VIDEOTAPE EDITING

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Recognize the fundamental procedures of editing videotape.

When videotape technology was in its infancy, there was only one way to eliminate unwanted shots -

physically cut the tape and splice it back together. This method produced edits that were crude at best, because videotape recording is strictly an electronic process.

Today, the complicated process of cutting and

splicing videotape is all but a forgotten art. Now you can edit videotape quickly and cleanly through the use of videotape editing systems.

VIDEOTAPE FORMATS

Before we examine the actual videotape editing process, it is important for you to understand that videotape comes in several different formats. Currently, there are a number of videotape formats used in the broadcast industry, including 3/4-inch U-Matic, l/2-inch VHS, l/2-inch Beta and 8mm, also called Hi8 (fig. 14-45).

There are different schools of thought as to which formats are broadcast quality and which are not, but it is universally accepted that the 3/4-inch U-Matic and l/2-inch Beta are industry standard. These formats are the ones most commonly used at NBS detachments.

Keep in mind that VHS tapes cannot be played on Beta videotape machines, and vice versa (even though they both contain l/2-inch videotape). Likewise, 3/4-inch U-Matic tapes can only be played on 3/4-inch U-Matic machines and Hi8 tapes are compatible only with Hi8 tape decks.

VIDEOTAPE TRACKS

The electronic information found on a videotape is on the following four tracks: l Video l Audio l Control l Time code address

Video Track

The video track takes up about three-quarters of the space on a videotape. It is recorded as a series of diagonal lines by one or two rapidly spinning tape heads on the head drum of the VCR.

Figure 14-46. - Track location on a 3/4-inch U-Matic videotape.

Audio Track

Virtually all formats of videotape provide at least two distinct areas for the recording of audio information. They are placed indifferent locations on the videotape but perform the same as regular audiotape.

Control Track

The control track consists of electronic blips or

spikes, called sync pulses, recorded in precise intends of one-thirtieth of a second. Since it provides the necessary foundation for the editing process, you cannot edit without a control track on your blank (source) tape in the insert edit mode. The insert edit mode is explained later.

Laying the control track on a blank videotape is the first step in the videotape editing process in the insert edit mode. Most television studios have a "black burst" generator that produces a crystal black signal you may record and use as a control track. You also can record a control track from another tape - for example, a tape that has color bars and tone.

Time Code Address Track

The time code address track is used to record cuing information for editing. This information may consist of audio or visual time/frame identification.

Figure 14-46 shows the location of all four tracks on a 3/4-inch U-Matic videotape.