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Does no audio TC = disaster?
Howdy folks:
I am a Final Cut Pro editor getting ready to cut the dailies on a low-budget feature film that will begin shooting in a few weeks. We’re shooting on Super16 and recording sound to hard drive using the following gear:
Fostex FR-2 field recorder w/ 5GB compact flash memory
AT4073a shotgun microphone w/ Rycote Zepelin & boom pole
(2) Sennheiser ew100 G2 wireless lavaliere omni-directional microphones
DV ProMix 3 channel mixer
(2) LD-1 large diaphragm condensersOur Fostex FR-2 does NOT have the optional timecode generator card installed in it, so my understanding is that I will receive master sound AIFF files (converted from BWF) that will not have audio timecode, just a counter with every file starting at 00:00:00:00.
We are transferring picture only to DVcam using 3:2 pulldown, and have to sync the sound in Final Cut ourselves (as opposed to having the lab do it in the telecine). We are syncing the old-school way, using the clapper.
I can make the sound work during the offline, but I’m concerned about the mix. We haven’t hired a sound designer yet, but I will most likely be exporting OMFs for him/her to use in ProTools.
Won’t the lack of source audio timecode cause huge problems for the sound designer? And can anyone tell me what I can do on my end to make sure things go as smoothly as possible in the mix? I’d love to hear what the audio professionals here have to say.
(I’ve already been warned about the potential sync issues involved and the need to slow down the audio (or record at 48.048 Khz) if our editing timebase will be 29.97 NTSC. We are finishing on HDcam SR and eventually doing a filmout, but may still end up cutting at 29.97 NDF instead of 23.98).
Thank you so much for your help.
Best,
Jenny L. -
9 Replies
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Hello,
There are several issues you need to resolve to make this happen.
I suggest you drop into the rec.arts.movies.production.sound newsgroup.Regards,
Ty Ford
Ty Ford’s “Audio Bootcamp Field Guide” was written for video people who want better audio. Find out more at https://home.comcast.net/~tyreeford/AudioBootcamp.html
or https://www.tyford.com
Download Ty Ford’s “Existential Boogie” from iTunes now. -
Thanks very much for the referral, Ty!
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HI
If you intend to export an OMF FROM THE COMPUTER ON WHICH YOUVE CAPTURES AND SYNCED, and edited, then there will only be problems if the dubbing mixer needs to go back to the source tapes for anything.
If you make sure you include wild tracks , correct channels and enough handle in the OMF the hopefully hell not need to backtrack.The timecodes really are important if anyone needs to reconform the sound from say an EDL but this is very Old school and not likely INHO.
Cheers
Peter
Dubbing mixer -
Peter, thanks for the info, much appreciated. Forgive my asking, but why does it make a difference if the OMF export is done from same computer as capturing and syncing? The capturing and syncing will be done on a system located near the shoot, but ultimately the project will be finished on another computer (with the same version of Final cut).
-J
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What I was meaning (and not explaining terribly well) was that the absence of timecode means that the usual ablitiy to re capture and re constitute a sequence isnt there (conform), so the omf must be made / exported from this original sequence, as a mere project timeline or edl wont be able to correctly re capture (or will be a very manual and painful process.)
“The capturing and syncing will be done on a system located near the shoot, but ultimately the project will be finished on another computer (with the same version of Final cut). ”
If this is the case, then youll need to make sure they port the media and fcp project info on a hd to the new machine. Without timecode you need the original material.
Does that explain my post?
Cheers
Peter -
Ah, got it. Thanks very much for the clarification, Peter, you rock!
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Well, maybe not rock, but I like to think of myself as at least a few pebbles, or maybe even a small bag of gravel.
Peter -
And you can ignore the inclination to “slow it down” – just acquire the location audio at the normal 48K and make sure your initial sequence (in FCP) is set to that rate.
Since you are syncing visually to the clapper, there should be no need to worry about timecode. When you export the OMF, the resulting files should be re-written with the current sequence settings, not the original media settings.
As Peter said, only if the sound mixer goes back to the original media file will the timecode rate be an issue.
One tip: Always include the clapper audio on every track of your OMF export so that if a track does get re-imported, it can be easily synced.
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Hey everyone,
have problems with sennheiser ew100 g2. Sound just runs with headphones or on monitor. Other people cannot hear sound on my videos. what to do?
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