Linear Editing

The theory behind "linear editing" has already been discussed in your first year. However, this section will review that information and how it pertains to the use of linear editing equipment that is set up in the studio area. The use of the linear editing equipment in the studio to help explain this process should prove beneficial to the students as well. The following material should be used as directed to complete any Review Questions Sheet that is assigned.

LINEAR EDITING

Many of us are familiar with the operation of a camcorder and have used one to create videos. Some of us have also used a camcorder's titling feature to apply titles and ending credits to our video. These features have allowed us to create what would be called "home videos". However, in order to create professional quality videos, there is a bit more equipment that would be involved.

The simplest form of linear (traditional) editing is called "assemble editing", "deck-to-deck editing" or "cuts-only editing". It is exactly what the name implies. The original tape is placed in one deck, and a blank tape in another. The decks are connected with cables so that the video and audio signals from the tape can be recorded on to the blank tape. The video editor makes decisions as to what is to be recorded, and what is unnecessary. Then, selected portions of the tape are "assembled" onto another video tape without any of the unnecessary parts. This is done by playing the tape on one deck, and recording the video on the other deck. That, in a nutshell, is how traditional editing works.

The description above definitely oversimplifies the theory of assemble editing, and there are other considerations to be made if you are considering the use of traditional analog equipment.  You will have to purchase a device or multiple devices that will allow you to select and copy video footage; create transitions between that footage; and create titles or add titles over existing video footage. This is not able to be completed with only two decks hooked up to one another. The equipment may be broken down as follows:

VIDEO EDITOR - This device allows the user to play back and select portions of a tape. It creates an "edit decision list" which is used by the equipment to find and re-record the segments on to a new tape. It is hooked up between one or more "source decks", and a "record deck". It is usually used in conjunction with the following items in order to create professional-looking videos.

SPECIAL EFFECTS GENERATOR (SEG) - This device creates special "trannsitions" (effects) between scenes such as "wipes" and "dissolves". A Time Base Corrector may be needed to properly create the transitions smoothly and professionally.

CHARACTER GENERATOR -     This device is used to create titles and titling effects.

TIME BASE CORRECTOR - This device allows the synchronizing of two or more non-synchronous video devices to assist in the creation of smooth transitions from scene to scene.

There are many different variations of linear editing that can be done. The most popular is an "A/B roll system". A/B roll editing is when we edit from two or more video sources.  Many A/B Roll editing systems now use an editing controller console that also has a built in SEG, and a built-in Character Generator for titling. They are called "all-in-one" editors. This means that two video decks or camcorders are hooked up to an editing controller console and used as "source decks". The editing controller console mixes the two signals, and records them onto another deck (record deck). The editing controller would also control the adding of special "transitions" (like dissolving one scene into another).   It can also create titling and credits, as well as the superimposing of titles over already recorded video scenes. This type of editing really raises the level of the production, as it creates smooth changes from scene to scene.

There are still a large amount of videographers who use traditional (linear) editing techniques. They may already have spent substantial amounts on cameras, recording decks, editing consoles, character generators, etc. In order to get into non-linear editing, they would have to purchase a computer, video capture equipment, and software. Depending on their level of production, this equipment can get very expensive. However, the falling cost of computers and the related equipment has caused a major shift in the production of video towards non-linear equipment.

VIDEO SYNCHRONIZATION

There are two basic types of video recording decks and camcorders. The first is called "synchronous video". Synchronous video is found in professional broadcast level equipment. When two or more of these types of devices are hooked up to an editing console, they have identical signal timing. This means that they can be viewed simultaneously in the same video field. For example, if you wanted one scene to fade in and the other to fade out (called an "A/B dissolve"), the transition requires portions of both images to appear on the screen at the same time. In order for this to happen, the timing must be synchronized.

However, not all video equipment is "synchronous". There are home or consumer level recorders and camcorders that some people wish to use in the linear editing process. They are called "non-synchronous" video sources. In order to get these devices to be synchronized, you have to use an additional piece of equipment that is called a "Time Base Corrector" (TBC). A TBC will supply the synchronization to achieve smooth professional editing transitions using "non-synchronous" video sources.

The use of all of the equipment (and the theory behind it) to produce quality videos is now referred to as "linear editing".   The use of computers in the editing process has changed the editing of video dramatically, and continues to evolve daily. The use of editing equipment using computers and software is now referred to as "non-linear editing". That will be discussed in an additional section.

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