editor's tool kits

hi all,

Where can I get trial versions of editor's tools such as www.digitaljuice.com. I want something that is kind of a template where I can drop all kinds of video to create a program.

Besides digital juice, what else is outthere?

thanks.

What? Digital Juice offers many things like moving backgrounds and keyable items and graphic solutions (as far as I can tell).

What do you mean by a "template where you can drop all kinds of video to create a program?" Something you throw footage at and come up with a final product?

What are you trying to do?

Sadly, the people who rely on the same structural/graphics template for everything they cut aren't editors at all. The structure has to be integral to the material. Even wedding videos need some writing work done on them. If you really want to edit all your projects the same way, then create one of your own.

That's not true at all. I've created templates for a number of TV shows that I've edited. Sometimes you're talking about an entertainment show where you have a graphic look that needs to be maintained throughout. Where tease video heading into a break needs to be underneath an animated fullscreen with a cutout. Where interviews need the same lower third CGs. Where the format of the show is specific (news, reviews, live performance). Where you have a specific break schedule and you're required to output the program with the breaks timed out.

Is there still editing to be done? Sure. Lots. But when time is an issue, I'll do whatever I can to shave a few minutes of needless rebuilding work. It gives me more time to polish the product. Templates can be an editor's best friend, depending on the situation.

Andy

Traditionally editor's never had to do any graphic work. This work came from a graphic artist with a background in design.

Currently with Livetype, Motion, Soundtrack Pro & DVDSP bundled with FCP, if you're not spending at least 25% of your time developing skills in graphics & sound post, then you're removing yourself from consideration for most postproduction work today.

Study how the templates constructed, modify them considerably, download lots of demo reels, study how they are constructed & see if you can come up with something similar. You may never develop into being a graphic artist/designer, but at least you won't totally disgust your client by not being able to modify a template & make it into something quite different that will satisfy the clients needs.

In short, you need to be expanding your skill set every day.

Dave

Dave,

You're right on the money! I would also add to your list the fine art of color correction. More and more on-line "finishing" editors are expected to be competent colorists as well. For many projects, a DaVinci session is out of the question, so what ever "fixes" need to be done will be done by the editor, not a dedicated colorist.

New tools like "Final Touch" can give any editor access to "DaVinci like' features. Knowing how to use those tools is a different story. So, I wholeheartedly agree with Dave's comment, "you need to be expanding your skill set every day."


mark

> That's not true at all. I've created templates for a number of TV shows that
> I've edited.

You're right, Andy -- what I was referring to was the idea of "dropping all kinds of video to create a program". Some amateurs have the same timeline, all timed out with the same effects at given points, and plug the footage in whether it fits or not. Those are the ones I was referring to.

Of course graphics templates with replaceable text are very commonplace; I used one on a reality show myself last year, and in fact helped design it. (Pity us poor editors when they changed their minds about the graphics every three weeks!)

Hello all,

Thank you very much for all your just comments.

I do understand the drawbacks of the idiot-proof product that I am asking for. However, time is of the essense and at least for the short term, I would rather have the templates to drop interview clips into (I need a pedagogy-themed toolkit). No offense to the seasoned editors, of course.

So where do I turn for such a thing?

Thanks.

Hello all,

Thank you very much for all your just comments.

I do understand the drawbacks of the idiot-proof product that I am asking for. However, time is of the essense and at least for the short term, I would rather have the templates to drop interview clips into (I need a pedagogy-themed toolkit). No offense to the seasoned editors, of course.

So where do I turn for such a thing?

Thanks.

what sort of templates are you looking for? i have a ton of real nice perspective with depth of field photos i took of the pages from a "collected drawings of davinci" book that might speak to your content... i might be able to animate them into some background textures, or send you some images and let you do it...