Editing Digital Film

Editing Digital Film

by Jaime Fowler
Released November 2012
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781136043376

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Book description

At long last, film and video editors are using the same systems to edit their projects, and Editing Digital Film is the guide to show them how to do it. This concise reference provides video and film editors familiar with the Avid, Media 100, and Final Cut Pro systems with crucial information they will need to edit on all three of these systems. In addition to showing film editors and directors working on DV projects how to edit for this new format, this text also clarifies the NLE process to those familiar with traditional film editing.


With its focus on the essentials of integrating nonlinear editing with film, Editing Digital Film is an excellent resource for video editors wishing to edit films, and for film editors wishing to learn how films are integrated into nonlinear systems. With coverage the film cutting process, post production methods, telecine, matchback editing, HDTV, 24P, cutting DV, and all necessary tools to get the job done, this is the perfect guide for those interested in editing digital film.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Preface
  8. Acknowledgements
  9. Chapter 1: Tools of the Film Editor
    1. A Tour of the Film Cutting Room
    2. Film Gauges and Shooting Formats
    3. Anamorphics
    4. Soft Mattes versus Hard Mattes
    5. Camera Rolls and Sound Rolls
    6. Numbering Formats
    7. Ink Numbers
    8. Key Numbers
    9. Time Code
    10. Production Notes
    11. Script Supervisor Daily Log
    12. Facing Pages
    13. Lined Scripts
    14. Camera Reports
    15. Sound Reports
    16. Code Books
    17. Slates
    18. When Good Notes Go Bad
  10. Chapter 2: Post Production Workflow
    1. Three Workflow Scenarios
    2. The High-Budget Film Workflow
    3. The Medium-Budget Film Workflow
    4. The Ultra-Low-Budget Film Workflow
    5. DV Film Workflow
  11. Chapter 3: Telecine Demystified
    1. The Components of Telecine
    2. Methods of Transfer
    3. NTSC Telecine
    4. PAL Telecine
    5. Telecine Considerations
    6. Telecine Options
  12. Chapter 4: Conforming a Workprint
    1. Getting Started
    2. Creating and Balancing the Reels
    3. Adding SMPTE Leader on the NLE
    4. The Pull List
    5. Starting the Conform
    6. Splicing It Together
    7. Opticals
    8. Marking Workprint for Motor Start and Changeover
    9. Sound
    10. Continuity Reports
  13. Chapter 5: Cut Lists
    1. Negative Cutters
    2. Types of Cut List
    3. The Assemble List
    4. Frame Handles
    5. The Dupe List
    6. The Optical List
    7. The Pull List
    8. Lok Box
    9. Conformed Workprint
  14. Chapter 6: 24 fps versus Matchback
    1. NTSC: 24 fps Projects
    2. NTSC Matchback
    3. PAL 25 at 24 fps Projects (Telecine B)
    4. 1:1 PAL Frame Correspondence (Telecine A)
    5. PAL Sound and Picture Digitized Together
    6. PAL Sound and Picture Digitized Separately
    7. A Final Note
  15. Chapter 7: Editing Film on Avid NLEs with FilmScribe
    1. Converting Telecine Files
    2. Setting up the Project
    3. Adjusting Film Settings
    4. Importing ALE Files
    5. Combining Events Based on Scene Number
    6. Combining Events Based on Camera Roll
    7. Merging Events with Known Sources
    8. Checking Key Numbers
    9. One Frame Delays
    10. Frame Miscounts
    11. Mislabeled or Duplicate Numbered Tapes
    12. Using Autosync
    13. Film Effects
    14. Film Dissolves
    15. Mattes
    16. Blow-ups
    17. Script Integration
    18. Using FilmScribe
    19. Unique Items for Individual Types of Cut Lists
    20. Change Lists
    21. Preview Code
    22. Quicktime Options
    23. Exporting Audio
    24. Digital Cut
    25. OMF
    26. The OMF Export
    27. Exporting an EDL
    28. Saving the EDL
    29. Some Important Notes about Saving EDLs
    30. Outputting Video
  16. Chapter 8: Editing Film on Media 100 NLEs with Slingshot Pro
    1. About Media 100
    2. About Slingshot and Trakker Technologies
    3. Drag and Drop Functionality
    4. Supported Telecine Logs
    5. Import Logs
    6. TLC Files
    7. Dailies Log
    8. Log Conversion Procedure
    9. TLC Preferences
    10. Choosing Destinations
    11. Enable Tracks
    12. Syntax Error Correction
    13. Synching Picture with Sound in Media 100
    14. Film Trakker
    15. Film Trakker Preferences
    16. Format
    17. Check Syntax on All Inputs
    18. Flag and Match Unknown Tape Names
    19. Disable SyncLock
    20. Show EDL Comments
    21. Use Feet + Frames vs. Absolute Frames
    22. Cut List Options
    23. Cut List
    24. Dupe Lists
    25. Dupe List Options
    26. Pull List
    27. Pull List Options
    28. Optical List
    29. Optical List Options
    30. Creating the Cut Lists
    31. The Sound Tracer
    32. Sound Tracer Preferences
    33. Running the Lists
  17. Chapter 9: Editing Film on Final Cut Pro NLEs with FilmLogic
    1. FilmLogic
    2. Importing the Telecine Log
    3. Logging the Database Manually
    4. A Word about Backing Up and Undo
    5. Working with FilmLogic’s Database
    6. Linking Media to the Database
    7. Verification
    8. Info
    9. Conforming
    10. Reverse Telecine
    11. Limitations
    12. Sound Considerations
    13. Exporting Batch Lists
    14. Importing the Batch Capture Log
    15. Editing with Final Cut Pro
    16. Exporting a Cut List
    17. Exporting EDLs
    18. Future Hopes
  18. Chapter 10: Cutting DV for a Film Release
    1. Resolution
    2. Contrast
    3. Color Space
    4. Filmmaker or Videomaker?
    5. Finishing on Tape
    6. Transferring from DV to Film
    7. Filmmaker Considerations
    8. Video-to-Film Transfer Methods
    9. Film Recorder
    10. Film Scanner
    11. Kinescopic-like Processes
    12. Electron Beam Recorder (EBR)
    13. Proprietary Processes
    14. Dropped Frames
    15. A Film Is a Film
  19. Chapter 11: HDTV, 24p, and the Future
    1. The Standard(s)
    2. Bandwidth and Format
    3. 24p
    4. 1:1 Frame Correspondence with Film
    5. 24 fps Nondrop Frame Time Code
    6. Universal Mastering
    7. 24sF
    8. Monitoring and Flicker
    9. Color
    10. DataCine
    11. Issues of Cutting and Placement
    12. HDTV NLEs
    13. 24 fps EDLs
    14. HDDV Cameras?
    15. Electronic Cinema
    16. Summary
  20. Glossary
  21. Appendix A: Time/Footage Conversions
  22. Bibliography
  23. Webliography
  24. Index

Product information

  • Title: Editing Digital Film
  • Author(s): Jaime Fowler
  • Release date: November 2012
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136043376