Some expert opinions please?

[bassgreg]

As I finish my first project in PE 3.0, I started to think about my workflow. I know I had a big learning curve, but with the help of the tutorials on Video in a Snap, and Chucks site I have managed my way thru the process.

I am working on a "Year in Review" for my daughters swim team and I have done it all in one large project, But I am beginning to think it might have been better to break it down into 5-8 smaller projects? My question is simply... when creating a large project with many parts do you make individual smaller projects then bring them together into one final big project?
or is it better to do it all in one big project?

Thanks,

Greg

[Paul LS]

For me it depends. If it is a long project but fairly simple editing I will keep it as a single project. However if the project is fairly complex, using multiple video/audio tracks and mulitple source formats I will break it down into chunks. Some projects lend themselves more easily to this than others. I work work each "scene" in it's own project than export as DV-AVI and bring the chunks back together in a final project for applying menus/markers and burning.
Exporting as DV-AVI maintains the quality.

[Maxine370]

I definitely do. Number of reasons. Keeps the file size more manageable. If you wind up with a corrupt file (which is rare but has happened to me) you don't lose ALL your work. For me, it just makes the bigger projects seem less daunting.

I'm sure there are other reasons.

[Chuck Engels]

Yup, I do mine just like the FAQ says
How do I work on a large project in small pieces?
It's always a better strategy to create a large project in small pieces and combine them in a
final mix into one large one. Doing so uses your resources much more efficiently and greatly
reduces potential technical problems.
The process is simple:
1) When completed, export each segment as an AVI movie by using File/Export/Movie.
To avoid losing quality by recompressing the already compressed DV-AVI files, after you
File/Export/Movie, click on Settings and, under the Video tab, uncheck the Recompress
option. Doing this also saves output time since, DV-AVIs that have no effects or transitions
applied are easily copied as is into the new file.
2) Open a new project and import each of the segments into it using Add Media.
Not only does working this way break everything into much more trouble-free bite-sized
pieces, but the final mix requires virtually no rendering and saves a lot of processing time.

[Steve Grisetti]

I always conceive my video projects as a series of acts or sequences and work on each separately, combining them in a final mixdown at the end.

After all, your audience has an attention span of about 5-8 minutes for each sequence anyway. Nobody is going to sit through one, long, 45 minute + video on the same project! We did a recent trip to Italy, for instance, and I divided it up into 5 acts, with title cards introducing each act as if it were a course in a meal: Antipasto: Our journey there; Primo Piatto: Our time visiting friends in Turin, Secondo Piatto: Our visit to my grandfather's hometown; Contorno: A side trip to the Cinque Terre; and, of course, Dolce: Wrapping it all up with a side trip down the French Riviera.

Breaking it into brief 5-10 minute segments allowed the audience to focus on each little adventure and the unique theme each presented.

And, absolutely, I worked on each segment as its own little video project, never overloading my system resources and my creative focus.

[happy2bapappy]

worked on each segment as its own little video project, never overloading my ......... creative focus.

That's a good point. It keeps one focused and to the point.

I also read your book e-book about telling stories. Good points there also, and though I agree about doing voice overs to add a layer of depth, I have to say, for my own experience, I get a little unnerved seeing myself on screen, and definitely hearing my own voice.

John.

[Steve Grisetti]

I completely understand, John.

There are times when I've gotten so annoyed at the sound of my voice, I've considered hiring Chuck to do my voiceover work!

[Chuck Engels]

But I am way too expensive

[happy2bapappy]

...and then there those who can never get enough of the sound of their own voice :wink:

[Chuck Engels]

That was waaaaaaay to funny