Earlier this week I asked my Twitter editing friends what they would like to hear about next on barryclegg.com, and I got some good suggestions. They ranged from how to make more money without heavy lifting, H.264 codecs, secret Avid tricks all the way to things never to say to editor (with my favorite being “I don’t like the music” or “it needs to ‘feel’ more.”)
The subject of this post actually came to me last night around the 2nd quarter of the Patriots vs. Broncos divisional playoff game. I think the score at this point was 78-0, but I may be overestimating on that score memory. It came in the form of a Twitter response from Steve Audette, former Frontline editor at WGBH in Boston who now works on Nova. We were discussing titles in Avid Media Composer and Symphony and how they can sometimes get corrupt. I asked Steve if he used the regular Avid Title Tool or if he used Marquee. He informed me that he used the Avid Title Tool along with this statement, “Keep it Simple.” Side note, Avid Marquee has not been developed since 2001 and is, in my opinion, a software that needs a massive overhaul or a quick burial.
If you ever get the chance to see Steve talk at either a Rule pub night or Boston Avid User Group meeting please do so, he always gives a great presentation on all things editing, but specifically about the philosophies of editing. One specific concept that both Steve and I share is that editing is telling stories, and you should never let anything get in the way of telling a good one. While I can’t speak on his exact behalf, I think maybe what Steve was saying was why get bogged down making titles that, most likely, don’t add anything to your story. Couple years back I was working with a junior editor who spent the better half of a day making a lower third REALLY spiffy and visually interesting. While I applauded their efforts (the lower third was quite visually appealing) it didn’t add anything to the overall story and it was a half day lost to fine tuning and shaping the story at hand. For me, unless there is some specific brand look, feel and/or font, I go with white Arial fonts for lower thirds, usually with a drop shadow for better reading on screen. My philosophy is that if there is time and the story is in a good place, we can always go back and manipulate lower thirds.
During any edit, specifically ones that involve heavy compositing, I always find myself asking “is this going to be easy to change if I need to” or “will it take me more time to explain it to someone else than just do it myself?” When I find myself in situations where the answers are “no and yes” respectively, I then try and simplify it. There are still many times where it just is not possible to simplify or make more efficient, but I think there is always a time to TRY and do it.
Sometimes it is a scenario of being able to manage your efforts with the time you have. On days I find multiple deliverables due at the end of the day I try and ask to get a synopsis of everything that I need to do so I can spend x amount of time of video 1, x amount of time on video 2, etc. It can be real frustrating to reach the end of your edit session and then hear “oh, we got this one more thing we have to do” and think “man, I could have managed this time much better if I had just known this needed to be done.”
I want to take this moment to also thank those who helped in making suggestions, and hopefully I will get more from all of you out there.
Steve Audette, WBGH Nova Avid Editor. You can follow him on Twitter @stevecutsdoc
Steve Andrada, DP in the Boston area I got to work with a couple years ago. He is also an Avid Editor and all-around great guy. You can follow him on Twitter @steveandrada and visit his website www.andradaproductions.com
Joanna June, Final Cut Pro editor who I just finished a 3 week event project with. Joanna is the hardest working woman in post. You can follow her on Twitter @coffeebooksbeer and read her website www.coffeebooksandbeer.com
Benjamin Eckstein is a Boston based DP who also edits on Final Cut Pro, but I think his heart is behind the viewfinder. You can follow him on Twitter @benjeckstein or visit his website www.benjamineckstein.com
So the question is, how do you keep things simple?
Barry Clegg 
Nice Post Barry! (and thanks for the shout-out)
KISS always. I’m pretty diligent about trying to find the fastest, most streamlined way to do something. I feel like your previous post about organization definitely fits into that too — says the future librarian/archivist.
Even in the lowly FCP I feel the same way as there is a choice of title tool: Text or Boris Title. I usually always default to the former as it is more basic and straightforward (showing immediate results to changes and requiring less render) but gets most jobs done. Boris opens a separate window to change and effect (and I have had issues with it not showing changes properly in that window) and requires more back-and-forth for any change. BTW Titling is much easier in FCP than in AVID regardless of that choice.
Probably more because I know FCP better, I also tend to stay away from After Effects unless I really have to do something requiring that level of animation (and even then will try Motion first as it is more user-friendly to my FCP brain). With multiple layers and effects you can do a great deal in FCP and then there isn’t an extra step of back and forth (time and render) to get your effects just how you want them.
Now I like to play and have been known to lose time making a title just right or playing a little too much with effects but you’re right, it should always come back to story.
Thanks for the mind fodder and keep up the good work.
For the next post though maybe it could feel more like… a birthday party but like with a grungier edge. You know what I mean?
Jo
Arial with drop shadow?!?! What is this 2011!?!? 😉 Great post.
Hi Barry,
I absolutely agree and the same applies when shooting stories. When trying to guide new shooters I explain the idea of “don’t let the camera get in the way of the story”. If the shots are detracting or distracting the viewer from the story then the camera person is shooting the shots for themselves, not for the story. A well told, well shot, and well edited story should absorb the viewer into the story and keep them there. We as shooters and editors need to be aware to our role in keeping our viewers in the story. We can make or break a good story by trying to be too tricky or too clever.