What is in-camera editing?

In-camera editing means that films may be shot in sequence, that is, produced in a linear manner and/or

filmmakers may rewind tape, preview, drop in shots or tape over what was last shot.

Filmmakers must not use any technology outside the camera for the purposes of editing the film.

Now that Hard Drive and DVD cameras are so popular, we are allowing these camera's to be used for the event however, the in-camera editing functions that alow footage to be edited are not to be used. It is about maintaing the 'Spirit' of the competition which is to shoot in a lenear fashion. You can shoot a scene, watch it, decide if you want to keep it, or erase it and shoot again. You are not to shoot a scene several times and choose the best one as that is not the 'spirit' of the festival. Basically only functions that are available to tape based formats will be allowed. Afterall The Shoot Out is about creativity and story telling not relying on technology to make your film slick.

Dubbing of music or voice-over is allowed. The soundtrack that is dubbed onto your film can be edited material,

but the sound cannot be edited onto your vision. The sound can only be dubbed.

See How do you use the dubbing facility?

As films are now finished on mini-DV, all tapes contain camera data that will be checked in the judging process. This data will indicate to us the manner in which a film is shot.

Are there any In-Camera Editing tips?

The first thing is that cameras don't begin recording the minute you press the record button.

It takes a few seconds for the camera to become synchronised, before any new pictures are recorded.

This is known as backspacing. It means that you need to allow two or three seconds after pressing record before

your new shots will be recorded.

Likewise, to avoid the last second or so of your previous footage being chopped off by your new scene

record for an extra couple of seconds at the end of your sequence, too.

The backspacing means that the camera will wind back the last couple of seconds, giving you a perfect join of the two shots.

How do you ensure that two sequences shot side by side will work well together?

Make sure you have planned your shots and sequences tightly before venturing out to shoot.

One of the most important things to understand is the jump cut.

This occurs when you're shooting the same perso or building for instance, but instead of using one long shot,

you press pause, then start filming the same subject again.

The resulting sequence is that of a person who seems to 'jump' on screen when the two shots are run together.

Cutaways are an important part of any film, especially one that is being edited in-camer

and the most common way to avoid a jump cut.

This is where you film something completely different - such as a clock ticking, showing the passage of time;

an audience, if your main subject is making a speech, for example; a signpost, when you're shooting a train arriving;

or close-ups of flowers if you happen to be filming kids playing in a local park.

The cutaway should only be kept on screen for the minimum amount of time and then you're safe to return to your main subject.

The only requirement is that the cutaway be somehow linked to your main subject to offer continuity and

to ensure that it doesn't jolt your audience by introducing something odd to your film.

An important rule to remember when shooting your in-camera edited film is to keep all your subjects moving the same way.

This doesn't mean you have to make everything head in the same direction, just that if you are filming a group of people

taking a walk for instance, ensure that they are either moving from left to right on screen, or right to left.

When you're editing your film in-camera, be aware of your shot length. There's nothing worse than a dull shot being left on screen

for longer than necessary. After a while viewers quickly get bored with seeing the same thing and need a couple of different shots

to break up the scene a little. It's wise to leave your opening scene on screen for a few seconds longer than other shots

and preferably to use a fairly wide shot too, to allow the audience to take in a little of the scene and work out where you are shooting.

The same goes if you have titles on the screen. Read the words to yourself slowly as you are filming,

then hold on for a few more seconds to allow slow readers to catch up, then press pause. Then it's off to the next scene.

But what if you want to end a scene - do you simply cut from one scene to another?

It all depends on the sequence and timing of your film.

Cutting is the most basic in-camera transition,and happens every time you press stop or pause on your camera.

But most cameras have a fade button, which fades the vision out. The vision usually fades to black, leaving you free to beginy our next sequence the following morning without any strange cuts or location jumping. If you don't have a fade control, however, simply record about five seconds of black by putting your camera's lens cap on. This will give you enough blank footage to suggest a passage of time without anything seeming amiss.