How to Edit a TV News Package

Reporters use news packages to tell a story. They are longer format pieces than the rest of the newscast. They weave the reporter's voice, video, sound bites and natural sound together to engage the viewer. It's a chance for the reporter and photographer/editor to be creative.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Non-linear Editing

1. Load the video into the editing system. If you edit on Edius, for example, you'll have to ingest it real time.

2. Get a script from the reporter. She would have logged the video and sound bites.

3. Listen to the reporter's voice track. Make each "Take" into it's own clip in the bin. Or, drag them each to the time line leaving space between for other video. This will make the editing go quicker.

4. Drag the opening piece of video from the bin and drop it on the time line. Trim it to the desired length. Continue with each piece of video, butting them up to each other.

5. Adjust the audio levels. Keep channel 2 low, unless it's a natural sound break.

6. Fine tune the package by adding transitions like dissolves or wipes. Extend the last shot for video padding. This will keep it from going to black.

Tape-to-Tape Editing

7. Get the tape you'll be editing to, whether it's a reporter's package tape or a work tape. Lay down a countdown.

8. Wait for the reporter to log the tape and give you a script. Ask him for the audio tape with his voice track, too.

9. Lay down your a-roll in order from start to finish. This means all the audio, whether it's a SOT or nat sound or reporter's voice track.

10. Push the audio channel 1 (A1) and video channel 1 (V1) buttons. Turn down channel 2 completely. Set your audio levels so that channel 1 remains consistent.

11. Set the in point on the record deck. Cue up the play deck to where you want it. Set the in point and out point on the play deck. Hit Edit.

12. Continue to the next piece of video/audio. Keep going until the entire package is a-rolled.

13. Edit your b-roll now. Change the buttons to A2 so the sound goes on the second channel of audio. Fill in all the black holes with video.

Tips & Warnings

• Check your audio levels consistently while editing.
• Keep the audio level relatively low on the b-roll. You want to be able to hear it, but it shouldn't interfere with the reporter's voice track.
• Make use of nat sound by weaving it through the package.

[minniej]

on 7/10/2008 This seems equipment specific. It doesn't really tell you how to edit.

[minniej]

on 7/10/2008 This seems equipment specific. It doesn't really tell you how to edit.

[minniej]

on 7/10/2008 This seems equipment specific. It doesn't really tell you how to edit.