• AJA Video Systems

  720/59.94P editing in 59.94fps or 29.97fps?

  Posted by Ben Cheng on September 4, 2007 at 10:06 am

  Hi All,

  I like to seek your advice on editing in which frame rate, for source material of 720/59.94P, coming from Panasonic HD P2 cameras.

  FCP is able work with timelines in both 59.94fps or 29.97fps, with the above source material.

  In a 29.97fps timeline, the 720/59.94P material will lose odd-numbered frames.

  The final audio mix will be done by a Pro Tools DAW.
  The editor will export a OMF file & pass it to the audio engineer.

  The final audio mix will be inserted onto the master HD-D5 tape, as it will be encoded as Dolby E, at the audio facility.

  In Pro Tools, there is no support for 59.94fps timecode.
  Therefore, I’m not sure FCP should edit in which frame rate, for proper syncing & matchframe.

  If anyone has any experience working with similar workflow, hope you can kindly share with us here.
  Thanks again!

  Cheers,
  Ben Cheng

  Ben Cheng replied 18 years, 8 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Aaron Neitz

  September 5, 2007 at 4:13 pm

  You can edit in 59, and give the audio guy a 29.97 quicktime to mix to. The rate is still equivalent. I’m fairly sure they can edit to tape on a D5 using 29.97 deck control – and it will correct accordingly. This is something they need to test out in advance so you don’t end up trying to lay back a :30 second mix for 7 hours at the last minutre.
• 

  Christopher Tay

  September 6, 2007 at 8:23 am

  Hi Charlie,

  Do you mean when exporting the Quicktime clip, indicate the frame rate as 29.97 ?

  The audio needs to be exported as an OMF Audio for the Pro Tools guy…is there a way to indicate the audio as 29.97 in the OMF Audio ?

  -chrispy
• 

  Aaron Neitz

  September 6, 2007 at 3:55 pm

  I’d copy/paste your timeline into a 29.97 timeline. FCP will remove frames for you and your OMF should be golden.
• 

  Ben Cheng

  September 10, 2007 at 6:05 pm

  Hi,

  Thanks for all your advice here!
  We did a few tests & this is a bit more tricky than we thought,

  1. 720/59.94P is definitely Non-Drop Frame (NDF) in FCP 6

  2. US broadcast requirements is Drop Frame (DF)

  We did some tests & here’s what we found,

  1. Copy & Paste 720/59.94P NDF media into a 720/29.97P DF timeline = visual/audio out of sync

  2. Copy & Paste 720/59.94P NDF media into a 720/29.97P NDF timeline = in sync

  3. Edit to Tape 720/59.94P NDF media/timeline into HD-D5 VTR at 720/59.94P DF = timecode/visual out of sync

  May I know how should we handle this situation correctly, without converting to 1080/29.97P?
  As the broadcasting stations are asking for 720/59.94P DF.

  Cheers,
  Ben Cheng
  The Media Village
  Singapore

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