Lab Assignment 4

Video Workflow

There will not be any files to submit for this lab. We will consider it a work day to familiarize yourself with a Video Workflow process in preparation for Mini Composition 2. You do not have to use the exact procedure outlined for this exercise. However, the steps described below use software already available to you in the SoM203 lab. Your primary objective should be to work through all of the sections below and approach the instructor if you need further instructions or clarifications. You do not need to decide on the video you will be using for your Mini Composition 2 during this lab, though it is recommended.

Software and sites referenced:

  • iMovie
  • Studio One
  • Archive.org
  • YouTube
  • YouTube downloader sites (various)

Finding a Video

You are certainly welcome to supply your own video for this project, including one you shoot and edit yourself. If you need to find one online, your best sources are likely Archive.org and YouTube.
With Archive.org, video files from various categories are freely available to download. Many of them are in the Public Domain, meaning that their “exclusive intellectual property rights have expired, have been forfeited, have been expressly waived, or are inapplicable.” However, due to the times in which some of these older films were produced, some of them may contain offensive content. Please be sensitive to this matter if you are looking for videos on Archive.org. When downloading, simply chose the best quality file available to you.
Many videos on YouTube are likely subject to copyright claims. We will be using these videos for educational purposes under the Fair Use doctrine. Your video projects will only be shown in class, only stored locally, and deleted from the lab after the projects have been graded. Students will assume all legal responsibilities if they decide to distribute these videos elsewhere. Use a YouTube downloader site to download videos from YouTube - you should be able to find one easily through an online search.

iMovie

You will likely need to use iMovie twice throughout this process - once to trim your initial video file down to the desired length (before importing into Studio One), and again to align your finished audio mixdown with the video file.

Preparing Your Video

Simply import the raw video into iMovie, create a new project, insert your raw video into the empty project, trim it to the appropriate length, and export the new shortened version through the Share menu. The resulting file is ready to import into Studio One.

Importing video into Studio One

Importing video into Studio One is generally as simple as dragging the video file into the Studio One arrange window. For a more thorough explanation, see the Import Video instructions. Once a video is in your timeline, you can simply compose your soundtrack along with the video. For more help or further details, see this instructional video or search for “video” inside the Studio One reference manual. Keep in mind that once your soundtrack is finished, you will NOT actually be exporting the video from Studio One, only the new audio mixdown. You will need to use iMovie again to align your finished audio mixdown with the video file. NOTE: This is one of the few instances in which the Pro version of Studio One is required for your assignment. Video import and the video track playback window are not available in the Artist or Prime (free) versions. To work on Mini Composition 2, you may decide to activate the 30 day demo of Studio One Pro on your personal computer, use the Artist or Prime versions to compose soundtrack ideas without the video, or do all of you work during open lab hours.

Finishing Your Video

To re-align your new audio mixdown audio with your video file, drag both your video file and audio file into an iMovie project (you may re-use the original project that was used to shorten the original raw video file if it is still accessible). Move the audio mixdown as needed so that the timing is correct. If desired, mute the original audio from your video file. Then, as before, export the new shortened version through the Share menu. The resulting file is ready to submit with your Mini Composition 2 folder.