screen, you can tell the clip when to start and when to stop, using your 'mark in' and 'mark out' buttons. There will usually be buttons to move the clip frame by frame in both directions as well. The 'marks' will not cut the actual video clip you digitized. The software only memorizes the 'mark' settings in a project.

The assumption is that when you originally digitized the clip, you digitized more than you needed. I will explain. I know people that digitize their footage in many different ways, and this all depends on the project they are working on. Sometimes you have to digitize everything you have. Then use the bulk of the footage, or make smaller clips of what you actually need. If you have a lot of storage space to work with, this is fine. If hard drive space is a concern because there are other users, or storage limitations, some self-restraint may be required when you digitize clips. You must be realistic when deciding upon what you will actually need.

Some projects are paint-by-number, with pre-decided elements that you will edit together. Often times though, the clips you choose to digitize will only be what you think is needed. Even if it is only just a ten second clip. If you have a compatible camera you can use the batch feature, which allows you to pre-program your camera and computer to digitize numerous clips on the camera automatically. Just walk away and have a cup of coffee. However way you digitize, leave enough room on both ends of what you want, maybe two or three seconds on each side. You need enough room on the clip for any transitions, effects, or adjusting the clip to properly fit the one it will be placed next to.

Moving on, somewhere on the main computer screen is a window containing your bins. I don't know who came up with the name bin, because it sounds more like a mailroom basket, but a bin simply means a folder. There is usually a main bin in the window, where all of the computer's clips are separated and stored in sub-bins. The main bin will probably have a tab on the top with a name that can be changed. Behind this may be another bin that holds special effects, or the clips for your specific project. Sometimes when multiple users are editing on one computer, or when you want to work with several projects at one time (it happens), this project-specific bin is where you store your personal clips in their own special bins. Confused yet? Why all this bin craziness? Well here is something to remember about bins and clips.

When you are the only one working on the computer, the only thing you have to worry about is to digitize and put clips on hard drives fast enough to run them. Other than that, the bins can be anywhere you want them to be. How you organize everything is up to you. On more sophisticated machines, using hard drive arrays (many hard drives networked together), things are organized by whoever is managing the entire system. There may be many users that edit on one computer, possibly even on several computers tied into one array or more. Each user will have their own settings, projects, and bins with clips. The system might be set up as a storage free-for-all where everybody puts things where they want. On the other hand, there may be hard drives in the array that are dedicated to in-house stock footage only, while individual projects are housed in others. Audio clips and still frames may be assigned to their own special hard drives, you never know. This makes where you place your bins more critical.

Getting back to the bin window, the main bin will sometimes have sub-bins containing digital effects, transitions and other features to use while editing clips. Other programs may have these features located in a separate button window, pull-down menus, or maybe a combination of them all. There will usually be icon buttons on the top of any bin to easily do simple functions like import projects or specific-type clips, change display modes (list/icon/pattern), add selected clips to the timeline and other functions. Just keep in mind that whatever you do with the bin function buttons, it will affect the bin or clip that you have selected.

The idea behind all this, and how it applies when you are editing is like this. Digitize, store and organize the clips you will be using. Activate a clip and it will appear in its source window or screen. Adjust and mark the clip's timing, or manipulate it however way you want, then drop it into the timeline. Do that with several more clips. Fine-tune the edit by selecting a clip in the timeline, and using the source or preview windows to make adjustments. While you are viewing the point between two clips in the timeline, an additional screen (usually in the source) may pop up. You may have to manually choose this function in your program. This is so that you can see the two clips and make any adjustments in how they meet, or for fine-tuning an effect between them.

Other than actually manipulating video clips and adding titles, you have enough information to get started editing. As always, refer to your manual for details on how these things specifically work. There are other optional windows you can access and display with editing software, like video scopes, audio mixers, effects, titles, and others, but right now, let's get down and edit something. The next segment will describe different ways of approaching an edit session.