In what order do I make edits to audio in a video clip?

Question

I have a video of a live performance that was recorded on three different cameras. One of the cameras captured the audio much better than expected, so that is the main audio track I am choosing to use.

The main portion of the audio consists of one person talking. I want to edit the audio to trim out a couple of mistakes and unnecessary parts. Then I'm going to take it, and the video that goes with it, and combine them with clips from other videos. In the end, the video currently attached to the audio will probably only be on screen for about 10% of the time.

I think I have three things I need to do before I start adding in other clips:

• Edit the audio to trim out unwanted sections.

• Apply effects to the audio, such filtering noise or adjusting levels and things like that.

• Edit the base video so that it syncs with the audio. (By "base" video, I mean the one that came from the same camera that I'm getting the audio. Even though it will be covered by other clips most of the time, it needs to sync for when it is shown.)

So, my question is:

What order do I do these steps in?

I can see advantages and disadvantages in various combinations. Is there a standard approach, or are there considerations based on desired results?

In case it matters: I'll be doing the video editing in Kdenlive, with some audio editing done with Audacity.

Answer 1

Typically you would sync all media first. There may not be a defining action and/or distinctive sound in the media that allows you to effectively sync audio and visual in the part of the clip that you want to keep - so it is best to have the entire clip on the timeline to assist with syncing. In filmmaking, syncing audio and vision is made easy via the use of a clapper board, wherein the board states which take is about to be shot (or what take has just been shot in the case of a tail slate), the clapper loader reads out the take number and then 'claps' the board. The sharp spike in audio is then used to match up the connecting of the two pieces of the board – thereby syncing the media. If you were to sync media after editing you would have to sync up a massive amount of clips instead of just the individual takes.

After syncing comes editing. Cut everything together they way you want it, discard the things you don't want.

Lastly you apply effects and level audio – make it all nice and pretty.

I'm not too sure about the workflow of Kdenlive to Audacity, so there is a chance this technique might not be the best for you. However, this is the way things are generally done when making a film or any type of video that requires syncing and heavy editing.