1. Make use of multiple instances

Vegas is unusual among NLEs in allowing you to have several instances of the program open at once. This great facility allows you to cut and paste clips between instances and can form the basis of a great file management approach, especially in longer projects.

2. Use Paste Attributes to simplify adding effects to multiple events

Suppose I have a project with 80 events on the timeline. I decide I want to desaturate the colour in the second half of them. I choose the first in the group and click the video FX button. I choose the Black and White filter and select "75% black and white". Then I right click on this event and click COPY. Finally I right-click on this event and choose "Select Events to end". Finally I right-click again and choose "Paste Attributes".  

3. Use shortcut keys to activate Ripple Edits

There are three kinds of ripple edit available under the Auto Ripple button on the Vegas toolbar:

• Affected Tracks
• Affected Tracks, Bus Tracks, Markers and Regions
• All Tracks Markers and Regions

If you choose one of these options and press the Auto Ripple button, auto ripple will remain active until you switch it off again. This is useful in some situations, but most commonly I only want to apply a ripple edit once. If it stays on it can cause unwanted results.

The solution is to use "Post-Edit Ripple" which is activated by keyboard shortcuts

To use this great feature, perform an edit, then press the shortcut key/s you want, eg Ctrl+Shift+F. Watch as everything  downstream ripples to the left.

4. Use the "Ignore Event Grouping" button to make fine adjustments to audio without affecting linked video (or vice versa)

This refers to special cases of L- and J-cuts, ie situations where you need to overlap the audio from one clip over that of the adjacent clip. Vegas allows you to work on very fine audio detail, right down to sub-frame parts of the waveform. To do this, turn "Quantize to Frames" and "Enable Snapping" off. Adjust the edge of the clip as desired, then turn Quantize and Snapping back on. Couldn't be simpler!

5. Make use of Sound Forge

Sound Forge Pro 10 is an essential companion to Vegas and used for a huge range of audio manipulation including noise reduction, compression and mastering. Tight integration of the two programs makes audio processing very simple. Right click on an audio event and select "Open Copy in Sound Forge. Sound Forge opens (if it isn't already) and displays your waveform. Do what you need to manipulate the file, then save it. When you return to Vegas your modified audio clip will have been added as a new take. To toggle between takes, simply press "T". Alternatively right click on the file and select "Take". Choose the take you want from the list.

By David Smith

Dr David Smith is a physiologist-turned-film maker. David was Associate Producer of the IMAX feature Australia Land Beyond Time and was Senior Researcher on the ABC TV series Nature of Australia. He wrote and hosted David Smith's Earthwatch on ABCTV and was 'resident zoologist' on the Don Lane and Bert Newton Shows.

In 1987 David set up his company, imaginACTION pty ltd (www.imaginaction.net.au) and has sinced written, directed and/or filmed numerous documentaries and educational multimedia projects. He has also written six books, including two Penguin eco-thrillers. Over the past five years David has moved towards medical and health-related projects, including trauma surgery, schizophrenia and emergency medicine.

David is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and a professional member of the AFI and has always been keen to share his knowledge, especially with young budding film makers. David can be contacted at david@imaginaction.net.au.

Comments(1):

1. Tuesday, March 09, 2010 Ken