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Vision Mixing

(August 2008)

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JS
Janner south west
Right, I'm Vision Mixing for a small production next month and i'm looking for some advice to help me make the production look alot better. I've done it a few times before but i want to try and improve my skills.

The vision mixer i shall be using is a Panasonic WJMX50b 4 Channel Mixer.
Stats Here

Picture Of It here

So any tips, tricks or tutorials ranging from novice to expert would be appreciated so i can read up on it all!
NG
noggin Founding member
Janner south west posted:
Right, I'm Vision Mixing for a small production next month and i'm looking for some advice to help me make the production look alot better. I've done it a few times before but i want to try and improve my skills.

The vision mixer i shall be using is a Panasonic WJMX50b 4 Channel Mixer.
Stats Here

Picture Of It here

So any tips, tricks or tutorials ranging from novice to expert would be appreciated so i can read up on it all!


If you're mainly cutting between cameras - then cuts are best. You'll notice that on mainstream TV the only times mixes are usually used between camera shots are on music numbers - they are very seldom used on interviews (and only on "arty" ones).

Whenever you are considering doing anything other than a cut - whether it is a mix, a wipe or some other transition effect (a DVE for example) - asky why you are not using a cut. If you can't answer it - you probably should be using a cut...

Wipes have their place - but are very specific in their "grammar" - and have to be used VERY sparingly. News programmes wipe between different VTs as a "story change" indicator for example, to keep things pacy and visually interesting without lots of returns to vision. However wipes between camera shots, or between cameras and VTs are not routinely used - mainly because you don't want to chop your presenters or guests up visually (which is what wipes do)

The sign of a good vision mixer (person not device) is someone who is always listening to what is being said and is watching the camera preview monitors. Don't just keep the person talking in-vision, often the person listening is more interesting - particularly if they are being asked a challenging question.

Always think - what does the viewer want to see?

I've seen some excellent vision mixers do entire shows - including complex music numbers - entirely on cuts.

When it comes to operationally mixing - most people hot cut interviews (i.e. cut on the programme row) as if you preview cut every shot, every shot is likely to be late. However when running VTs or going to graphics most mixers will preview the VT/gfx and then cut or mix to them using a PGM/PST transition (either pressing the CUT button or using the fader arm)
GM
nodnirG kraM
Nothing much that can be added to noggin's advice, but one of the best ways to learn is to observe the actions of everybody else. I've never been trained as a vision mixer, but can make a perfectly passable programme simply through my observation of others over the years - mostly though not watching a mixer in the gallery, but watching their output. Immerse yourself in some live studio talk shows such as The One Show, Loose Women, GMTV interviews, Parky, Wossy et al.

Make mental notes of when cuts are made - as noggin says, don't cut straight to the talkee when they start gassing, then straight to the next person when they start - add some variety, cut on second paragraphs, and make full use of your sources.
SP
Spencer
Having had a bit of a go at vision mixing many years ago, From what I remember, I'd say the key is to concentrate on what you're about to cut to, more than on what's going out.

There's a great temptation to sit and admire your finished product on the TX monitor whilst you're working. Obviously you need to know what's going out, but if you lose concentration on the preview monitors, you're doomed!

Other things that I was taught that have stuck with me... Always 'cut on the action' - so if you're going from a wide-shot to a closer shot where someone's, say, about to sit down, aim to cut as they land on the chair. Don't cut before or after, or it'll look messy.

If you're vision-mixing for an interview, look for the facial movements which indicate when a subject is about to start talking so you can cut to them just as they start speaking, rather than just after.

Also avoid cutting whilst the camera is moving - so if you're cutting away from a tracking, panning or zooming shot, wait til the movement has finished before cutting... although sometimes you can get away with a mix out of a moving shot.

If you're using music too, aim to cut your shots with the beat.
DO
dosxuk
One word of warning :- I'm fairly sure on the MX50*, only the busses are synchronised, not all the inputs, so if you do a cut on the live bus, you will get frame roll as it re-synchronises.

The only way to get clean cuts is to cut between busses (I normally do this by setting the auto-fade time to zero and using the Auto Take button - but this does mean you need to pay more attention as to which is your live bus).

* This is definately the case on all the lower versions of the Panasonic vision mixers, but it's a while since I used an MX50, so can't remember if it's the same.
GC
GaryC
all of noggins comments are top notch.

However the kit you are using is quite low grade (but IS used for broadcast - 'live roulette' and the 'babe' style channels use the panny MX series a lot) and if the cameras are not fully pro and genlocked together outside of the mixer (which has a frame sync to fix the problem of using low grade equipment) then DO NOT hot cut the show by puching programme row only!

These type of mixers need to sync the video in a frame buffer before switching, so always try and load the next source to the preview row. If you do not the MX series has an odd freeze frame effect from 4-10 frames of the current source on-air while it hunts for sync. Sometimes not noticable, but it can become a problem.

As to fade/cut argument; all i would add is things that are at the end of a sequence like a VT should make you ask the question 'is this next bit related?' If its a news report and you are moving on to the next story, then while you cut into the report, fast fade mix out.

If you have someone on cameras, then movement is GOOD! but only if cutting/mixing to the source (avoid starting to move a shot that is static and already on air) A slow zoom or track in at the start of something welcoming is pleasing. As is the reverse at the end. Don't ever go in the opposite direction (ie zoom out on talent at the start of something)

The only major point I would add is try and use establishing shots (all guests and interviewer in frame) to give a context to the viewer if you are cutting between question/answer/reaction more than 3 or so times.
JS
Janner south west
dosxuk posted:
One word of warning :- I'm fairly sure on the MX50*, only the busses are synchronised, not all the inputs, so if you do a cut on the live bus, you will get frame roll as it re-synchronises.

The only way to get clean cuts is to cut between busses (I normally do this by setting the auto-fade time to zero and using the Auto Take button - but this does mean you need to pay more attention as to which is your live bus).

* This is definately the case on all the lower versions of the Panasonic vision mixers, but it's a while since I used an MX50, so can't remember if it's the same.


Yes.. I found this out last year mid-way through the production. Anyway, thanks for all the advice guys - really appreciated. Smile
ST
Stuart
Alot of the technical stuff here went right over my head, but this is nonetheless a fascinating insight into the art of vision mixing for a layman such as myself.

Will we all get to see a sample of your finished work, Janner?
MS
Mr-Stabby
A great example of vision mixing is on Top Gear. They very nicely switch between the three presenters, wide shots and on-screen stuff quite nicely. A great example here:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=L36hFs9EAj8&feature=related

Though it's obvious there's some post editing on it, probably to cut out Clarksons swearing and screwups mainly i imagine. Laughing
PE
peterrocket Founding member
Janner south west posted:
dosxuk posted:
One word of warning :- I'm fairly sure on the MX50*, only the busses are synchronised, not all the inputs, so if you do a cut on the live bus, you will get frame roll as it re-synchronises.

The only way to get clean cuts is to cut between busses (I normally do this by setting the auto-fade time to zero and using the Auto Take button - but this does mean you need to pay more attention as to which is your live bus).

* This is definately the case on all the lower versions of the Panasonic vision mixers, but it's a while since I used an MX50, so can't remember if it's the same.


Yes.. I found this out last year mid-way through the production. Anyway, thanks for all the advice guys - really appreciated. Smile


If your very clever about the way you set up the MX50, you can do more than you think - just the frame sync is an issue, and you can sometimes cut up the wrong picture.

My only other gripe is the wobblyness that a luma key creates. I know it's pants looking and you shouldn't use it, but sadly a clock was needed and it looked okey - it just wobbled constantly on top of the original source.
JS
Janner south west
StuartPlymouth posted:
Alot of the technical stuff here went right over my head, but this is nonetheless a fascinating insight into the art of vision mixing for a layman such as myself.

Will we all get to see a sample of your finished work, Janner?


Yes, we are recording the performance onto DVD it'll then get sent away to somebody who will tidy it up a bit, make titles etc.. so i should have it by November. Thats the timescale we have got from the company.. Rolling Eyes
WI
william Founding member
What do people think about the rule that sound follows vision and vice-versa?

I'm not talking about a vision mixer where the moment you cut up a different source its sound is automatically selected, but the artistic merits of the order you do it in.

Sound follows vision seems standard for live productions, news etc. - but I've always thought shows that have been through post-production - e.g. wildlife documentaries, benefit from a few seconds overlap of the audio from the next shot over the previous one (say you're about to cut from a rainforest to a waterfall or something.)

Is there a standard method people are taught?

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