Just some of what this book offers:

• A bonus chapter (see page 2 in the book for details on getting chapter 10).
• Step-by-step “recipes” reveal methods & techniques that even veteran editors will benefit from immediately. The book is designed so that you can read it chapter by chapter, or jump to a specific "recipe" when needed.
• Extensive explanations of Trimming techniques, including Slipping, Sliding, and two types of Asymmetric Trimming.
• In-depth details for staying in sync, regaining sync, and using Sync Locks.
• Answers about the Media Tool & how to perform media management.
• Explanations of Import settings, how to mix frame rates, AMA (Avid Media Access), Consolidating, Transcoding, preparing for output, and more.
• How to work faster and more efficiently by customizing Workspaces, Bin Layouts, Timeline Views, Bin Views, Keyboard Mapping, and more.
• Get the most from Segment Mode, the Smart Tool, Sync Point Editing, and functions including Mark Clip, Replace Edit, Match Frame, Reverse Match Frame, Find Bin, the Clipboard, and much more.
• Learn multiple methods of mixing audio, how to make and use Multichannel audio clips, how to use The Audio Suite, and how to take advantage of the new Real Time Audio Suite (RTAS) Plug-Ins.
• Learn how to create Group Clips, MultiGroup Clips, and how to perform several methods of MultiCamera editing.

    
About the Book

[435 pages; Available in Paperback or E-Book] – An expert and clear resource filled with highly effective "recipes" of easy to follow steps for those at all experience levels. Gain Avid Media Composer (and Avid Symphony) essentials and far beyond, including techniques, tips, tricks, and helpful explanations not found in other publications. Its 435 page task-based approach, and three informative appendices, will help editors at all experience levels gain a deeper, more thorough understanding of the software.

The book is designed so that you can read it chapter by chapter, or jump to a specific "recipe" when needed. It will greatly aid in achieving mastery of the professional editing features that Avid Media Composer offers. You’ll learn not only how to perform a task or editing operation, but also why and how it works, in addition to what situations it’s useful.

Gain exposure to options and methods that you never knew were available. The step-by-step recipes are packed with practical examples of time-saving tools and methods to get you working faster and more confidently so that you can spend less time dealing with technical and operational issues and instead focus on being creative.

   
About the Author

Benjamin Hershleder (Hershleder.com) currently freelances as an Avid editor and a director. He has been teaching Avid Media Composer since 1995, and became an Avid Certified Instructor in 1997. He teaches as an adjunct professor at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, at “Avid Authorized Training Partner” institutions, and also provides private, customized training to individuals and facilities.

Hershleder’s credits include directing and editing the feature length documentary "The Bronx Boys Still Playing at 80" (Hosted by Carl Reiner) for Shapiro-West, editing the feature length comedy concert "The Original Latin Kings Comedy” (George Lopez, Paul Rodriguez, Cheech Marin) for Paramount Studios, and editing numerous hours of television for the E! Entertainment and Style networks.

From Benjamin

Whether you're just beginning your use of Avid Media Composer or you've been using it for some time, I believe this book contains a great deal of useful, time-saving, and frustration-reducing information for users at all experience levels. Further, I believe that this book fills a particular gap in the Avid Media Composer publications that are currently available.

Because the features and abilities of Avid Media Composer are so broad, encompassing editing, sound design, color correction, and visual effects, I decided to focus this book primarily on the core story-telling needs we have every day: essentially getting footage into the system, editing, and audio mixing.

I first began learning Avid Media Composer in 1994 through trial and error. Nonlinear editing and the Internet were still in their infancy, and there weren't any books on Avid Media Composer, so I did my best to learn by reading the manual. My frustrations came when I'd read about a procedure or tool in the manual but it didn't include a definition of it or context when it would be useful. So, in addition to providing the step-by-step instructions, as Packt Cookbooks promise, I've included many definitions of industry and Media-Composer-specific terms, and explanations of why tools and functions behave as they do, along with situations when they would be helpful. In many ways, this is one of the books I wish I had had all those years ago.

I'd also like to mention that some incredibly knowledgeable and accomplished people have helped me by reviewing this book's content while I was writing it: Michael Phillips, Oliver Peters, and Roger Shufflebottom. These very generous gentlemen are talented professionals who you may find yourself meeting, consulting, or working with in the future. I encourage you to read their biographies, which are included in this book, and you'll see how fortunate I was to have them on the team.

Lastly, I truly hope you find this book to be helpful.

Thank You

Technical Reviewers:
Oliver Peters »
Michael Phillips »
Roger Shufflebottom »

Friends, family and associates:
Andrew Balis, Steve Bayes, George Bellias, Christie Carr, Bryan Castle, Cecil Daniels, III, Ron Diamond, Ron Friedman, Nini Hadjis, Doug Hansel, Alex Hepburn, Jim Hershleder, Stan Hershleder, Robert Jones, Tamera Martin, Mike McNulty, Patty Montesion, Eric Naughton, Paul Petschek, Tom Quick, Katie Riccio, Leah Riccio, Samantha Riccio, Tom Riccio, R. Bandit Rivera, George Rizkallah, Larry Rubin, Ben Rock, Carolyn Rae Schultz, Jeff Sengpiehl, Wes Sewell, Greg Staten, Alan Stewart, Todd Smelser, Tracy Smith, Paul Stephan, Rik Swartzwelder, Jim Turner, Paul Valdez.

Thanks to all those with the willingness and patience to teach me throughout my life.

Thanks to all my students over the many years; I learned a lot from you too.

Chapters Overview
(a detailed Table of Contents is also below)
  

Chapter 1:
Getting Assets into Your Media Composer Project
In this chapter I'll get you thinking about organization, provide you with some common workflows, and give you some tips to hopefully make your work easier and/or more productive.

Chapter 2:
Customizing Your Work Environment
This chapter's goal is to show you some great features to help you work more comfortably, swiftly and efficiently.

Chapter 3:
Polishing Gems
There are many useful features, gems if you will, that go underutilized. This chapter shines and polishes a few of them up by revealing some functions' hidden abilities, explaining their behavior, and/or giving you a few new ideas about how you might use them.

Chapter 4:
Creating Split Edits
This chapter examines several methods to create a Split Edit, which is also known as an "L Cut," a "Prelap," a "Postlap," or, more simply, a "Split."

Chapter 5:
Maintaining and Regaining Sync
This chapter focuses on giving you a solid understanding of why Avid Media Composer works the way it does regarding sync, how you can be in complete control of staying in sync when using any of the editing modes (without Sync Locks enabled), what Sync Locks do and how they work, and what to do if you find yourself out of sync.

Chapter 6:
Managing Your Media Files
The goal with this chapter is to take some of the mystery out of dealing with media files, using the Media Tool, and helping you through some common media management situations.

Chapter 7:
Mono and Stereo Audio Mixing
This chapter centers on many of the common audio mixing and effects tasks and challenges when working in a mono or stereo project.

Chapter 8:
Editing with Group Clips and MultiCamera Mode
We cover several methods to sync-up all the footage from the different cameras used in a multiple camera production, and how to edit with this footage in an efficient way using the features that Media Composer provides.

Chapter 9:
Output Tips and Tricks
Topics include creating bars and tone; adjusting your Sequence to accommodate bars, tone & slate; overview of exporting still images and QuickTime movies; and familiarizing you with the Timecode Burn-In effect.

Chapter 10:
Time Savers in the Title Tool
This chapter examines some of the commonly overlooked behaviors and features of the Title Tool. Purchasers of the book can download this chapter. See page 2 of the book for details.

Appendix A:
Additional Tips, Tricks, and Explanations
This is additional helpful information about various functions and features that did not fit the step-by-step format of a Packt Cookbook.

Appendix B:
Details on Trimming, Slipping, Sliding, and
Segment Mode
Helpful background and supplemental information for users at all levels to help demystify, and get more use from, Trim Mode and Segment Mode.

Appendix C:
Helpful Details about MultiCamera Editing
Supporting information for Chapter 8 that is beneficial to users at all levels.

Chapter 1:
Getting Assets into Your Media Composer Project
Introduction
A strategy for project organization at the desktop level
Understanding Media Creation settings
Mixing frame rates
Tape capture tip: Adding Markers while Capturing
Tape capture tip: Making Subclips while Capturing
Logging clips tip: Logging from the keyboard
Logging clips tip: Keeping the Capture Tool active after logging a clip
Quickly calculating total duration of clips (or any items in a bin)
Combining available drive space and/or controlling where media is stored
Making sure your Batch Capture continues without you
Modifying clips before capture
Modifying clips after capture: Adding tracks
Modifying clips after capture: Deleting tracks
Capturing and editing at the same time
Preparing to use AMA (Avid Media Access): Getting the plug-ins
AMA (Avid Media Access) Linking
Getting the AMA file's image to display as desired
Consolidating (copying) AMA Master Clips
Transcoding AMA linked clips before beginning to edit
Transcoding AMA Master Clips after editing has begun
Consolidating an AMA sequence or subclips
Transcoding an AMA sequence
Importing stills and video files such as QuickTime
Importing audio
Adjusting audio levels before editing
Adjusting audio pan settings before editing
Setting stereo-audio tracks

Chapter 2:
Customizing Your Work Environment
Introduction
Settings overview
Creating Site Settings
User Profile Settings – transferring to another workstation
Interface settings
Font size adjustment
Creating Bin Views
Creating Timeline Views
Customizing Workspaces
Creating Bin Layouts
Linking Bin Layouts with Workspaces
Linking other settings with Workspaces
Mapping Workspaces and Bin Layouts
Mapping buttons and menu selections

Chapter 3:
Polishing Gems
Introduction
Understanding Track Sensitivity
Snapping actions for the Position Indicator and in Segment Mode
Enabling and disabling all Track Selectors from the keyboard
Enabling and disabling Track Selectors using the Shift key plus drag method
Enabling and disabling Track Selectors using the Lasso
Replace Edit: How and why
Sync Point Editing: How and why
Seeing source material in the Timeline Window
Clipboard tips
Using the Match Frame function
Using the Reverse Match Frame function
Setting clip colors in a bin
Setting clip colors in the Timeline Window

Chapter 4:
Creating Split Edits
Introduction
Creating a Split Edit with Double Roller or Overwrite Trim
Creating a Split Edit with the Extend function
Creating a Split Edit with Asymmetric Trimming

Chapter 5:
Maintaining and Regaining Sync
Introduction
Adding Filler within a sequence with Splice or Overwrite
Adding Filler at the end of a sequence
Sync Break Indicators: Understanding them and making your own
Splicing and Extracting: Methods for staying in sync without Sync Locks
Segment Mode: Methods for staying in sync
Using the option/Alt + Add Edit method to stay in sync in Trim Mode
Asymmetric Trimming type 1: A-Side/B-Side
Asymmetric Trimming type 2: Two Heads/Two Tails
Opening up the sequence using Splice with Sync Locks enabled
Extracting with Sync Locks enabled
Extending using Ripple Trim with Sync Locks enabled
Shortening using Ripple Trim with Sync Locks enabled
Getting back in sync

Chapter 6:
Managing Your Media Files
Introduction
Moving media files
Copying a borrowed clip's media
Sharing clips/backing-up clips
Consolidating Subclips
Consolidating Sequences
Transcoding Sequences for archiving or before up-res
Transcoding Sequences of mixed SD and HD video
Changing the Sample Rate of clips in a bin before editing them into your sequence
Changing the mismatched audio that has been edited into your sequence
Prevent editing with audio that does not match the Project's Sample Rate
Setting the Media Tool display
Borrowing a clip from another project
How to determine where media files are stored and how to move them
Isolating video of a specific resolution
Deleting specific media files from clips (for example, just the A3 and A4 files)
Deleting unused media files: Just Master Clips, just Precomputes, or both
Locking Clips and Sequences
Locking sequences to make them less easily editable

Chapter 7:
Mono and Stereo Audio Mixing
Introduction
Understanding the Track Control Panel and Keyframe Selection Tool
Understanding the Audio Mixer Tool – Clip Mode
Understanding the Audio Mixer Tool – Auto Mode
Understanding the Audio Tool (Audio Meters)
Understanding Clip Gain and Pan versus Volume and Pan Automation
Understanding Audio Project Settings
Performing audio scrubbing: digital type scrubbing
Performing audio scrubbing: analogue type scrubbing
Displaying Audio Waveforms (also known as Sample Plot)
Displaying Clip Gain, Volume Automation, and Pan Automation in the Timeline
Clip Mode Level and Pan Adjustments
Using Clip Mode with Dissolves to smooth Level and Pan adjustments
Clip Mode: Setting a common Level or Pan to multiple segments
Clip Mode: Adjusting multiple segments by a uniform amount
Manually adding and adjusting Volume and Pan Automation keyframes
Removing/Deleting Volume and Pan Automation Keyframes
Adjusting multiple audio keyframes simultaneously
Real Time Volume and Pan Adjustment
Creating Stereo, 5.1 and 7.1 ("Multichannel") Tracks in a Sequence
Converting a multichannel track into mono tracks in a Sequence
Making Multichannel Clips (Stereo, 5.1 and 7.1)
Using AudioSuite Plug-ins
Removing AudioSuite plug-ins
Saving and Applying AudioSuite Templates
Using Real Time Audio Suite (RTAS) Plug-Ins
Removing RTAS plug-ins
Saving and Applying RTAS Effect Templates
Copying RTAS Effects between Tracks

Chapter 8:
Editing with Group Clips and MultiCamera Mode
Introduction
Syncing and Grouping clips with common timecode
Syncing and Grouping Clips with common reference points
Creating a syncing Sequence for syncing and grouping clips
Using the Group Clip Menu
Using the Multicamera display and methods of switching camera angles
Swap Cam Bank: Toggling the MultiCamera Display
Editing with a Group Clip – not using MultiCamera Mode
MultiCamera Mode Editing
MultiCamera Mode Settings

Chapter 9:
Output Tips and Tricks
Introduction
Creating accurate Color Bars and Tone
Methods for setting Sequence Timecode
Adding Filler for Color Bars, Tone, and Slate
Exporting a still image
Exporting multiple still images using Markers
Exporting a QuickTime Reference Movie
Exporting a QuickTime Movie (Self Contained)
Using the Timecode Burn-In effect

Chapter 10:
Time Savers in the Title Tool
(Purchasers of the book can download this chapter. See page 2 of the book for details.)
Introduction
Opening the Title Tool and setting preferences
Methods to save a Title
Revising a Title: Two methods
Creating and/or recreating Title Media in a Bin
Creating and/or recreating Title Media in a Sequence
Creating and using Title Styles
Creating and using Title Templates

Appendix A:
Additional Tips, Tricks, and Explanations
Find Bin Function tips
Moving around: Methods and tips
Getting more use from the Grid
cmd/Ctrl + L and K: Several Uses
Locking and unlocking

Appendix B:
Details on Trimming, Slipping, Sliding,
and Segment Mode
Trimming terminology
Trimming icons and colors
How Trimming works
Enabling and configuring the Trimming Tools
Trimming methods
Monitoring during Trimming
Slipping with Trim Mode
Slipping outside of Trim Mode
Sliding in Trim Mode
Trimming and effects
Smart Tool overview
Using the Trim functions in the Smart Tool
Using Segment Mode with the Smart Tool
Nine Segment Mode Tips

Appendix C:
Helpful Details about MultiCamera Editing
Uses for Group Clips and MultiCamera Mode
Definition of a Group Clip
Definition of a MultiGroupClip
Definition of MultiCamera Mode
Overview: Syncing Methods
Editing multiple camera angles without Group Clips
MultipleCamera Editing Resolutions
Understanding System Performance with Group Clips and MultiCamera Mode