README.md

Premier Pro Multitrack Switcher

Multi-cam track switcher for Premier Pro. Helps you switch video tracks for podcasts and two-person interviews shot with two or three cameras.

Technologies used: Avalonia UI & .NET 7

How it works

The program analyzes your .prproj file and the two audio tracks (from the primary and secondary recording participants). Then, based on this information, the program generates the resulting .prproj file with multiple cameras switching in multi-cam sequence.

Basically, the program switches on the camera from track V1, if the primary speaker speaks, and the camera from the track V2, if the secondary speaker speaks. If the speakers speak together, the program switches on camera 1 and camera 2 in turn (if the three cameras mode is selected, the camera from track V3 is switched on). Also, the program knows how to split long frames (more than 45 seconds) with plans from other cameras.

How to start

Prerequisite

• The sequence is 25 frames per second. This is necessary for proper synchronization. The program does not currently support other frame rates.

• The nested multi-camera sequence is located on track V1.

• Inside the nested multi-cam sequence:
  • Track V1 - primary speaker video
  • Track V2 - secondary speaker video
  • Track V3 - master-plan video (for three-camera mode)
• Render the full sound track for the primary speaker (.wav, 48000 Hz)
• Render the full sound track for the secondary speaker (.wav, 48000 Hz)
  • Both tracks must have the same duration as the nested multi-camera sequence
  • You do not need to include these tracks in your .prprog as in the picture above - the picture simply illustrates the same duration of the nested tracks and the audio tracks.

Two-camera workflow (good for podcasters)

• Select your .prproj file, .wav tracks for primary and secondary speaker. Click to "Let's CUT IT!" button.
• After a while (10 - 100 seconds) the program will prompt you to save the result to the .prproj file. Save it in the .prproj folder of the original file. Then open this new .prproj file in Premier Pro and have fun! 😎

The result multi-cam will be shown smtg like this:

Three-camera workflow (good for interviews)

• Select your .prproj file, .wav tracks for primary and secondary speakers. Click to "Let's CUT IT!" button.

• Set the three-camera mode by pressing the Three (with master plan) radio button.

  

• Select preferred dilute mode

  • TwoCameras - using the plans of one of the speakers to dilute
  • ThreeCameras - using master-plans to dilute
  • Random - using random plans to dilute
  

• After a while (10 - 100 seconds) the program will prompt you to save the result to the .prproj file. Save it in the .prproj folder of the original file. Then open this new .prproj file in Premier Pro and have fun! 😎

Tune settings

• You can change the detection sensitivity for the primary and secondary speakers. The value should be between 1 and 0. A higher number means higher sensitivity. We suggest starting with the default value. The value can be fractional (e.g. 0.065).
• You can change the number of dilution iterations. A dilution iteration is needed to dilute long frames with other plans. A long frame is any frame longer than 45 seconds. At each iteration, the long frames are split in half and diluted with a frame from another camera. Accordingly, it may take several iterations to divide a long monologue. We recommend that you start with value 3.
  • Zero means that you have disabled the dilution process.
• You can change the duration of the dilution frame (from 1 to 40 seconds).

How to run

On Mac

• Go to the multitrack-switcher/Published/Mac/ folder and just run PRProjMulticamCreator - this is the compiled Mac version of the program.
  • Allow apps not from the App Store to open on your Mac (how to).
  • You may need to install .NET 7 runtime on your computer.
• Compile final program from source files (you will need .NET 7 environment)

On Windows or Linux

• Compile final program from source files (you will need .NET 7 environment)