some muti-cam editing questions for a dance

[jlaurie]

Hello,
I'm new to this site. I love to play with premiere pro, editing footage of performances I take from my wife's dance studio recitals and events. There are some numbers I've recorded with one camera, but several times from different positions because they were performed repeatedly. I am trying to improve on some attempts I made at multiediting with premiere pro.
I get everything synched to the audio track and everything works.
I would like to get some general pointers on strategies when cutting from scene to scene in music videos. I came across the online articles:

http://videoinasnap.chuckengels.com/sou ... _06-06.htm and http://videoinasnap.chuckengels.com/sou ... _11-05.htm , which ultimately lead me to this ste.

What kind of general rules of thought would you use when changing angles in this 'music video' situation? Would you still limit a given angle to <5 sec, or try to change scenes during a movement (identifiable part of the dance),that ends with another view? My daughter and choreographer thinks primarily it should change on the beat and change scenes sparingly.

My first attempt last year at the studios holloween open house can be viewed here. This is done with a very low end sony minidv in a smaller room with 6 75 watt lights with pink gels. Way low tech This year it was also done outside at a mall with much better lighting.
http://stage6.divx.com/Dancers-Studio/v ... cing-Flame and
http://stage6.divx.com/Dancers-Studio/v ... -Halloween

Any advice?
thanks,
Jack

I'm also thinking about obtaining a sony hd sr7 to improve the quality especially in low light and during stage performances. How are the low light capabilities? Would I notice a huge improvement over my trv18 minidv? I can post this part in the minicam section too, or instead.

[Steve Grisetti]

I shot my niece's wedding last year and, while editing the reception, came up with some tricks for turning long, monotonous dances into briefer, more lively sequences with coverage to capture them from several points of view.

If you're a member, you can download "How to Make a Great Wedding Video" for free.
http://muvipix.com/products.php?page=11&maincat_id=7

[Chuck Engels]

Welcome Jack,
I'm glad you found your way here, videoinasnap was created by the same people you will find here at muvipix plus a whole lot more.

I see that Steve has already mentioned his article and you have already read some of his others at videoiansnap.
In my experience cutting on the beat really doesn't make sense most of the time, cutting at specific movements are going to make more sense.
There is no 5 second rule with dance video, keep the shot as long as you like but make sure you are flowing with the dancers, if you know what I mean.
The type of dance will help to determine the camera changes and transition types (usually cross dissolves and nothing else, maybe a direct cut if it is very up tempo).
Using a lot of cross dissolves makes it hard to change on the beat, don't worry about it, change with the movement and flow of the dancers.

You might want to post your camera question in the camcorder forum also
Glad to have you with us Jack