setting a session for dialogue editing (question about John Purcell book)

[alidav]

i am reading the john purcell book, and finding it very useful, I need to set my session at best way to improve my work,
right now I am editing dialogue and will have to mix too a low budget movie, audio has been recorded directly on dslr, so i have had just one omf track mono of dialogue, and many stereo music tracks to mix,

i dont have any external hardware mixer, all my job is based on the DAW (PT10) (audio interface has 4 channel outputs)
in john purcell book I read that he uses 12-14 tracks for each scene and never uses same tracks on adiacent scenes, and he does checkerboard about angle and/or about character
( I come from music and there normally you set each track with one and only one instrument), I get confused in about the how to save tracks, but if I want to use some plug in, am is assuming to have same plug in on all those scenes based on those tracks?

[dwaynedelario]

Your question is beyond confusing.

For now, don't worry about checkerboarding. That's for sending a mix to the console and camera/perspective shift. Since you have only one track, you are not dealing with multiple cameras or multiple mics, so the only reason to split out tracks would be for cutting fill or if you need to apply separate EQ to different characters consistently.

I could probably go on for ages, but this is what internships are for. I don't mean to condescend, but there's no way a book could show you all the ins and outs of this process effectively. Do you live in a city where there are post production facilities? Just a couple days of shadowing a real editor would teach you more than anything that's in this book.

[JSPurcell]

Hi Alidav,
Perhaps the most important truth in my book is that all (well, most) rules are meant to be broken. How many tracks? It depends. It depends on the complexity of the edit. It depends on your way of mixing. It depends on how quickly your scenes change. And it depends on the equipment you’re using. I like to checkerboard scenes so that it’s easier to change from one scene to another. I think it makes for easier automation, and It’s also easier to visualize. But many mixers don’t like to work this way. Once you understand the logic of an idea like this, you’re free to do whatever makes sense in any specific circumstance. I know mixers who want zillions of tracks, others who prefer no more than four dialogue tracks. It depends.

I wholeheartedly agree with dwaynedelario that when learning to edit (or to do anything, for that matter), there’s no substitute for training, observation, and experience. Learning solely from a book, a video, or an Internet course is a bit like learning to swim through a correspondence course—the results can be fatal. Working with someone who knows more than you is invaluable.

Having said that, all of these “offline” ways of learning can provide tips, methodology, and confidence. I feel that you should take of whatever learning opportunities present themselves—mentors, books, videos, lectures—and take from each what works for you.

[BobbyDazzler]

John!!!
Love the Book!!!
I've learn't more from that book than any other publication...Ever!!

[JSPurcell]

Gee, thanks.