3 Replies Latest reply: Dec 28, 2013 10:45 PM by JSS1138 RSS

    Sorting Interviews

    Jack Banatoni Community Member

      What is your method for sorting through hours of interview footage?  I've been handed about 5 hours of raw interview footage for a 30 minute documentary.  This got me thinking that everyone probably has a different approach.  I tend to go through raw interviews backward, finding that people usually say "Wait - can I start that over?" more than once.  Watching raw interviews is incredibly tedious to me.  Perhaps someone here has a method to make it more interesting?

       

      I was pretty excited when text-to-speech was originally announced with CS4 years back, hoping that would allow me to make relatively accurate transcripts and build the story based on text.  Haven't had much luck, considering a two person interview can turn into 62 identified speakers in the transcription. 

       

      -jb

        • 1. Re: Sorting Interviews
          shooternz Community Member

          Only way I know is to roll through the footage (real time)  ...logging it and pre selecting useful parts. Selects.

           

          Select takes can be accomplished many ways and every editor has their systems.

           

          eg sub clips or timeline set ups.

           

          Some edit selects from the time line and in the sequence. eg  Move Seelt Parts up a video layer

          Others edit from the Source Monitor and create a Selects Sequence. or Sequences from I and O's

           

          Some would use a combination of both.

           

          Whatever...I always start by logging my clips in "Description" Column in the bin.

           

          Tedious... but always pays off  as the edit progresses and totally familarise me with the available material.

           

          Keeping notes in Script, Stickies or  pen & pad is a great aid.

           

          Time code is your friend!

          • 2. Re: Sorting Interviews
            Steven L. Gotz Community Member

            As I watch in the source monitor, I set the in point. If the interviewee backs up and starts over, I just hit the in point again. When I get to the end, of a usable section, I hit the out point and save a subclip.

             

            But yes, I have to watch, and listen to them all.

             

            With some interviews, I tell them that we will staop and be quite a moment to help them collect their thoughts. That way, I have a visual clue as to a point where a do-over has taken place.

            • 3. Re: Sorting Interviews
              JSS1138 CommunityMVP

              What is your method for sorting through hours of interview footage?

               

              Hire an assistant editor.