For those of you shooting music vids, a freebie idea

[Tom Matthies]

I’ve been doing music videos yet another way for easy editing.
I take the music track and record it onto a Betacam SP tape, starting at a specific time code. I include extra runup before the track and also include timed “beeps” (2-pops) at the proper tempo before the track starts. This way, the groups preforming know exactlly when the music will start.
The trick for editing is I take the time code out of the Betacam playback deck and use it as a reference timecode into the camera. This way, the timecode on the camera original will exactly match the time code on the music track. Just make sure that you roll the reference track, allow it to lock up fully and then roll the camera, using the external time code as your jam sync reference to the camcorder. Every take of the video will have the exact time code at a given point in the music track. When logging, I make sure I have enough runup to the take to prevent timecode breaks while digitizing. It’s a little strange to have multiple takes on a tape with the same timecode (usually a no-no), but after getting used to it and naming the clips for each take, it works exceptionally well. The trick is to capture the clips one at a time and cue your tape to the start of a given clip. It takes a little more time than batch capture, but once you get the hang of it, it will go fast. The best thing is that you don’t need to buy an expensive time code slate or any extra equipment at all other than the playback deck.
If you on a wide shot and need a close up of the drummer for instance, all you have to do is note the timecode on the wide shot and go to the exact same code on an alternate take. I can do a rough cut of a video in a very short time without the usual Final Cut “stacking tracks” work around. I’m still running version 4.5 at work here so I don’t have multicam option. (I’m running Tiger/FCP5 at home however)
Anyhow, it works like a charm and is so reliable and easy to do.
Tom

[Nik Manning]

that actually sounds brilliant. I assume this will work with multiple cameras. maybe add the chapter marker 20 seconds before and show it to
both cameras before start brilliant!
I would have never thought of that.
thanks!

Young, Dumb, and full of
Potential!

[Bob Woodhead]

Probably be a hassle w/ multiple cameras, unless they can all see the DVD screen at once (even then, they’d need to reframe the shot after capturing dvd screen). But potentially do-able.

[Tony]

Tom,

The issue of jam syncing to an external timecode source off tape is not the most ideal if you do not want to deal with repeating timecode throughtout the entire tape and cause issues when digitizing. However you are unique in that you have chosen to work around this issue by capturing each clip individually.

Since the timecode will not be ascending timecode the tape deck will become confusing if you try to batch capture as each scene has the same repeating timecode. The use of a smart slate with visual timecode would add no additional time to the process and the cost of the rental of a smart slate is a drop in the bucket considering all the other production factors involved.

In addition the proper method for multicamera productions is to genlock all cameras to a common blackburst source as well as common timecode generator. This insures the proper phase relationship between the start of the timecode and the video frame. In your case you should be genlocking the playback vtr if you wish to send that timecode to camera.

When shooting in standard def 24P it is essential to have all camcorders genlocked and synced to a common timecode to insure that the 3:2 pulldown sequences is in phase with timecode frame start and end.
In HD if shooting at 23.98 you must send 23.98 timecode to all cameras not 29.97.

One great feature in FCP is the ability to modify the timecode via the aux track which allows changing the camera timecode on a per clip basis to match a visual timecode slate or any other visual device. The original clip timecode is still maintained but FCP will use the aux timecode which you can use to sync your shots. In FCP 5 then you throw all the clips into a multicam sequence and cut live on the fly.

Keep in mind the main advantage of maintaining ascending timecode on all camera masters is the speed of batch capturing, the ability to log in the field using the timecode reference and not explain what take it was so the digitizer can manually search for the actual shot location on tape.

Tony Salgado