This procedure can be performed on both Casablanca platforms - Smart Edit and Bogart OS. You could feed a live camera into your Casablanca to create the Time Lapse sequence you're about to learn, but for most folks it is likely more convenient to capture your video out in the field, then bring it back to your editor to put together the effect sequence.
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Process Detailed:
This can only be done with a stream based video camera using the DV (FireWire) connection. NOTE: Never connect two firewire devices while the power engaged on both devices, always turn off one of the two units before connecting the DV/Firewire cable).
To perform this as I did - you would first videotape some action/activity. The camera really must be set-up on a tripod or some other rock-solid base. Any camera movement takes away from the look of this effect!
In the following example I recorded some Poppies in my backyard, which were situated in shade and let the camera roll as the sun moved into position and the flowers opened up.
Depending on the subject you're taping - this could require some planning and finesse. A cool subject might be the chapel/church/temple filling up with the congregation preceding a ceremony, a stadium filling up or emptying after/before the 'big game'. There are lots of creative subjects once you put your mind to it!
Once you have your footage recorded, we're going to want to import (record) this video footage into your Casablanca editor like you have before, with one modification. This setting is found in the Record Menu and it is called 'Fast M.' (for Fast Motion). It's an interesting translation from Germany to English language as it really provides us with a Time Lapse ability. Whenever I have used this setting I set it to the lowest option - with the Time Slider at the far right and the read-out shows '00:00:01:00' . I believe this indicates the system will sample or record a new frame of video each second.
Once this is set and your camera is connected via firewire, you simply being playback on your camera/tape deck and click the 'Record' button just once. It will being recording, capturing not all your footage but only the 1 frame every "x" (depending on what setting you have selected). Once the footage you wanted to have captured is passed or completed, click the Stop button. The Casablanca will cease recording.
You can now click into the Edit menu and your footage should be the highlighted scene in the Scene Bin. Play it back to view the cool time-lapse you just created. (if you are recording into an HD project there will be some processing or finalizing time before you can enter the Edit menu).
As far as your editor is concerned, this is now just a regular video scene -- you can do whatever regular operations you wish to, including image processing, titling, transitions, etc.
In the video I created below (Poppies Opening Up) I ran the finished video through the motion manipulation software on my Bogart editor called 'Twixtor'. The finished video was 1-minute, 22-seconds... this doesn't seem like a long time but it was longer that I think 'worked'. You might ask why I just did not trim it -- then it would cut out some of the Poppies opening that I want to share with my audience, so I sped it up using Twixtor (on Smart Edit OS you can use 'DP Slow Motion... or even the standard Slow Motion).
