Wanted: Multiple videos of same event merged into single video

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I know that there likely is a professional product out there worth (and costing) thousands of $$$, which may be available for Mac or Windows, but I’m hoping that there are some multimedia geniuses out there that have given thought to this, for those wishing to make interesting videos of live performances.

The goal is this: take two or more videos of the same event, and using the audio tracks of each, sync the videos to the same time-line, then select one of the audio tracks and pick-and-choose video slices from any of the video sources to make up the final product.

If this isn’t already a professional product, then I’d like to see it happen. It could make a real difference in producing visually engaging amateur video.

Would love to engage members of the multimedia-geek community about my ideas regarding how this could look and feel, and about any software (free or inexpensive) that can be leveraged to many *any* of the steps towards the goal work. I personally have no problem using multiple products in succession to take source video to completion, and have a moderate level of technical skill to add to the mix, but I’m a programmer, not a mixer.

Thanks much, community!

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I personally don’t have any experience in doing what you ask, but there would appear to be plenty of content on the subject…
how to: Multiple videos of same event merged into single video

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Hi Daniel,

Sounds like an interesting but complicated project. The guys on theVideohelp blog might be able to point you in the right (hopefully free) direction.

Good luck!
John

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Clint – Thanks, but most of those google links take me to the relatively simple “stitch a series of videos into a single video” problem, which I have other software for, if I encounter that situation. Thanks for the willingness to assist, though.

John – I will certainly check out the Videohelp blog, and will report back if my findings there are beneficial. Who knows, maybe I have just found my winter programming project…:D

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Hi Daniel,
I take it you have various short video clips, do you intend adding your own commentary ?

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No, this is a project where I’m hoping to have the processing path ready before the video clips.

I am a part of an acapella quartet. I’m hoping to have family and friends record one of our performances using a variety of inexpensive recording devices (I own 2 camcorders, and friends have a number of different iDevices).

The final goal is to gather them (the videos) into one place, then select the one with the best consistent audio track, then use that for time-synching the other videos, then (someday hopefully in some environment reminiscent of a proper television studio) be able to see what all of the video sources look like at any time in the performance, and be able to easily select which video source is to be spliced into the final product at any point in time in the performance.

I know it’s a lofty goal, but without lofty goals, we would never have made it to the moon.

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I’m afraid thats out of my league. Will have a browse to see whats on offer. You could have a look @ This Site.

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What you need is a program that allows multiple sources. A friend of mine has Sony Vegas and he let me play with it for a while.

It does exactly what you want to do, mute all audio tracks except one, then edit multiple video sources until you have the best views from each video. It looks great with multiple camera views.

I think Sony Vegas 10 is the current version, but you may be able to find an older version for a fraction of the cost. I know as early as version 6 you could do what you described.

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More specifically, you’re looking for multiple video track editing software. You may be aware of multiple audio track software for creating music that might be from different sources…same thing ‘cept its video also. Just have to look for software (Pinnacle/Avid, Sony Vegas, VideoStudio X4, Adobe Premiere Elements, etc.) that lets you add as many video tracks at once that you require and also lets you split the audio track from the video, so that when you cut any video portions from the video you want to keep the audio track from, the audio stays and only the video goes.

You can also just be sure that the video with the audio you want to keep is on the first track, not on what are called the overlay tracks. That way the video on the first track is always covered by the content of the overlay tracks, unless you specifically remove or make all the overlay tracks transparent.

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Thank you, Poindexter and Infinicore, I’ll expand my Google search to include “multiple source video track editing software”. Hopefully it’ll lead me to a solution that won’t break the bank (easily done nowadays…)

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