Multicam Editing in Final Cut Pro, Part 1

Multicam editing is probably the most concrete distinction between consumer and professional productions. In this two-part tutorial, I'll detail the workflow for using Apple Final Cut Pro's multicam editing feature. In this issue I'll focus on covering the shoot and syncing your clips; next time I'll cover choosing camera angles and other multicam editing details.

Let's start with some preliminaries at the shoot itself. First, if possible, shoot with same camera model white balanced to the same lighting, which will minimize color-correction issues in post. Second, if you don't have multiple cameras of the same model, understand that Final Cut Pro's multicam tool can only work with clips that use the identical resolution, codec, and frame rate. If you're shooting in mixed formats, budget some time for converting all of your clips over to a common format using ProRes 422 as the codec.

Third, unless you're syncing your cameras via timecode, always capture audio with every camera, even if it's crappy audio. If you're syncing your clips manually, audio often provides the best clues for setting the necessary sync points. If you're using a utility such as Singular Software's PluralEyes to sync your clips, it works by analyzing the audio waveforms, so if the audio isn't there, the camera angle isn't getting synced.

Related Links

Optimizing Encoding Performance with Apple Final Cut Pro, Part 1 We've had a fun time so far with this column, digging inside an Apple Mac Pro to install a Blu-ray recorder and benchmarking Snow Leopard... Navigating Apple Final Cut Pro's Speed Options, Part 1 Speed changes are one of the most commonly used effects, and Apple Final Cut Pro has multiple interfaces and tools to speed up or slow down your footage... Using Motion Templates in Apple Final Cut Pro, Part 1 After shooting, color-correcting, editing, sweetening the audio, and performing other similarly time-consuming project tasks, it's intimidating to think about adding customized animated text...

Fourth, if you're syncing manually, always be thinking about a distinctive audio or visual event to sync up on. Fortunately, this doesn't have to be at or even near the start of the event, but it usually helps if it is.

If you're going after a visual cue, make sure that it's equally visible from all cameras— center stage and big motion is ideal— otherwise, the precise moment could be tough to gauge on your back camera. A flash from a digital camera usually works, but if the shutter speed on your cameras is fast enough, the flash may not register, so think about a plan B as well.

If you're counting on an audio cue, make sure it will spike the waveforms on all cameras; a discreet cough might register on the front camera, but it won't make a dent on the back or opposite side cameras. All that said, if you don't create a sync event, usually you'll be able to find one while editing, which is what I do below.

Fifth, if you're working with inexperienced shooters, remind them that the golden rule of multicam shooting is to never, ever, under any circumstances, stop shooting once they've started recording, at least until the end of the event, act or set. Otherwise, you'll have to resync for every discrete clip, which can be extraordinarily time-consuming. If you're working with a digital SLR that won't capture more than 10 minutes of video, skip ahead to the part about PluralEyes, since it could save hours of syncing time.

Finally, when working with tape-based cameras, a two second drop-out can absolutely ruin your day while editing the multicam production. So, clean your tape heads, and use a premium tape brand to decrease the odds of a drop-out.

Figure 1. I like naming my clips descriptively, and make sure I know which one has the keeper audio.

When capturing your clips, it helps to name them something descriptive, like "front camera" or "right side." You'll be choosing your camera angles visually, not by clip name, so that's helpful but not absolutely essential. What is essential is to know which clip has the audio that you want to use for the final production (if any), so make sure that's marked.

For this tutorial, I'm using three clips I shot a Josiah Weaver performance at the Greensboro, N.C. Coliseum. One of the back cameras was connected to the system's sound board, so that's the audio that I want to use. To jog my memory, I named that clip back closeup with audio.

Figure 2. With all three clips marked In at the same point, I'm ready to create my multicam sequence.

If you don't have timecode associated with your clip, you can synchronize your clips by using either the selected In points or the Out points for the clips. Start by choosing the In or Out point on all clips to serve as the sync point. Note that these points don't have to be the actual In or Out points from the clips, just the same frame from the event that Final Cut Pro can use to sync the clips.

I'm editing the third song Weaver performed that day, and my sync point is just before the conclusion of the previous song, where Josiah is outstretching his right arm over his chest. Pretty obvious from the two back cameras, but a bit dicey in the front camera, highlighting the point I made above about choosing a sync event that's equally visible from all cameras.

Figure 3. Choose your syncronization technique; in this case, In Points.

Once you've got your clips marked, select them in the Browser, right-click or option-click, and choose Make Multiclip. Then, in the Synchronize Using: dropdown list, select either In or Out Points and then click OK.

Figure 4. Here's the multiclip, ready to edit.

Final Cut Pro creates the multiclip, which is italicized in the Browser. Like any other clip, double-click the multiclip to open it in the viewer.

Figure 5. The PluralEyes sequence with the three clips from the multicam shoot.

PluralEyes is a multicam syncing application from Singular Software that costs $149, but you can try the software for free for 30 days. As mentioned, PluralEyes uses the audio component of the clips to synchronize them and create a multiclip, and operation, as I'll detail below, is almost totally automated. For most productions, if you've identified a distinctive audio or video sync point and kept the tape rolling (so to speak) for the entire production, syncing your clips will probably only take a few moments, so PluralEyes might not be worth it. If you're working with multiple DSLRs with 10-minute capture limitations, however, it could be a huge time-saver, and is clearly worth a try.

To use the software, shoot, capture, and name your clips as described above. Then create a sequence called "PluralEyes" and drag the clips onto the sequence. Make sure that you only have one project open in Final Cut Pro—otherwise Pluraleyes will stop and ask you to close the other projects.

Figure 6. Pretty simple, huh?

Then run PluralEyes, and choose Multiclip in the PluralEyes application window.

PluralEyes analyzes the audio files in your projects, which took less than a minute for my three short clips, and creates a multiclip sequence in the browser. No muss, no fuss. There it is in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Here's the new multiclip that PluralEyes created.

I haven't tried PluralEyes with DSLR footage, but saw a review by Larry Jordan that shows how it works, albeit with screens provided by Singular. I have spoken to at least one producer who uses the tool for concerts shot with DSLRs, and he swore by the software. Plus, with a free 30-day trial, you've got nothing to lose.

Back in two weeks to describe how to edit the multiclip.