Hi Guys,
I shoot live music performances and mistakes happen. For instance I cut from a wide shot to a close-up of the lead guitarist for the solo, 'cos that's the way they rehearsed it, and the vocalist starts another verse instead.
So how do I correct that?
I could :-
1) Copy the camera tapes/cards to the PC and edit in my NLE - but that would mean a drop in video quality and take time.
2) Capture all cameras with vMix Pro Multicorder - but I would need a new PC and lots of expensive SSD disk space, and even then I'm not sure it wouldn't drop frames.
I've been thinking about it for a little while and I've come up with 2 possible solutions :-
1) Introduce a video delay so that I don't have to make the cut until after I see what has happened - 5 seconds sounds about right. Would that be possible Martin?
2) Record a second "alternative" mix in Multicorder to a second video drive. This could simply be the outgoing shot or be selected from the preview monitors in the same way (similar way) as the main mix. Either way I'd only have 2 files to edit from, which is good, and they'd both be in sync and of matching quality.
What do you guys think, and how do you handle the problem?
Brian Hazelden

Maybe use a mixed approach: mix the inputs live and record the mix; if possible, record in camera at the same time; then digitize only the parts of the recordings needed to fix severe mistakes.

Hi ngaanyatjarramedia,

>>how many cameras do you have? you could probably get away recording 3 cameras with a RAID 0 setup...<<

Thanks for your reply. I'm using 6 cams at 1920x1080i 25 fps and capturing a mix with dissolve transitions at 50mbps MPEG. Have you tried Multicam with 3 cams?


Hi macjaeger,

>>Maybe use a mixed approach: mix the inputs live and record the mix; if possible, record in camera at the same time; then digitize only the parts of the recordings needed to fix severe mistakes<<

Thanks for your reply. That's pretty much what I'm doing at the moment but it's not easy getting to the cams to change cards/tapes.
It's also very time consuming capturing/copying from tape/cards, syncing with other footage and subsequently editing in a NLE - not to mention the drop in image quality.
Enablinging multicam to switch cameras, even just a straight cut, would mean that there was a back-up or alternative shot to drop in which was completely in sync with the main footage.
It might even be possible to start both clips in sync and re-edit "live" style in vMix.



Hi Egriswold

>>Here's what we do, Pre-record some B-roll such as beauty shots of crowd or decorations. Could even be some closeup shots from rehearsal.
Be creative and have fun.<<

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I do that too and sometimes use slo-mo out-of-sync or monochrome inserts as a "fix" or "patch",
but everybody knows what it is and it breaks the "spell" of the performance dragging it down to the level of a pop video (ducks down behind parapet ;-))

Hi All, and especially Martin,

vMix is amazing software and video/audio quality are second to none.
Mistakes in live mixing are operator error and nothing to do with vMix, but they occur all the time and at all levels.
If there was a way of quickly and easily rectifying those mistakes whilst maintaining image quality from within vMix it would considerably enhance the value of the software.

My stab at a solution is to use 2 PCs, each with 6 BM Intensity Pro's. These cards output the same time as capturing so I'll connect each output to the inputs on the second PC.
Running vMix on each PC I can record 2 streams at full quality and choose which shot i need as a backup.

Yes, it's a very expensive solution, not to mention all the extra gear required, but the original requests fell on deaf ears, apparently.

I'll repeat the suggested solutions to save you all from scrolling up ..........

>>I've been thinking about it for a little while and I've come up with 2 possible solutions :-
1) Introduce a video delay so that I don't have to make the cut until after I see what has happened - 5 seconds sounds about right. Would that be possible Martin?
2) Record a second "alternative" mix in Multicorder to a second video drive. This could simply be the outgoing shot or be selected from the preview monitors in the same way (similar way) as the main mix. Either way I'd only have 2 files to edit from, which is good, and they'd both be in sync and of matching quality.<<

I would prefer option 2, selecting which input to record as backup by clicking a button on the input monitor which changes colour to indicate it is being recorded.

Brian Hazelden