Editing Video Tapes

Assemble edit is designed for laying down raw footage with time code tracks. Time code tracks are tags that separate frames and give each frame a unique identifier. The unique identification is crucial to frame accurate editing that can be done in the insert edit mode. Assemble edit picks up the most recent time code track and lays down frames conisitent with that track. It does not try to sync up with tracks upon finishing the edit; that's what insert edit is for.

Insert edit is useful for inserting footage into an existing video sequence while maintaining the time codes in the target sequence. Insert edit is necessary for performing frame accurate editing; e.g., you would use insert edit to connect two animation sequences without any glitches at the edit point. Before doing an insert edit, it is necessary to have time code tracks already laid down. One way to lay down tracks in the first place is to record continuous blank footage (using assemble edit) before beginning the insert edit. This blank footage is not necessary for assemble edits.

To do an assemble edit: (on the record (right) VCR)

• Select "edit" mode (switch)
• Select "assemble" edit (button)
• Set line/dub as needed (usually line)
• Go to desired portion of the tape. This portion must correspond to a stable frame with a clean time code track.
• Press "play" and "pause".
• Press "edit".
• Press "preroll" (pre-rolls to 5 seconds before the edit point)
• Release "pause" when ready to record.
• Press "pause" when finished.
• Repeat steps 7-9 until finished with assemble edit.

• Lay down blank tracks (using *assemble* edit) on the record tape if necessary. A continuous time code track is necessary for insert edit to work. See the Blacking/Timecoding document for details on how to do so.
• Select "edit" mode (a switch on the record (right) VCR).
• Select "insert" edit (a button on the record (right) VCR).
• Select "dub" (a switch on the record (right) VCR).
• Set the "TBC" switch on the play (left) VCR to "on".
• Set both VCR's on remote. From here on, use the remote control.
• Cue up the play VCR to the play point.
• Hold the "entry" button while pressing the "in" button for the play VCR.
• If recording a segment whose length is specified by the play VCR, cue up the play VCR to the stop point. Repeat step 6 using the "out" button for the play VCR.
• Cue up the record VCR to the record point. Repeat step 6 using the "in" button for the record VCR.
• If you skipped step 7, then you must want to fill a specific region on the record VCR. If so, cue up the record VCR to the stop point and repeat step 6 using the "out" button for the record VCR.
• Preview the edit: press "preview".
• If the preview is satisfactory, press "auto-edit".