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How to Make a Video in Black & White

There is more than one way to create black and white footage for a video. While some digital cameras offer an option to shoot video footage in black and white, others do not. If the footage has already been captured in color, you need to import the video into video editing software to remove the color. Whether using Avid, Final Cut Studio, or even iMovie, these programs offer the ability to give the footage that yesteryear black and white effect.

Things You'll Need

  • Usb or firewire cable
  • Video camera
  • Video editing software
  • Video footage
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Instructions

    • 1

      With the camera off, connect the usb or firewire cable to the camera's video output slot. The user manual identifies which cable is appropriate for the camera.

    • 2

      Connect the opposite end of the cable into the firewire or usb port on your computer.

    • 3

      Run and load the video editing software on the computer. Avid, Final Cut, or iMovie, all have similar features.

    • 4

      Open the "Capture" window in the editing software.

    • 5

      Turn on the video camera. Once the camera is on, the software program locates and identifies the source camera and prepares the computer for footage importation.

    • 6

      Transfer the footage from the camera to the editing software. Depending on the type of camera used, , the transfer will appear as a video file transfer or a streaming transfer. A video file transfers quicker because the camera places the footage into a file format and imports it into the computer intact. A streaming transfer requires the camera to play the footage while the computer captures it frame by frame. With a streaming transfer, the computer places the footage into the file format once captured.

    • 7

      Place the captured footage into the editing timeline of the editing software. Once in the timeline, the footage is ready for alteration and editing.

    • 8

      "Click" on the clip and open the color correction menu. Locate the saturation option.

    • 9

      Place the saturation level to the lowest possible setting. This removes all the color and show the clip in black and white in the viewer window.

    • 10

      Save the file and prepare the video footage for export.

Film Production

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