APPLE PHOTO BOOTH FUN.

Final Cut Studio 2: Using multiple file formats

At PAH Fest Motown we took on the challenge of documenting the festival. The challenge was that most resources were used by the Mobi-Flick teams, and in order for us to document the festival we were forced to use any other digital device. Madonna University was gracious enough to provide Cannon camcorders to each assistant coach on the Mobi-Flick team and Panasonic camcorders to the documentary team. Meanwhile the PAH Posse uses MPEG 4 camcorders that shoot in standard def and in 720p HD. The multiple formats used to be a logistical nightmare for whomever was going to edit the footage because of rendering and the different aspect ratios. The new Final Cut Studio 2 solved this major headache; in this new version you are able to put as many different file formats as you need into one timeline without rendering. We had footage in HDV, mini dv footage in 720 x 480, mini dv in anamorphic widescreen, Hi8, HD 720p, and MPEG 4 footage. The PAH team prides itself on making anything digital work and it is a nice relief when the software you count on makes your life just a tad easier.

Remember, while it is nice that the software you use makes life easier, it is your challenge to create a story that moves people. It does not matter if you edit tape to tape or use fancy software...it is all about the story. Portions of the documentary will soon be posted at www.pahnation.com, so stay tuned.