So the interesting thing about not doing the video ourselves for graduation 2008 but deciding to do the editing is that we have to deal with everything in post.  The challenges (I’m using that word specifically, instead of the other word that could go there):

1) Video Aspect Ratios: One camera was 4:3, the other camera was 16:9 anamorphic, and the other camera was originally an 16:9 HD signal.  But the last camera captures to a internal drive, not to tape.  So the videographer dumped the drive to tape, which made it SD and 4:3 letterboxedto 16:9.  So essentially we have three totally different aspect ratios to try to get around.

Solution: start with a letterbox edit, with slugs positioned above the camera so the 16:9 and letterboxed fit.  Then move the 4:3 up and down underneath the slugs to get the framing to 16:9 without chopping of heads.  Then we will output to 4:3 letterboxed, bring it back into a 16:9 timeline and crop, in order to get a 16:9 output that isn’t letterboxed.

2) Video angle problems: The main center shot is fine and great.  The wide shot was way-to-wide.  We needed a wide-stage shot, not a wide-back-of-all-the-graduates shot.  Then the 2nd camera should have been positioned on the opposite to “cross-shot” Dr. MacArthur shaking hands.  But since it is on the same side as Dr. MacArthur, at one point Dr. MacArthur takes a step to the audience’s (and camera’s) left and is then behind a pole to the camera’s view.  So we then get to see very little of Dr. MacArthur and sometimes even the graduate from that angle.

Solution: There is none.  We are trying some creative cropping and picture-in-picture stuff.  But just nothing we can do about this now.

3) Lighting changes: Graduation happens at dusk.  So we start with full sun, go to dimly lit with stage lighting, to only stage lighting, to the horrible stadium lighting turning on at the end. Yuck!

Solution: trying to color correct, piece-by-piece, angle-by-angle.

4) More lighting challenges: The stage has to be (or maybe just was) placed in such a position that there is no good lighting position.  All the lights are overhead at approximately 80 to 75 degrees.  Very bad.  Makes shadows over the eyes

Solution: Some color correction, but there really is none.  So we are thinking about how to change the layout next year to get better lighting positions.

5) Audio problems: First, everything is a mono feed, but on the tracks are linked as stereo, so we have to unlink them (not the easy in Final Cut).  Second, the main board signal is low and has quite a bit of noise throughout.  Not to mention the verge-of-feedback sound the entire time. Then one feed was from a wireless mic attached the podium mic, that will be a go-to mic from everything podium. And then the rest is just different flavors of the sound in the audience.

Solution: Lot so channel and level changes.  And hopefully some noise reduction on the main feed.

So, that’s the grad DVD challenges.  We chose to do the edit ourselves this year.  I think we’ve decided we will also shot it ourselves next year and be more involved on the stage setup side of things.  That way all the mistakes will be ours, and we are used to fixing our mistakes.  The challenge is in fixing others.

P.S. my boss is doing most of this (Yeah Dave!).  I’ll get to help on the audio side of things and DVD authoring, Duplicating, label printing, etc.