As a BC, how can I edit volunteers' files?

JayKitty76 · Post by **JayKitty76** » October 12th, 2018, 12:30 pm

I am going to BC my own book pretty soon (once I'm done with my current projects) and I am trying to get as much information as possible on how to BC 'correctly'.
I have noticed BCs edit files, but volunteers only upload audio files- how do you get those audio files changed into an Audacity file so you can edit them?
Thanks,
~JayKitty

tovarisch · Post by **tovarisch** » October 12th, 2018, 12:55 pm

Audacity imports an MP3 file and you can also save the result of such import as a project. Editing by a BC is likely limited to trimming the leading and/or trailing silence and overall amplification (when the audio is too soft or too loud); I don't think BCs have the time to do more than that. Once such edits are done, re-export the audio from Audacity as an MP3 with the same name, and upload it.

JayKitty76 · Post by **JayKitty76** » October 12th, 2018, 1:35 pm

Thank you tovarisch; can I drag-and-drop mp3 files into an empty Audacity project as well? I remember a BC once saying something like that.
Once again, thanks for your advice.

tovarisch · Post by **tovarisch** » October 12th, 2018, 1:38 pm

You can drag and drop an MP3 file into Audacity without a project at all, fix it, and export, and close Audacity without saving.

JayKitty76 · Post by **JayKitty76** » October 12th, 2018, 1:38 pm

Thank you tovarisch!

Post by **philchenevert** » October 12th, 2018, 2:05 pm

Just a note: LV readers are expected to upload only finished MP3 files that need no editing at all. In other words, the files are expected to be finished, polished and ready for publication. If there are problems found by the proof listener, it is the reader's job to fix the problem, export and upload them again.
Not that a Book Coordinator can't offer to do some editing if a reader asks for it or if the reader disappears and the file needs to be fixed later on. That does happen.

So in general the file a reader uploads should not be edited or messed with by the BC or the DPL without their permission. This is their work and we need to respect that. Yeah, I know, individual circumstances and problems will of course cause flexibility in this, but this is a good place to start: the reader is responsible for recording and editing the file.

JayKitty76 · Post by **JayKitty76** » October 12th, 2018, 2:07 pm

Ok- good to know. Sometimes the reader does ask for edits to be made, and sometimes there is an official editor of a project whose job it is to do that sort of work (fixing small problems, etc.) But I intend to actually be the editor of my first book, but I wouldn't make any major changes or anything like that. Just silence issues, noisecleaning, etc etc.
Thank you Phil!

Post by **annise** » October 12th, 2018, 2:22 pm

There are editors for plays and dramatic readings who take the individual parts and join them together but there are not editors in any other projects except under very very special cases which are not likely to arise so the best thing for you is not to edit anyone's files when you start BCing. If the rare situation does come up, talk to your MC.

Anne

JayKitty76 · Post by **JayKitty76** » October 12th, 2018, 2:23 pm

Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks for telling me, Anne

Thank you for your advice, I will certainly follow that.

tovarisch · Post by **tovarisch** » October 12th, 2018, 2:43 pm

philchenevert wrote: ↑October 12th, 2018, 2:05 pm Just a note: LV readers are expected to upload only finished MP3 files that need no editing at all. ... So in general the file a reader uploads should not be edited or messed with by the BC or the DPL without their permission. ...

It's all well and good if the reader is still around and responds (in time) to PL notes...

Post by **annise** » October 12th, 2018, 3:24 pm

Phil and I both said "in general" but it's not a situation which a newbie BC needs to worry about. There are 4 positions in a thread, readers, BC's, DPLs and the MC . Sometimes 1 person has 2 of these - a soloist is a reader/BC, a BC may also DPL. So if in doubt, she should talk with the MC because all projects are different.

Anne

Post by **philchenevert** » October 12th, 2018, 4:24 pm

tovarisch wrote: ↑October 12th, 2018, 2:43 pm
philchenevert wrote: ↑October 12th, 2018, 2:05 pm Just a note: LV readers are expected to upload only finished MP3 files that need no editing at all. ... So in general the file a reader uploads should not be edited or messed with by the BC or the DPL without their permission. ...
It's all well and good if the reader is still around and responds (in time) to PL notes...

You are correct tovarisch. Note that I indeed mentioned this

Not that a Book Coordinator can't offer to do some editing if a reader asks for it or if the reader disappears and the file needs to be fixed later on. That does happen

Post by **mightyfelix** » October 12th, 2018, 4:52 pm

I agree with Anne. You should almost never need to edit a reader's file. In the books that I've BCed up to now (I haven't been counting, but probably somewhere near a dozen), I think I've only ever edited two, maybe three files.

One was an instance where a reader disappeared without addressing the PL notes. Another was a new reader who tried to edit her file according to the PL notes, but was overwhelmed at doing so because she wasn't comfortable with the editing process yet and felt that she wasn't ready. In order to prevent their work being lost, I fixed the issues that were present and re-uploaded. Otherwise, editing files are the responsibility of the individual readers.

Also as Anne pointed out, there are projects with a dedicated editor, but those are dramatic readings and plays. I do NOT recommend that you BC a dramatic project until you are very comfortable with the process. It's at least 3 times as complicated and can take up to 10 times as long.

JayKitty76 · Post by **JayKitty76** » October 13th, 2018, 8:45 am

Thank you tovarisch, Phil, Anne, and Devorah for your responses. I am planning to do a group project of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer once I'm finished with my other projects here, so maybe I'll do a dramatic reading once I'm way more experienced with BCing. I will definitely follow your advice. Thanks!