The Advantages of Using Cutter
with Nonlinear Editing Systems
and HD Production

Cutter is a software-only video tape editing controller that enhances the capabilities of nonlinear editing systems. Running on any Macintosh with two or more serial ports and a 640 x 480 or larger monitor, it controls two video machines with RS-422 ports to perform frame-accurate video editing.

This paper will examine four of the ways in which Cutter can be useful in nonlinear suites and in HD production.

“Hybrid”Nonlinear Editing

Many types of productions involve long segments of original source material that don’t require any editing or effects within the segments. Examples include multicamera productions that were switched live to tape, recordings of seminars, etc. Any time you have a clip of more than five minutes that will be used as is, it’s time to ask whether it makes sense to digitize the clip just so it can be recorded out to the master tape.

Digitizing at high quality takes up valuable disk space and— even with the excellent image quality of today’s NLE systems—degrades the video to some degree. By switching to Cutter to record long clips directly from the source tape to the master, you save time, disk space and image quality.

Quoting from some recent correspondence:

“I’m a long-time professional videotape editor... I have a UVW-1800 recorder, a PVW-2600 player, and a Media 100qx system. I completely agree...that it’s desirable to have a cuts edit pack to compliment a non-linear system. People get so caught up in ‘effects’ that they don’t realize that 95% of films and commercials are comprised of cut edits. I mostly cut tape to tape and use the Media 100qx for any effects that I need. Works very nicely.”

This hybrid approach is most appropriate during direct on-line editing that is not preceeded by an off-line edit.

Logging and “Pulling Shots”

When dealing with a production that will be cut from large numbers of source tapes, it’s often most efficient to log footage off-line, rather than tying up a nonlinear system. In some cases it also makes sense to “pull” shots from master tapes and record them onto a submaster that will then be used to digitize footage. Cutter makes both these tasks easy.

Cutter lets you compile a tape log in the form of an industry-standard edit decision list (EDL). The process is simple: First establish a starting record time code for the record machine. This can be done even with only a source machine connected. Next, play the source tape using either the mouse or keyboard controls built into Cutter. At the start of the first clip, click the Mark In button or its single-stroke keyboard equivalent. At the end of the clip, click Mark Out. The first clip is now identified. Press Command-E, and the clip will be entered into the list.

If an option in Cutter’s Preferences window has been selected, once the clip is entered into the list, the Notes dialog will open automatically, allowing you to type in a text note of up to 80 characters to describe the clip.

Once the clip (and optional note) has been entered into the list, you’re ready to find the in and out points of the next clip and repeat the process. The record in points will automatically be updated as each clip is entered into the list.

If you decide to pull shots onto a submaster, Cutter will do the work for you. With the edit list loaded into Cutter, it will control the source and record machines to Auto Assemble the clips onto the submaster while you take care of other matters, like lunch. The only further involvement on your part is when a source tape needs to be changed. Cutter will display an alert and ask for the next tape. When the tape has been changed, it will resume the Auto Assembly.

Classic Tape-to-Tape Situations

Sometimes it simply makes more sense to edit tape-to-tape. A good example is when you need to put together a compilation reel to show a client. You need to gather some clips of your work and edit them together. Simple—nothing fancy needed.

Consider that the material has already gone through the digitizing process once before. Digitizing it again will introduce additional compression artifacts while also tying up the NLE system and its drive space. This is a perfect use for Cutter.

Cutter came into being as a result of a comment by a user of a nonlinear system:

“[Why isn't there] a software package that would use a Mac like a cuts-only edit controller (like a Sony RM-450)? ...I always thought that this would be a very useful package. I’d buy one. I've had many times that I’d love to slap together a Beta tape from Beta, or from Beta to my serial controllable VHS. I could put together targeted demos without having to have a bunch of hard drive space free. I can’t justify a $2,500 RM-450 but I could plop $500 or so down for software that would do the same thing.”

After some informal polling revealed a strong interest, we released Cutter in November of 1996. It’s a lot more powerful than an RM-450 (which is actually more in the $1,500 range), and the latest version’s under the $500 price point. There have since been continuous enhancements and upgrades (free within versions to registered users).

In a MacWeek article in the February 24, 1997 issue, Scott Kushner of The Programming Group Ltd. in New York said: “Cutter has allowed me to integrate simple offline capabilities into my nonlinear editing system. I don’t need to go into my Media 100 to do [simple cuts]. That would be like using a Sherman tank for something you need a pistol for.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

24p <-> 30i Downconvert and Audio Layback

Cutter offers a fast, easy and very inexpensive solution to two tasks commonly involved in the HD production workflow.

 
When working with a mix of 24p and 30i, Cutter can control the HD and SD decks each at their native frame rates, without the need for expensive time code conversion board options. This means you can downconvert from 24p to 30i – Cutter even keeps track of A frames if you want it to – or lay back audio mixed and mastered on a 30i deck back to your 24p deck. All frame accurately and with no fuss.

 

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