Sync footage from 2 videocam clips

[Cursor]

Hi,
Need some advice here. Just want to know if during a concert or performance, if I had 1 camera that keep recording and taking the overall performance footage (wide and full stage) and another to focus on the performers or alternate angles which only short clip (less then 1 min).
Any video editing software can edit the footages from these 2 clips and sync them into the time line? So that during editing, I can just switch between the 2 sources like switching between cameras during live recording?

Thank you.

Regards

 

[samvision]

FCP - try mulitcam edit

 

[Cursor]

Thanks. will google on that and see if can d/l any trial version for testing...

Updated:
Checked.... it is on Mac.... I need something for PC... Win7
Thanks anyway.

 

[chanxj]

premiere pro has a similar function

 

[jaegersing]

If the time codes on the different tapes are not related, how do Premiere and FCP sync the clips? Do they use the recorded date/time info or what?

 

[DXNMedia]

For FCP & Avid, we can do a force sync to link the multicam clips together regardless of timecode as long as the 1st frame of sync is identified.
Alternatively, we can modify timecode parameters of the clips to match main cam's timecode.

 

[jaegersing]

For FCP & Avid, we can do a force sync to link the multicam clips together regardless of timecode as long as the 1st frame of sync is identified.
Alternatively, we can modify timecode parameters of the clips to match main cam's timecode.

Does this work if one or more cameras are switching on and off randomly and there is no free-running sync?

 

[DXNMedia]

Does this work if one or more cameras are switching on and off randomly and there is no free-running sync?

unfortunately no.....computers still need human most of the time.

 

[Cursor]

from what I google, you will need to sync everytime footage is stopped.
certain camera allow some sort of jam synced device to be attached which generate a time code that is readable by the program.
else generate a audio or visual sync point. audio as in a short pulse of sound like a clap, visual as in a fire a flash light from camera.
another visual way I read is at the start of the 2nd camera, film the LCD of the main camera....
Bottomline is there is program that can do mulit cam edit, but unless with a jam synced device, else main issue is manual sync the footage.

 

[sundazz]

I supposed your 2nd cam is rec / pause without continues recording?

u can try this if your cameras allow you to set the time code to free run...

Reset both cam time code. try to switch the 2 cam to free-run simultaneously. noted that u will hardly get the exact same time-code on both cam, but they will be diff most by few seconds. When editing, catch 1 same frame of the 2 videos and see the different of the 2 time code of the the cameras. even you start / stop recording, the camera time code will still running.

If your cameras do not have free run time-code, u can only manually syn them on every clips.

 

[chanxj]

ya, free run works, although as sundazz says, would be timecode might be off by a few frames.

 

[jaegersing]

TS never mentioned how the cameras are configured for timecode, yet he seems to want the software to autosync the clips. That's why I asked about how Premiere and FCP can do it. I believe it might be possible to at least roughly autosync based on date/time info in the clips (assuming all camera clocks are set to the same date and time) but I've never come across any NLE that actually does this.

 

[sundazz]

Oh.. base on TS statement #9, I supposed that the objective is to syn regardless if it is during post or production. therefore once you got it right during the recording, doesn't matter if u use FCP or Premiere.. both can do the job..

Yeah.. I neither know of any NLE that can do this.. interested to know if anybody know of such and can share....
FCP & Premiere can do multicam switching in post but may not for this case as your 2nd cam is not a "continuos recording".

If to Syn the Date and time, evertime you insert 2nd cam clips, u may need to find the same frame out of 25 frame (PAL) if your time show "seconds". And if your cam only show minutes.. then u have much more frame to search.

with free-run time code, you only need to syn once and the rest of the recording u can easily match by offsetting the time-code.

I guess you are preparing for a productin which has not taken place yet? i suggested u to get the cams that can have free-run time code, will save u some effort.

cheers

 

[samvision]

Just use plural eyes to sync in post. ( sync by audio ) we have been using it for almost a year on fcp.
so far it work, even if the b roll camera is turn on or off during the event.

 

[DXNMedia]

Pluraleyes software plugin only works if audio waveform is similar....
I had experience of having one cam using on-board mic, and another main cam with live FOH feed. Due to the occasional audio peaks/distortions in the unmanned cam, audio waveform is too different for the software to detect properly.

End up also have to eye match the sync & use audio to listen for sync manually.

 

[jaegersing]

If to Syn the Date and time, evertime you insert 2nd cam clips, u may need to find the same frame out of 25 frame (PAL) if your time show "seconds". And if your cam only show minutes.. then u have much more frame to search.

Yes, you would have to do a bit of fine-tuning, because the resolution would be to the nearest second, which is roughly how closely you could sync the clocks on 2 cameras. But in the absence of anything better, like free-running sync or Pluraleyes, this would at least get you in the right ballpark.

 

[Cursor]

Thanks for all the advice... I will go and search how to use them and which suits me better.

 

[samvision]

Pluraleyes software plugin only works if audio waveform is similar....
I had experience of having one cam using on-board mic, and another main cam with live FOH feed. Due to the occasional audio peaks/distortions in the unmanned cam, audio waveform is too different for the software to detect properly.

End up also have to eye match the sync & use audio to listen for sync manually.

yeah...dixon is right ...Pural eyes is not the best solution, there are still times when your experience as an editor will come in handy. To pre plan your multi cam will definitely be better than fixing in post.