PluralEyes® – The answer for a multi-camera shoot?

Is PluralEyes® the answer for a multi-camera shoot?

In traditional movie making with film (not digital or video), sound is recorded separately from picture. The clapper is used to both identify the shot, scene and take to the editor and to provide the pop that is used to sync the audio later during editing. This is how it was done for decades.

Today, people shooting video cameras haven’t had to deal with this dual system because audio is recorded in perfect sync with video. Unless … you are shooting with multiple cameras that do not share timecode sync, or you are one of the innovative videographers and filmmakers today who are shooting video with a digital SLR, such as the vaulted Canon 5D Mark II, or 7D, and recording sound separately on something like the Zoom H4n recorder.

This can yield fantastic, feature film quality on a low budget. However, from a production flow standpoint it is a step backwards because it requires syncing picture to sound in post, just like in the old days.

If you’ve ever tried to sync separate picture and audio tracks in you NLE, you know what a pain in the tookus it can be. You end up searching for a matching visual or audio cue so that you can line them up to the exact frame, often slipping one clip back and forth, maybe just a frame at a time, until you achieve perfect sync. This can be extremely tedius.

The good news is that there is now software available to do this automatically; PluralEyes® by Singular Software.

As long as each of your multiple cameras is recording audio, regardless of its quality, this software will examine the audio waveforms and align the clips on your NLE timeline perfectly, based on the waveforms. It’s then up to you to select the highest quality audio track to be the main audio.

While at NAB, I was able to see this amazing software demonstrated and I was sold. For $149, it was no-brainer investment for me.

We’ll be producing an extensive series of videos next month in which we’ll want to sync multiple cameras over 36 different video modules. This would be a nightmare if done manually, but we’ll be using PluralEyes® and it will make this soooo much easier and more efficient. We will save ourselves days of tedius editing which equates to huge savings in our pocketbook. I’ll more than make up the cost of that investment selling only 1 DVD package!

PluralEyes® is available for EDIUS, Final Cut Pro, Media Composer, Premiere Pro, Vegas Pro. It has several processing options to deal with difficult audio tracks, and will even replace an inferior audio track with a high quality track, automatically.

You can try it free to see how it works.

How can you use PluralEyes® in your video business?

NAB Show 2011: A Brief Overview

 

NAB Show 2011 (National Association of Broadcasters) is behind us and we’ve been back for a week now. I’m catching up on things in the business while going over my notes about the cool stuff I saw and learned at NAB, including:

Camera Extender: Get In The Picture With The XShot

XShot camera extender solves my lifelong problem.

Does this sound familiar to you? All my adult life I’ve been the one behind the camera, so in many of our family photos my face is missing from the picture. Unless you always set up a tripod or have 6-foot long arms, you probably have the same problem; it is very difficult to photograph yourself.

I just discovered a clever little tool that will take care of this problem. It’s called the “XShot Camera Extender” and it is the coolest, most practical device to come to photographers in a long time.

With the camera extender, you can now get in the pictures that you take without looking like you’re in jail! No more awkward photos from stretching your arm out and trying to aim the camera at yourself. Now you can capture a full background instead of just faces because the XShot extends over 3 feet. You can have up to 10 people in the picture! The XShot closes to a remarkable 9 inches for easy transport and only weighs 5 ounces!

The XShot Camera Extender can hold many of today’s lightweight video cameras, as well as iPhones and other smart phones, so you can get video as well as still photos. Since the camera is pointing at you, you are always in the frame. Smile!

Such a simple and brilliant idea because…

• You may not always want to trust a stranger with your brand new camera.
• There isn’t anyone around to take a picture of you on top of the mountain.
• There is no time or space to set up a tripod.
• You want to take easy pictures and videos on the go, to post on your blog or social network.

Why choose the XShot?

• XShot Camera Extender is a high quality product with a unique durable metal shaft and high quality components including an easy to use camera adapter.
• You can get the Pocket XShot for under $25! XShot 2.0 is $29.95.
• This camera extender is solid, extremely light, very compact when closed and telescopic up to 3 feet (you can get the background and a group of people in your shot!). It not only has a universal camera attachment, it now comes with a new support for heavier cameras and camcorders (maximum 570g).
• XShot allows you to get those fun angles, to reach high spots in crowds and concerts, take photos in places difficult to reach, and even make 3D videos.
• Makes it easy and fun to take pictures and videos for blogging and sharing on social networks.
• So small it fits in any purse, bag, or back pocket.
• Lots of fun, very easy to use, no more close-up mug shots!

Because it’s very affordable, light enough to carry with you, super fast and easy to use… there’s just no getting around it – you need to get the XShot. I’m getting a couple of them so I can keep one in my car and one in my camera bag.(I’ll probably still lose track of it – maybe I should get three!)

I encourage you to check out the XShot Camera Extender* right now. I’ll be posting on my Facebook page some of my photos I take with it so watch for those.

 

* I have given you my affiliate link and will earn a small commission if you purchase through it but that’s not the entire reason I recommend it. I’m so impressed with this little gizmo and see it’s value for your shooting that I decided to introduce you to it in this blog article.

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