Multi-Camera Editing

Whenever I mention this subject, I’m met with a mix of three reactions: ambivalence, fear, and reverence. After journeying in the wasteland of internet tutorials and personal epiphanies, and a lot of trial and error—oh, so many errors—I’ve come to the conclusion that, with a little pre-planning, multi-camera editing is no big deal. It can get complicated if the cameras aren’t similar in resolution, sensitivity, or format, but even those complications don’t present insurmountable challenges. Here is the process I use:
 
STIPULATION: Each camera records AUDIO as well as VIDEO, but the actual audio used for the edited sequence is recorded using Lavalier mics on a separate digital recorder. This becomes the MASTER AUDIO.
 

1. Replace the native audio on each raw footage clip with the MASTER AUDIO. You can use the synchronize function in your editing software, or for a more accurate match, do this manually. You can also skip this step if you are satisfied with the synchronization between the cameras, but I have run across situations where the leading edge of an audio signal starts on the left side of one frame, and in a different camera, it starts on the right side of the frame.
2. Color Key the green screen
3. Color correct clips so they are as close to a match as possible.
4. Import the synched clips and MASTER AUDIO into the preview bin.
5. Place the MASTER AUDIO on the timeline.
6. Select the parts of each clip you want to use and drag them to the timeline, synching each part to the MASTER AUDIO.
7. Render the completed sequence.

 
That’s really all there is to it.
 
This Producer’s Note is a little more technical than the others I’ve put out, but having been frequently overwhelmed and stymied by technicalities, I just wanted to offer a little encouragement to those intrepid souls that yearn for more options.