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Dual-system sound timecode discrepancy
Does anyone know any reason why, on a 3-camera shoot, shooting Varicam with Lock-it boxes, and a Cantar sound mixer, there would be a 1:30m discrepancy in the timecode between sound and video?
The sound mixer insists that everything was jammed and in sync on set for the duration of the shoot.
I’m skeptical. I just want to be sure I’m not doing anything wrong here.
I don’t think it matters, but I’m ingesting the Varicam through a Kona LHe.
Uli
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18 Replies
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Does the sync drift or is it consistently 1:30 off? Are the three cameras in sync with each other? Are you capturing 23.976? The only thing I can think of is, since the Varicams are recording 24p within a 30i stream, that process of removing the pulldown to 23.976 might account for that inconsistency. I’m not positive, but it’s a thought.
It doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong, and of course they insist they did everything right on set. Just for a good laugh, don’t ask them if they used to the lock-it box on set, ask them if they used it right. That’s a party starter!
Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks
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Lockit boxes are GREAT…. if the operators know what they’re doing.
In my experience, these kinds of offsets are NOT due to something that happens in post. It’s usually some kind of incompatible setting, despite what the audio guy says. (Usually happens after lunch when everyone resets for the afternoon)
If the shoot is on going, make a field trip to the set and follow the signal path from TC generator, to audio multitrack to cameras. Everything has to be spot on for this workflow to be automatic. One incorrect setting and you’re back to manually matching everything up.
Make them PROVE to you that their settings, cabling, and references are correct. (Better to be a dick than to spend YOUR time fixing their problems).
I’ve begun to demand that the tech super on set email me an iphone pict of the settings panel on the camera, decks, and TC generator BEFORE they start shooting. You’d be surprised how many mistakes we catch this way.
Good Luck.
mark
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I also don’t see any reason why the clips shouldn’t be in sync.
You can try my free sequenceLiner, which is very easy to use. With this little app you have an easy way to line up all cameras and the audio. If the audio is drifting in sync, try another import set up for the audio on a fresh project (best thing is to re-launch FCP before) with all other projects closed.Andreas
Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools -
SequenceLiner is great! Just like Avid’s autosequence!
Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks
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Uli, what frame rate?
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Working at 23.98.
I think they must have messed up on set. I’ve never seen something like this happen in the edit system or during capture.
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Well, you have to remember the Varicam runs 29.97 tc, even though you are capturing 23.98.
Is the footage not syncing (meaning when you line the footage and audio by hand, does it stay in sync)?
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Yes it syncs in timeline when lined up. But that doesn’t explain a :17-1:30 disparity between audio and video.
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[Uli Kunkel] “But that doesn’t explain a :17-1:30 disparity between audio and video.”
I agree that something might have been mislead in set, but it doesn’t mean we can’t make sure that it’s not something you did.
How did you capture the tapes? Log and capture or just rip in a whole tape?
Do the cameras match or is it just the audio tc that is off?
Did you capture over any tc breaks?
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- How did you capture the tapes? Log and capture or just rip in a whole tape?
Captured through a Kona LHe using the 720p 23.98 easy setup. Captured the whole tape using Capture now.
- Do the cameras match or is it just the audio tc that is off?
Timecode between the cameras was consistently off by about 3 frames.
- Did you capture over any tc breaks?
No. Created a new clip every time there was a timecode break.
Uli
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