Top Gun: Maverick editor, Eddie Hamilton ACE takes you on a tour of his AVID MEDIA COMPOSER timeline

[@MSTProductions1]

my computer crashed just watching this video

[@The_Rough_Cut]

That's funny. Mine crashed making it. Thanks for checking it out, Mark!

[@Winduct]

Hahahahahahahaha

[@KevinH879]

That’s hilarious

[@sugriv3405]

😂😂😂😂

[@girafingo9280]

Lmao

[@AmapianoWrldwideAVSZA]

This is always so overwhelming for me to even take in, the amount of work that goes into editing movies is immensely profound and I admire all the crew members behind the scenes that make these moments what they are when we are immersed in these stories because this is truly the highest form of artistic expression,

[@arturgajewskiphotog]

Filming the movie doesn't take that much. It's the post production that takes it long time for a movie to be finished.

[@mabitzzltdsteam4082]

@@arturgajewskiphotogit’s every department…

[@FyeRye]

you don't even know what you're talking about.. @@arturgajewskiphotog

[@JoeRussellProductions]

Incredible, as a producer, I love seeing this stuff and learning about every process. That way, when I hire an editor, I have not only a better understanding of the process, but also more empathy for the individual who is doing it. Kudos to you!

[@Zippypeepee]

Hi there. Editor here. Are you looking for an editor and or AE?

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

That timeline is not a good example, for when it comes to making sure the edit won't crash the PC/Mac through resource use.

[@NickWizz]

the best producers have a base knowledge of this process.

[@nick8945]

This editor didn't really talk about the process at all. All he said was basically, we gave footage to other people and we got other shots that we needed back from VFX people. He talked way to much about how he works, and used way to much industry lingo, that not even google knew what it meant! All these videos seem to have way too much "assumed" knowledge that someone trying to learn how to better create a feature film sequence simply can't follow.

[@ilythabi]

Watching a professional editor very briefly skim through his work on a $170 Million film is not the place to go if you're a beginner looking to learn how to edit, and he was clearly not operating under that pretence. @@nick8945

[@JohnFrasersWildLife]

I always get a sense of pride when I look at my edits that they're multi-layered and "complex"...then I look at this and just think to myself..."Oh. Ok" 😆

[@rafearcher7882]

The VFX department did an excellent job and so did you, Sir. Couldn't really tell what was real and what was fake and even more importantly: This movie really dragged one in like no other movie that's been done before. It's so perfectly edited and pleasing to the eye.

[@DimmyV]

This looks so overwhelming but the principles of staying organised and splitting everything up into manageable chunks, you can tell really helped out

[@The_Rough_Cut]

100%. Organization is at least half the battle with these large film projects..

[@b.dangerfield6499]

A joy to see the movie, a joy to hear an editor talk about it…. Thanks for sharing.

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thanks for watching!

[@mattboardman8837]

Eddie is an amazing editor and it was an absolute pleasure and treat to be able to work with him on Top Gun: Maverick!

[@BenJanzen]

Thank you for sharing! As an aspiring film editor myself its incredible to see all the work that goes into a final edit :)

[@ehhhhhhhhhh]

I feel really lucky to see this. Maverick was one of the highest quality films I've ever seen, so it's really a pleasure to see your process. Thanks so much.

[@CreativeVideoTips]

so interesting - I really love seeing how this is done on such a big scale

[@TheHooniverse]

I will never ever think I have a busy timeline, ever again... whoa

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Ha! Eddie definitely pushes it to the max. There may be some other timeline videos on here that are a little closer to what most of us are used to. I hope you give them a look!

[@dave9131975]

This is FANTASTIC insight to what these editors go through for a feature film.

[@dentReviews]

this makes my davinci resolve editing for youtube videos seem like 1 year old work... insane. i get exactly what you're doing, but the sheer scale of the project is insane.also, absolutely amazing work on maverick. what a rare film of fantastic elements all coming together to make such a perfect movie. the color grading, audio, editing, etc. are all absolutely the best.

[@ajayprakash7514]

Despite the tremendous effort that is clearly visible in your timeline, what is truly amazing is the effort you've put in making this video, the representation is made so simple and convenient to understand. Thanks so so much for taking the time and sharing your knowledge. It means a lot to a lot of people out there wanting to learn. Good luck on all your projects!

[@KrisCortez]

Came from The Movie Rabbit Hole "No CGI" video that's trending. Glad he mentioned this channel. It's a gem for me.

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thanks, Kris. And thanks to MRH too! That's really cool. I hope you enjoy the content. More stuff coming.

[@bobfrode]

What a gem, it makes me appreciate this insane puzzle even more :) Thank you for sharing

[@piusgyagenda]

Thank you for sharing this, I feel like I have just been taken to the studio and just been taught about an edit of a professional movie edit

[@mattknell6741]

What an excellent and informative video. Man that is one detailed edit!

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thanks, Matt! It sure is!

[@davidmcsween]

Wow, nice and informative. So refreshing to hear in detail from the artist :D

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thanks so much!

[@Coolbr33z3]

I work in the vfx aspect of films, this is a great insight as to what’s happening while we are working on the film thanks for putting this out. Love seeing this stuff.

[@nicolassmith9629]

Thanks for sharing! Maverick was great! Loved the latest MI. Saw in theater and rented again last weekend. When the piano falls and blows away the back of the train car - I felt like I was there holding on for dear life!!

[@beMOTIONdESIGN]

So amazing! LOVE watching these kinds of things!!

[@BenImber]

I have worked in VFX for my whole career, it's great to see the workflow from your perspective. Great video.

[@pitched7401]

It's so nice see what magic professionals do with such an awesome piece of software. I wanna become a professional in the media design area one day too and seeing how someone has put together something complex step by step is inspiring.

[@marcosantiago6818]

Love getting your insight and behind the scene of your timeline management. As a director, and having produced a feature, this is greatly appreciated.

[@BingsBuddery]

A good editor MAKES the film. Doesn't matter how well everything else was done if the editor is lousy; it all either comes together, or falls apart in editing. Kudos and thanks for the view inside of a major motion picture edit timeline.

[@786Muzik]

Wow I have so much respect now for Editors and what you do!!!!

[@GreenhornPhototaker]

Wow, great job Eddie, so thorough but yet you explained it simply! Love this so much. And the movie was absolutely wonderful.

[@thekylestubbs]

This was amazing to watch. It was extremely informative. Don't stop posting!

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thanks, Kyle! I'll try.

[@thespacesbetweenstudio3346]

editing on this film was amazing. The cut from the beach to the front of the carrier with the wave sounds was awesome and the cut from the deck to Cruise in the jet about to take off. superb

[@vincentlomascolo]

This was so informative. Thank you so much for sharing!!!

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@saughatbg7489]

@@The_Rough_Cut can we do this type of high level work on davinci resolve 17 sir

[@The_Rough_Cut]

@@saughatbg7489 You can certainly do high level work on DaVinci Resolve, especially when it comes to effects and color grading. A few of the reasons why Avid Media Composer is predominantly used on feature films like Top Gun: Maverick is Avid's project/media sharing model. Large films require multiple people working in picture editorial, vfx editing, as well as sound to collaborate together, often in parallel. Avid has a model that has been proven over time. There is also, arguably, a higher degree of precision in the editing tools within Media Composer; specifically with the trimming tools. But everyone has their own preferences and opinions. Whatever you choose, tell a great story!

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

​@@The_Rough_CutNow that's a damn fine answer. Always Story First.

[@schstu]

That was great to watch and learn. Curious how your back-ups work. I freak out when I accidentally delete and have to rebuild a clip that may have 5 layers. I imagine your A.E's have sequences, but very curious of the back-up process (and overall workflow on a project this massive). Thanks for sharing!!

[@flipperpitstudio]

How thrilling to see this! That movie was excellent. I lost count how many times I saw it in the cinema LOL And now to see the timeline is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing and explaining it. And thank you for your part in providing us with such an epic piece of entertainment! 😁👍 Cheers!

[@aubreycolemanracing]

This stuff is the most interesting part of movie making for me, you'd get great enjoyment out of seeing the end product. So much more involved, than editing youtube videos! Love it!

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thanks, Aubrey! Glad you liked it.

[@MGTOWwithGOD]

It is rare to experience the perfect mix now these days in a movie! No wonder you need real talent and it is a lot work! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@CKfotoRomania]

This is the best example of professional team work.

[@What_Other_Hobbies]

How to get a screenshot of such high resolution? Thanks.

[@halloeriksson]

Wow that is a lot of material composed together!

[@samcrews6511]

I only do far smaller scale projects in DaVinci and Premier but I love your organizational techniques. I'd love to see more of the original pre-FX arial footage from this movie. It's really lacking in behind the scenes content 🙂

[@lolkthnxbai]

Meanwhile me editing in resolve: and here's where i put my little title card and side swipe transition :)

[@marcosromo]

this was astonishing! this channel is great, it would be awesome if you could bring “Everything Everywhere All at Once” editor, who recently won the Oscar and used Premiere Pro!

[@lrrrruleroftheplanetomicro6881]

I can tell you how he did it: He removed all unused footage from the project, so Premiere wouldn't crash while saving.

[@marcosromo]

@@lrrrruleroftheplanetomicro6881 I would love to see a video like this but with Paul Rogers surfing in his Premiere timeline!

[@vipandeepsingh5117]

Thank You for sharing this value-loaded video!

[@emmalandmail]

This is such a great video and so informative for people working in VFX to understand the logging and timeline process the Editor & VFX Editorial manage when receiving VFX shot iterations and finals. Thankyou !

[@Kir6213]

Phenomenal work! I want to ask, what are the advantages of using Avid Media Composer for large-scale production? Is it because you can collaborate on the film simultaneously with a team? Why not work in Premiere, for example? As I'm a freelance video editor, I'm curious about this.

[@danieIlondon]

When does the color grading process come into place?

[@rikifigue5377]

No sé como hacen para lograr que nos sumerjamos y estresemos en cada una de las escenas de entrenamiento y de la mision final , me encanto la película, gracias por compartir tu trabajo con la comunidad!!

[@BrendanYoungMusic]

I really want to come shadow you for a few days, haha. So cool! As someone who is very into the nitty gritty of behind the scenes and how a production gets made, this was very cool to see!

[@VenterVisuals]

Would love a hardware breakdown of the computers used for these edits

[@TurboMage]

thankyou so much Eddie! this was a wonderful insight. very helpful too!

[@zongmuas]

videos like this just makes me realize how little i know about this crazy, amazing industry. 😂

[@The_Rough_Cut]

That makes two of us.

[@murrethmedia]

Thank you for your work, I loved this movie!

[@timefilm]

I'm surprised there wasn't a reference file to the opening of the first film.

[@orzels]

Great sight into movie structure.

[@danieIlondon]

When does the color grading process come into place? Do you send each clip separately or how does it work?

[@The_Rough_Cut]

From what I know, final color grading, as the name implies, happens after picture editing (outside of the Avid) in systems like Resolve, FilmLight and Mistika. The flattened graded file is sent back to picture editorial and dropped into the timeline on a track near or at the top. That doesn't mean there aren't color grading passes done in the Avid during editing. During reviews and screenings, a "temp" color grade is often done inside Media Composer.

[@AikenLikesMovies]

I, too, like using keyframes extensively. The effects in Premiere Pro can be a bit messy at times. I like having the control of using keyframes. Amazing look at a very crazy timeline. As an artist, too, I can see them as works of art. Print them out!

[@juanlagos2125]

Does anyone have a Dmg 2018 for mac? classic dmg is no longer available in the avid download center. how I miss old Avid.

[@deeceevisuals]

My GPU said “Don’t even think about it”

[@CraigGood]

Thank you for doing this! Fascinating stuff.

[@The_Rough_Cut]

I'm happy to do it, Craig. Hopefully, there are other videos on here you enjoy as well.

[@thenoriito]

Thanks for sharing this, especially this is my favorite movie! This really helps working with my team. I really like your video and of course subscribed! looking forward to see more of your professional work;)

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thank you! I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed this and got something out of it.

[@rawclaw.x1]

Insane project! Thanks for the insight

[@maxwillson]

Legit question, how much time and memory does it take to make the credits? It sounds silly but the credits always impress me, it's not as easy as it looks LOL

[@S3bjolyStudio]

Thank you. Very interesting 👍

[@dcplyr]

Excellent breakdown!

[@sevenblah]

are you allowed to sale the timeline? for example, as art i think this would look amazing on a wall... like 8 feet long keeping the colors the way they are and everything...

[@krencsgo1768]

with key frames, when we sent the sequence to interplay, it would never keep in the protools session, wonder if thats just our department problem ahaha. Love key frames on audio so much control over fades too

[@erikpeterffy7552]

This is just so fckn incredible!

[@MrAxelStone]

My God, that looks like it could easily screwed up by accident! Awesome behind the scenes look.

[@RealSirPots]

what do you render on. are these server rack machines with multiple GPU hooked together?

[@joshuakirk6193]

This is amazing!

[@IStudyYouTube]

I love how some files on the timeline are called "filler". At least they're being honest with us

[@sofarsogod]

This is very helpful, thanks.

[@micheltheodorou1110]

Thanks for the information.

[@AntonioVideo]

Amazing, my dream job. And the movie was fantastic.

[@majorediting8164]

Magnificent work! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@mrshaheedmalik]

This is great. I am going to make a template off of this for Resolve.

[@brendanwatson9612]

I see that the Atmos bounce is 7.1. Does that mean there are no height channels used?

[@LearningJesus]

My brain would melt trying to figure this out 😂

[@fivedayphotography]

Well now I have physical proof that my timelines are trash

[@MikeDancy]

is that Windows Movie Maker?

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Nailed it.

[@TyroneEntertainingJoseph]

Of course it is mate

[@HaramiSalami420]

how you organise all the different shots? 😅

[@keth8947]

How hard is it to insert new shots in between clips? Do you lock in certain tracks? You ever use other software to edit? i.e. Premiere? I assume video clips are linked to their respective audio clips? This feels like a nightmare to keep track of! lol

[@MrRavi3883]

How do you keep track of the transition points from reel to reel? like if you make a change in the end of say reel 1 but someone else is working on reel 2 and they make a change at the beginning portion.. how does everybody keep track of the shots so they line up and don't look jump cut or incoherent.. hope my question makes sense! thanks

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Ravi, this is why on feature films you have an assistant editing crew as well as a VFX editor and assistant VFX editors. Keeping track of changes is a big job on even smaller projects. That said, if there's just one editor on the project, the changes that would be made to a sequence/reel that the editor wasn't actively working on would primarily be with creating temp sound/visual fx, or replacing existing temp with updated versions from the sound and VFX teams. It wouldn't be changes to the story itself. If there are multiple picture editors, they meet regularly to share their cuts and discuss changes that have been made. I hope that answers your question.

[@basehead617]

I would love to know the technical details of the setup he has here.. computer, video hardware/server, screens, etc.

[@MarkHoltze]

Brilliant.

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Thanks for checking it out, Mark!

[@toufiquzzamansabbir9864]

Finally, Type of video I wanted... 😅😅

[@angban401]

How is this available for free or even allowed to be shared?

[@alexsmedile]

Amazing insights

[@DamianNoctem]

Hmmm, so basically, you keep every version of every asset/shot available on the timeline so you can go back to any earlier revision if needed without having to search through the bins and reinsert it. Smart.

[@pat_welsh]

Just curious. What was the final theater version file format and size?

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Pat, I'm not sure what the file size was and I doubt Eddie would know either, but mastered films are delivered in the DCP (Digital Cinema Package) format. Eddie edited with media encoded in the Avid DNx codec.

[@benjaminngo9036]

what software does hollywood usually used do y’all know? like what software is this?

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Avid Media Composer

[@MikkoRantalainen]

Great info about the timeline! I have to say that there were a lot of stuff on those VFX tracks for a "no-CGI" movie 😉

[@akyhne]

I have no idea what you're referring to, with a no-CGI movie. But VFX and CGI is not the same thing. All CGI is VFX, but VFX can be many things, and VFX doesn't equal CGI. For that matter, a color grading can be concidered VFX, like filming a scene in daylight, and color grading it to look like a night scene.

[@MikkoRantalainen]

@@akyhne Great points! I meant modifications that affect the content of the movie instead just color grading, gamma or contrast. Something like marketing pretending "we only used practical effects" for Top Gun or other modern action movies is simply lying in my books. Yes, Top Gun did shoot all scenes practical but the planes you can see in the actual movie are 99% computer generated.

[@akyhne]

@@MikkoRantalainen The plane he flew in the beginning of the movie, was definitely CGI. All movies today uses a lor of VFX, like sky replacement, digitally painting out objects, green screening, using mini models for blowing up stuff, parallax camera work, and even matte painting. But it's far from all movies, that uses CGI. Sometimes it's just better and cheaper, to use old school VFX tricks. Personally I don't care what kind of VFX they are using, as long as it looks convincing. VFX goes back to the dawn of movie making, and is here to stay.

[@rmp5s]

This is amazing!! The nerd in the back of my mind would love to see some details on the hardware!...PC or Mac, CPU/GPU/RAM, etc!

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Tell the nerd that it was just an intel-based MacBook Pro. Eddie likes to do a lof of editing on the go, mostly so he can stay up to speed on these huge projects. I don't recall if he ever said what the ram or actual cpu was, but there is an interview with him about Top Gun here on the channel. Thanks!

[@rmp5s]

@@The_Rough_Cut Nice! I can't IMAGINE that timeline on a LAPTOP SCREEN!! Hahaha Thanks!!

[@FitnessSheriff]

@@rmp5s laptop screen! That's exactly what I was thinking - I thought for sure it would have to be a 4K 80" monitor just to avoid zooming and death scrolling to get to where you want! Ughhhh!

[@SodaAnt7]

How long did it take to render that timeline?

[@johnburn872]

How do you change one little thing in middle of massive timeline like that? Like you have to shift so many layers if you change the timing of something

[@The_Rough_Cut]

John, it mostly depends on what you are changing. In Media Composer there are things like sync locks, "add edits" across all tracks and asymmetrical trimming that editors use, among others, to maintain sync. The topic is probably not a bad idea for a future video here. Thanks for checking this one out!

[@therealgarrixer8872]

I need to know the render time 😂

[@aKuolow13]

what is this editing program?

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Avid Media Composer

[@ProductionsbyKevinB]

This is so amazing. 2 questions. How long from the time you receive the film to handing back to them to put on the big screen did it take? And 2, what software is that you are using?

[@AdamKliment]

2: It's Avid Media Composer

[@The_Rough_Cut]

Kevin, Adam already took care of your second question. As far as the first one goes, it's a little tough to say for films that were produced while pandemic-related lockdowns were happening. Eddie might give the exact time in the podcast interview with him (also here on the channel), but postproduction on a film of this size generally ranges anywhere from 6-12 months. Again, a number of factors can have an effect on that. Thanks for checking out the video! Another one with Eddie on Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Pt1 is coming soon!

[@ildangback100]

안녕하세요. 저는 영화편집자를 꿈꾸고 있는 한국인입니다. 이렇게 상업편집 과정을 유튜브를 통해 볼 수 있다는 것이 얼마나 감사한 일인지..앞으로도 좋은 영상 많이 부탁드립니다. hello. I am a Korean who dreams of becoming a film editor. How grateful I am to be able to watch the commercial editing process like this on KZbin. I hope you continue to make good videos.

[@The_Rough_Cut]

I hope so too! Thanks!

[@theeddytor3490]

wait i couldn't believe this was here and i didn't get recommended for a year. WTH