Surgical Video Editing

Plexus knows surgery as well as professional video. After years in the operating room, we know the anatomy as well as the procedures and do not need surgeons to edit with us. We have a reputation for producing surgical video programs that are typically accepted as is, in the first cut stage. Because of our level of expertise, we have the ability to sift through complicated anatomic features accurately, identifying those features with a discerning surgical sensibility and an eye for the procedure.

Plexus offers a painless, simplified editing service so that you do not have to sit with an editor that doesn't know what s/he is looking at, or chop large amounts of time out of your schedule. At Plexus we can do every kind of surgical video editing from across the country, quickly and inexpensively, and we don't need you to be there. All surgical specialties are invited and are within our portfolio of experience.

Editing Non-Audio Presentations for Surgeons

We can edit up small presentations for PowerPoint or Keynote and encode that video for you in a simplified process. All you have to do is send us the media, indicate the time parameters you desire, let us know what you'd like to emphasize in the clip(s), and tell us the kind of editing transitions and style considerations you'd like used, i.e. cuts, dissolves, fades, etc. Here is a list of the stages of non-audio presentation video editing followed by the details:

  •    1.   Email Plexus
  •    2.   Send optimized video file(s)
  •    3.   Tell us the desired, maximum, and minimum clip length(s)
  •    4.   Tell us the visual emphasis you want for the edited video(s)
  •    5.   Tell us the editing style you desire - cuts, dissolves, fades, clock-wipes, and/or 'dip to color' transitions
  •    6.   Plexus edits and sends you an Mp4 file over Send This File
  •    7.   Tell us your fixes using time code IN and OUT points
  •    8.   Plexus sends you the final edited video file(s) in WMV for PowerPoint or H.264 Mpg4 for Keynote

 

Contact Greg Ondera at this email address and either mail your disc, footage, or thumb drive to the address on the contact page, or send it over FTP through either Send This File or a similar service. Then indicate through email your desired program length, the visual emphasis, the editing transition style, and any other instructions you might have. These programs can be edited rapidly because audio editing is typically not a component for presentation video.

Include a paid return envelope, pack, or box for return shipping If you want your media returned.

Since editing for presentations does not usually involve editing audio, the following guidelines are oriented for editing non-audio video for PowerPoint and Keynote. Should you want to edit for both presentation as well as apply audio or a voice-over, we can discuss this, but know that non-audio presentation video utilizes much more rapidly cut visuals, and audio editing into a previously edited non-audio presentation doesn't always work so readily. Not to stray too far off subject, here are the details of presentation video editing:

Considerations for Editing Presentation Video

The quality of your original footage is the single most important factor contributing to the quality of your final video. We can accept most formats but prefer QuickTime (.mov files) since we edit in Apple Final Cut Pro. We can accept WMV, Mpg-1, Mpg-4, H.264, DV tape, DVCam tape, DVDs, ROM DVDs with files, ROM Blu-Ray discs, Sony XDCam EX, and many more. Although H.264 is typically a clean, crisp codec and is the best codec for web presentations and Keynote, it is not easy to edit as the encoding algorithms cause very slow editing. Simple QuickTime is preferred for editing, encoded as close to the original format as you can supply. However if you are not familiar with encoding practices, please send the file as is to us and we will take care of any transfer that is needed.

IMPORTANT: Always make copies of your discs because sometimes postal and shipping services hire gorillas and wolverines to deliver these items. We've seen this, and if there is no copy, the original is lost for good. Also do not place sticky labels on any discs, because many DVD readers are more sensitive to the imbalance caused by these labels than other players, although your player may have played the DVD just fine. Use either a marker or a printable disc for labeling.

More posts on all sorts of technical considerations can be seen at our Facebook company page titled "Plexus Surgical Video Productions" and we invite you to 'Like' it for frequent surgical video how-to updates.

Recording Recommendations

We will take care to maintain the original quality of the video as best as possible, but we cannot make the images look better than what you give us. It's also an advantage for us if you include a snip of footage visualizing something pure white or 18% gray, like a photography gray card you can get for $7 at any photo store, so that we can white balance and color correct if you did not. You may not be familiar with the notion that you can white balance off of an 18% gray card, but you can. It's actually better than white because it has a neutral luminance value. It's like doing a black balance as well.

Set your endoscopic video recorder to the highest quality level. Understand that video recording in the OR has been notoriously poor for many years now, even with the advent of HDTV. Only very recently endoscopic video recording has advanced to a level that would please a professional videographer. Why is this? The camera companies have opted for convenience over the video quality when it comes to recording. Once a video recording is encoded or "codeced' (pronounced 'co-decked'), it loses video quality, and that "lossy" media, as it is called, cannot get that quality back. So we always advocate maintaining the best possible quality you can in the original recording by maxing out the video quality levels on your recorder.

Always, always, always spend a good 30 seconds or more recording your final results. We cannot begin to tell you how many surgeons forget this. And for that matter, don't forget to record your initial diagnostic stage of the procedure as well. A good "before and after" shot is worth the effort, the "after" shot most.

Note About Timed Visuals

Some presenters would like certain sections of the visuals timed to their talk. If you can knock out that section of your talk cold, then use a stopwatch and let us know where you'd like that duration applied. This might be easier to indicate after the first cut, but if you know that you'll need this beforehand, let us know and we will try to get it into the first cut.

Editing Aesthetics

Editing for presentations can be done in several styles. Typically there is no audio used in presentations, so editing audio into a clip must be specially arranged and is a larger editing job than editing video for a talking slide presentation. If audio is on your recording, we will remove it for our editing purposes (it will still be on the original footage, though) unless you specify a need to have audio on your edited video.

At The Beginning Of The Clip

Clips can start with one of three possibilities: (1) a fade-up from black; (2) start with a still at the beginning of the program, which is simply the first frame of the program; or (3) start with an exemplary still from the middle of the program. Since most presenters want the video to start as soon as they click on the slide, we recommend the first frame option #2, as this is easier on the audience eye and keeps with the narrative flow. But we will always do what you prefer.

Editing Cuts & Transitions

Also, editing can utilize either cuts-only editing, dissolves, or fades (to black or dip to color) between scenes. Typically fast 8-frame dissolves are used when dissolves are preferred. It's a matter of taste and some styles are more appropriate for certain shots than others. For endoscopic procedures, dissolves make the program look smoother to some degree, less abrupt in the transitions between scenes. Clock-wipes can be used to imply that another chapter of the procedure is underway, or a longer duration of time. Arrows and other titles can be placed over video. Stills can be made in the middle of moving video to break out anatomic features. Extrusions of anatomic features can be made, which is what most people would call a "zoom-in."

Time Code Identification For Fixes

Part of the language of video editing is time code identification. Designating IN and OUT points for the changes you desire can be made in a list with instructions. An example would be: "In 3:48 - Out 3:53 -- Delete the drilling section but keep the anchor going in."

Clip Length(s)

Most surgeons want the clip to conform to a drop-dead total length, restricted by the length of a talk. Indicate this in your email. But if we're able to get the clip even shorter, is this an advantage, or do you want us to fill up that original time directive you gave us? And if a time range is OK, then let us know the minimal time and hoped-for time.

Likewise, if you want multiple clips to put on separate slides, indicate the IN and OUT points to divide up that first cut single clip. Clip separation is usually done during the second pass at editing.

The Simplified Editing Process

We will edit the footage then send you a first-cut encoded to Mpg-4 over Send This File. You take a look at it and if there are any more changes to the clip, send back your IN and OUT points on the program time indicator and we'll take care of those fixes for you. Then the program can either be codeced for PowerPoint or Keynote, and even for the web.

For PowerPoint it's always best to encode video clips in WMV files because PowerPoint was designed with this codec in mind. Although PowerPoint will play Mpg-4 and QuickTime, it will sometimes choke, stall, or take a while to get the movie moving. And although WMV is not the best in video quality compared to H.264 in a Mpg-4 wrapper, one should consider keeping movies in WMV when using PowerPoint, even from a Mac. Otherwise QuickTime is best for Keynote. And H.246 in an Mpg-4 wrapper is best for the web.

If you are using an Apple computer, we recommend downloading the Telestream software Flip4Mac to work with WMV files.

One last word about possible edits: We have also done many comic edits for surgeons who want to use visual jokes during presentations. If you can create a funny video scenario, we're up for putting it together! And we won't let on until you deliver it.

So feel free to Contact Plexus Surgical Video Productions at our San Francisco Bay Area office, or Call 1- (415) 507-0333.

Plexus will be conducting Green Screen Interviews at AAOS, San Francisco February 7 - 11, 2012.