System Serial-4-Cam for preparation of material at multicamera shooting

By Vladimir Zontov

The systems for editing of content received at multicamera shooting are well-known for a long time. There are either separate software, or the versions of well-known systems of nonlinear editing added with such opportunity. Thus all content was recorded on different media (from each camera to own VTR). After finishing of shooting period the second stage was began: the whole content was looked through, the time codes of interesting fragments were marked (normally on a paper), and it was possible to pass to the following stage — digitization to station of nonlinear editing. During this routine stage the content was serially transferred from cartridge of camera 1, then from cartridge of camera 2 etc. Then the video clips must be put on a time scale synchronously, that is itself not trivial task solved basically due to a sound (slate, voice signal and so forth). The whole technological process was finished by editing on which the director has chosen any plan from any video track on the time scale. Till now all this was tiresome not so much, but was demanded essential time. And just now, due to persevering requirements of “inquisitive mind” of customer, it was possible to develop the system which already allows during shooting to select the necessary fragments from each camera of the appropriate double. All occurs at that moment when everyone is “in a theme of shooting episode”: the director, the operator, and the editor already.

Structure diagram of Serial-4-Cam system

So, what is Serial-4-Cam? It is the system of multicamera shooting during which the moments of transition from one camera on another are marked at once. There is due to that the video information from all cameras is written on a RAID array, and during this recording the editing director chooses the necessary plan from the necessary camera on the video panel. The Serial-4-Cam system operates with two…four cameras, and during recording the director decides, as it is more convenient to work: through interface Serial-4-Cam or pressing buttons of a video-mixer. In second case Serial-4-Cam is controlled (“is conducted”) from signals of a video-mixer. During operating time the editing director chooses and marks the most successful doubles. After the finishing of shooting the disk array with content is connected to system of nonlinear editing on which already prepared projects are opened, instead of a set of video files.

The system may operate in two configurations:

• On-Line — if cameras are provided with IEEE-1394 (DV) interface the cables IEEE 1394 directly connect cameras with Serial-4-Cam system. But there is the length restriction of this cable: even with use of special amplifiers the length should not be exceeded 70…80 m;
• Off-Line — if operation is carried out with the shooting equipment without DV-compression, or IEEE 1394 connection is impossible physically, then here again Serial-4-Cam will help to facilitate and speed up editing considerably. In this case the signals of video, audio and time code are transferred in analog form to the converter in standard IEEE 1394 but only after that the DV-streams are recorded in Serial-4-Cam system. Thus the shooting equipment may be of any format — from analog BetacamSP up to HD video which recently is more actively applied both in TV, and in cinema production. Certainly, at the given configuration for final assembly of content in finishing quality it will be necessary the content to re-digitize, but only that was included in the editing project. It is especially important at operation with formats of high resolution as even at today’s huge volume of storages the disk arrays for recording of all originals from several cameras will have simply improbable volumes. Function of re-digitizing (ReDigitizing) is present at any widespread NLE-system and this is a mechanical operation only.

The result of the multicamera shooting system Serial-4-Cam is EDL (Edit Solution List) and video clips for operation according with the EDL. Serial-4-Cam creates projects practically for any of existing systems of nonlinear editing on PC base. Video files are written in *.avi format, and for Avid editing systems — in OMF format. Any basic EDL format used in system of linear and nonlinear editing is supported.

Certainly, in comparison with traditional methods of shooting the basic advantage of Serial-4-Cam apply is significant time reduction needing for TV production. It is necessary to examine the accuracy of joints, and at necessary case to correct splices in Trim Mode at station of nonlinear editing. These advantages are especially appreciable at creation of serial projects: serials, musical and entertainment show. Hundreds of hours of the finished shooting material are collected by production of such projects, besides, that the part of this material was shoot by several cameras so the searching and viewing of necessary fragments will occupy unimaginably large time. Because of Serial-4-Cam the project is provided by all necessary information about number of the cartridge and exact time code that is where there is the necessary fragment.

Serial-4-Cam is the simple and reliable system allowing considerably the time spending and costs lowering, providing decrease of efforts in the most critical from the point of view of terms and the result quality branches of TV production: at operation of director, loading of editing stations and work distribution.

Material provided by JC System Integration Company