Creating a Multicam Sync Workflow in Documentary Post-Production

alt= width=960 height=540 data-lazy-srcset=https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production.jpg 960w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-300x169.jpg 300w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-768x432.jpg 768w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-200x113.jpg 200w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-400x225.jpg 400w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-600x338.jpg 600w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-800x450.jpg 800w data-lazy-sizes=(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px data-lazy-src=https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production.jpg />Bizhan Ussefi, lifetime missionary and subject of Abundant Life's documentary. In Summer 2019, I was given the wonderful opportunity to shoot and manage post-production for an upcoming documentary with Abundant Life Church. Our subject was Bizhan Ussefi, a missionary who has dedicated his life to outreach in The Netherlands. We were limited to the use of existing equipment, but capturing a large amount of footage in a variety of shooting locations was paramount.

As an editor for over 25 years, I know that different projects require different editing methods. The larger a post-production house gets, the more thought must be put into the workflow of getting raw footage cut into something worth sharing. Many productions, such as documentaries, compile massive stores of footage. Without the right approach, audio and video can be difficult to sync, raw files can clog up a bin, and post-production can grind to a halt. Every project is unique, so I hadn't encountered an issue like we had telling Ussefi's story.

alt= width=960 height=540 data-lazy-srcset=https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production.jpg 960w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-300x169.jpg 300w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-768x432.jpg 768w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-200x113.jpg 200w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-400x225.jpg 400w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-600x338.jpg 600w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-800x450.jpg 800w data-lazy-sizes=(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px data-lazy-src=https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production.jpg />We shot much of our footage on public transportation throughout The Netherlands. There were some serious restrictions on filming in certain locations, like churches and historical sites. We had few opportunities to set up a tripod or light our subjects with anything other than the sun. This increased the challenge, creating a need for mobile camera and lighting gear that could be deployed in a moment's notice. In the end, we utilized a 2.7k GoPro Hero 4, a DJI Osmo Pocket, and a Canon 7D to capture footage and tell Ussefi's story. The simplicity of the Osmo Pocket was a major bonus, as we planned to leave the camera with Ussefi so he and his son could continue making videos for outreach on social media.

We traveled around The Netherlands shooting interviews, footage, and b-roll for six straight days, capturing personal stories and examples of Ussefi's work. We often traveled by train and bus, so we captured a lot of footage on board public transportation, inside busy stations, and in close proximity to one another. For this purpose, we used the Osmo Pocket's integrated gimbal and a handheld Ronin-S gimbal for our Canon 7D.

alt= width=960 height=540 data-lazy-srcset=https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production.jpg 960w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-300x169.jpg 300w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-768x432.jpg 768w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-200x113.jpg 200w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-400x225.jpg 400w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-600x338.jpg 600w, https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production-800x450.jpg 800w data-lazy-sizes=(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px data-lazy-src=https://3kqxwn1k9d01s9ict1484jk6-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/3_Streamlining_Multicam_Post_Production.jpg />We followed Ussefi wherever he went, shooting

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