Cutting between multiple GoPro cameras

[breezy]

I recently captured some track video on three GoPro cameras. The cameras were not synchronized at the point of recording, but there is footage across two that is continuous, with the third camera starting and stopping and then starting again for some reason.

Ideally I'd like to make a single video that cuts between all three cameras. I'm not keen on simply showing the first part of one, then moving to the next and then moving to the final camera - ideally I'd like to flip between the different views.

At the moment I have access to the following:
- Windows Live movie maker, standard Windows 7 Professional install
- GoPro Studio, latest website download
- Nero Multimedia Suite, version 10

Is there an easy solution to this? If I can do with any of the above that would be great, but if not I am happy to buy something that is reasonably priced.

Would welcome some guidance...

[breezy]

Any ideas? I'd have thought people are doing this all the time...

[SV8Predator]

breezy said:

Any ideas? I'd have thought people are doing this all the time...

There are, but they are professionals with professional software. A professional will not be able to advise you on how to use "Windows Movie Maker" for example.

[GetCarter]

GoPro software will do it, no problem.

Just import the footage from each camera. The software won't care where it came from. You can cut and splice just like any word processing software.

ETA... GoPro software takes an hour or so to get used to. Muck about with it with some out-cuts and you'll soon get it.

Edited by GetCarter on Saturday 4th October 17:51

[anonymous-user]

Warning: Unless you purchase dedicated video editing software which supports MultiCam switching, then editing in different camera angles IS A PAIN IN THE ARSE.

I have made a few videos that cut back and forth between 2 or 3 different camera angles like you would see in a TV production using iMovie on the Mac (which doesn't support MultiCam), but it is very time consuming as you have to drop in one camera angle from start to finish, then splice in bits from the other cameras at the points where you want to see that viewpoint. This is called a 'Cutaway' in editing software. The reason it is very time consuming is that each clip that you drop in, you have to faff about with it trying to line it up perfectly on the timeline with the main camera angle otherwise the sound will be out of sync, and when you switch between the clips, the video will not line up either.

As GetCarter pointed out correctly, most basic editing software will indeed allow you to switch camera angles, but only using the tricky method I outlined above.

Software that supports MultiCam, such as Sony Vegas Pro or Apple's Final Cut Pro X, is an absolute dream to use for what you describe. You just drop in as the various different camera angle recordings that you have taken, the software then automatically syncs them all even if you started the cameras running a few seconds/minutes apart from each other, and then you simply watch them all playing at once and click between the different views as you would in a real TV studio. The software remembers where you clicked and builds the final video like that.

But for the odd bit of video editing, it isn't really worth spending all the cash on something like Vegas Pro.

Give it a go!

[GetCarter]

NinjaPower said:

Warning: The reason it is very time consuming is that each clip that you drop in, you have to faff about with it trying to line it up perfectly on the timeline with the main camera angle otherwise the sound will be out of sync, and when you switch between the clips, the video will not line up either.

The way I get round the sound issue is to use the sound track all the way through from one continuous shot, and just cut in visuals. I'm sure you know this Ninja, but O/P might not. And yes Ninja is absolutely right.. it's time consuming, (but nothing like as time consuming (or expensive) as it was in the early 1980s!... for music recordings we used razor blades to edit!).

[anonymous-user]

GetCarter said:

NinjaPower said:

Warning: The reason it is very time consuming is that each clip that you drop in, you have to faff about with it trying to line it up perfectly on the timeline with the main camera angle otherwise the sound will be out of sync, and when you switch between the clips, the video will not line up either.

The way I get round the sound issue is to use the sound track all the way through from one continuous shot, and just cut in visuals. I'm sure you know this Ninja, but O/P might not. And yes Ninja is absolutely right.. it's time consuming, (but nothing like as time consuming (or expensive) as it was in the early 1980s!... for music recordings we used razor blades to edit!).

Yep, I use the audio from one mic/camera all the way through as I find it sounds much more professional than having the audio chop between sources.

When your videos are of things like a car, it's difficult to line clips up using audio as it is just an almost continuous drone of exhaust, so you end up having to line up using the video, and if you don't get it exactly right it looks awful (same tree going past twice 1 second later etc).

Tricky, but do-able if you don't want to spend any more money on software.

[TheRainMaker]

If you can't afford or can't justify decent software, do what people have done for years....

Clap

[anonymous-user]

TheRainMaker said:

If you can't afford or can't justify decent software, do what people have done for years....

Clap

Unfortunately that won't work in the circumstances he describes.

[TheRainMaker]

Not for this time, but maybe next

[Toilet Duck]

I use Cyberlink PowerDirector12 for editing up my track day videos. I normally use 2-4 cameras (GoPro's and Mobius HD units) at a time, then edit it all up after. I don't start the cameras all off at the same time, so all the syncing etc is done in the "edit room" afterwards. Normally I use "picture in picture" (PIP), but I have recently made a video that toggles the view point from different cameras through the clip (which sounds like what you are trying to do). Although it's a very, very powerful piece of software, it's pretty easy to pick up the basics and there are loads of you tube guides on how to use it; I'm only scratching the surface of what it can do. Not that it helps you now, but I normally start up all my cameras recording, then press the horn. I then use the audio to find the "spike" for the horn and use that to sync all the separate videos together. As others have said, its easier using one audio source. I tend to vary which audio I use as the position of the camera severely influences the audio (some positions all I hear is the supercharger whine, others all I hear is the exhaust or wind noise). You can get the software (now up to version 13) direct from the Cyberlink website, or other places


Couple of examples:

Using 4 different cameras (one "main," three PIP):

http://youtu.be/1mPeELh33gY

Using 3 different cameras (one "main," two PIP)

http://youtu.be/oltv7tj9CgE

toggling front view (using two different front cameras, high and low view points) with additional PIP:

http://youtu.be/ipBhmlFd5Iw

Edited by Toilet Duck on Monday 6th October 21:20

[anonymous-user]

Toilet Duck said:

I use Cyberlink PowerDirector12 for editing up my track day videos. I normally use 2-4 cameras (GoPro's and Mobius HD units) at a time, then edit it all up after. I don't start the cameras all off at the same time, so all the syncing etc is done in the "edit room" afterwards. Normally I use "picture in picture" (PIP), but I have recently made a video that toggles the view point from different cameras through the clip (which sounds like what you are trying to do). Although it's a very, very powerful piece of software, it's pretty easy to pick up the basics and there are loads of you tube guides on how to use it; I'm only scratching the surface of what it can do. Not that it helps you now, but I normally start up all my cameras recording, then press the horn. I then use the audio to find the "spike" for the horn and use that to sync all the separate videos together. As others have said, its easier using one audio source. I tend to vary which audio I use as the position of the camera severely influences the audio (some positions all I hear is the supercharger whine, others all I hear is the exhaust or wind noise). You can get the software (now up to version 13) direct from the Cyberlink website, or other places


Couple of examples:

Using 4 different cameras (one "main," three PIP):

http://youtu.be/1mPeELh33gY

Using 3 different cameras (one "main," two PIP)

http://youtu.be/oltv7tj9CgE

toggling front view (using two different front cameras, high and low view points) with additional PIP:

http://youtu.be/ipBhmlFd5Iw

Edited by Toilet Duck on Monday 6th October 21:20

It appears that the PowerDirector 'Ultimate' is the one that supports MultiCam: $130.