Editing multicamera video

Once you have synchronized multitake events, you can use multicamera editing mode to choose takes and switch cameras. This can be done while VEGAS Pro is paused for cuts at precise points (such as certain timecodes or beat markers), or it can be done live during playback. Playback continues even when a take is chosen.

TIP When multicamera editing mode is active, video envelopes, effects, and motion are bypassed in the Video Preview window to preserve your playback frame rate.

Enabling multicamera editing mode

To edit multicamera video in VEGAS Pro, you must enable multicamera editing mode. From the Tools menu, choose Multicamera, and choose Enable Multicamera Editing from the submenu.

Previewing multiple takes

In multicamera editing mode, the Video Preview window switches into multicamera mode, with a multicamera tiled view showing the contents of all takes simultaneously. The active take is highlighted with a colored border.

   
1 The active take is highlighted.
2 Camera or take name and number is displayed by default.
NOTE

  • VEGAS Pro can preview many takes at once in multicamera mode, but your computer performance will limit the playback frame rate.

  • If you have multiple video tracks and/or overlapping video events, the topmost multitake event is displayed in the Video Preview window. Single-take events, such as title overlays, are ignored. When there are multiple video tracks, the topmost event is the one on the topmost track. When there are overlapping events on the same track, the topmost event is the one to the right.

Toggling the display of camera/take name and number information in the Video Preview window

The camera and take name and number information display in the Video Preview window by default. You can toggle the display of this information from the Video tab of the Preferences window.

For more information, see Video Tab

TIP You can also toggle the display of take names on events in the timeline. From the View menu, choose Active Take Information.

  1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences, and then click the Video tab.

  2. To turn off display of take name information, clear the Display take names check box. To turn off display of take number information, clear the Display take numbers check box.

Setting the active take indicator color

You can select the color that highlights the active take in the Video Preview window.

  1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences, and then click the Video tab.

  2. Click the Active take indicator color swatch to display a color picker, where you can choose any color using the RGBA or HSLA controls. Click the button to switch between RGB and HSL color modes, or click the eyedropper to sample a color from your screen.

Previewing the full frame on an external monitor

You can choose to preview the full frame on an external monitor while in multicamera mode. This allows you to see the final output without leaving multicamera mode.

From the Tools menu, choose Multicamera, and then choose Show Full Frame in External Monitor to toggle this option on or off.

Choosing takes

There are several methods you can use for choosing takes, such as pressing number keys or by clicking the takes in the Video Preview window. When you choose a take, VEGAS Pro switches the active take for the multicamera event.

TIP Holding the Ctrl key while choosing a take will create a crossfade instead of a cut, with the alignment and duration determined by the Cut-to-overlap conversion settings from the Editing tab of the Preferences dialog. For more information, see Editing Tab

In the Video Preview window, camera changes are displayed as the active take indicator moving across takes. When multicamera mode is off, you'll see camera changes in the video output.

To change takes, VEGAS Pro splits the event at the call point and switches the active take.

NOTE Empty takes [those marked with "(no camera)"] cannot be chosen.

Recutting sections

You can change the take used for an entire time selection. When possible, events using the same take are merged. If a take is not available for part of the time selection, those events are unchanged.

There are several methods you can use for choosing takes, such as pressing number keys or by clicking the takes in the Video Preview window. When you choose a take, VEGAS Pro switches the active take for the multicamera event.

TIP Holding the Ctrl key while choosing a take will create a crossfade instead of a cut, with the alignment and duration determined by the Cut-to-overlap conversion settings from the Editing tab of the Preferences dialog. For more information, see Editing Tab

In the Video Preview window, camera changes are displayed as the active take indicator moving across takes. When multicamera mode is off, you'll see camera changes in the video output.

To change takes, VEGAS Pro splits the event at the call point and switches the active take.

NOTE Empty takes [those marked with "(no camera)"] cannot be chosen.

Expanding a multicamera track to multiple tracks

VEGAS Pro can expand a multicamera track to multiple component tracks.

  1. Select a multicamera track in the track list.

  2. From the Tools menu, choose Multicamera, and then choose Expand to Multiple Tracks from the submenu.

  3. You are prompted to either keep unused takes as muted events or delete them. If you keep unused takes as muted events, you can recreate your multicamera track later. Click Yes to keep unused takes or No to delete them.

Resetting camera changes

To reset a range of time to use a single take (perhaps in order to redo the take choosing), select a range of events in the timeline and right-click one event. From the shortcut menu, choose Take, and then choose the take to use for all selected events.

Turning off multicamera editing mode

From the Tools menu, choose Multicamera, and choose Enable Multicamera Editing from the submenu to turn off multicamera editing mode once you have completed your multicamera editing.

In normal editing mode, the output displays only the active take for each event. If necessary, use traditional VEGAS Pro editing tools to refine the edit. You can re-enable the multicamera editing mode and do further take choosing at any time.