Some settings for broadcast in Final Cut pro 7

[Shane Ross]

[Esther Casas] “”Drop-frame tiemcode SMPTE 12M must be present on the longitudinal track with identical VITC recorded as follows”:

FORMAT: 480i
FIELD1: 16&18
FIELD2: 16&18(279 & 281)”

Wait…format is 480i? That’s a DV format…standard definition. Do they want an HD master? Because you mentioned 1080i 29.97 at the start. What is the exact deliverable? Tape…what format? Tapeless Qt file…what format?

Shane
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[Mark Suszko]

Others with more insight should chime in, but regarding your blanking, etc. that’s all part of defining the video spec for the signal. You monitor it using a waveform monitor and vectorscope display. If the pre-set for the project is correct, and the recording deck for outputting your master tape is set up properly, it likely will not be an issue. But that doesn’t mean you should just ignore it. Your FCP 7 includes virtual waveform and vector scopes; though not as good as real external monitoring, they are better than nothing at all. You can look up detailed instructions online to learn how to use scopes to check blanking intervals on a video signal. USe the underlined part in your keyword search. Also be sure you know how to use those scopes to monitor your video signal for proper levels of brightness and colors, too. or the QC department is just going to kick the tape back to you as unacceptable.

[Esther Casas]

Hey Mark, I will look into this, thanks so much.

I am actually getting video files from a Sony Handycam HD AX-2000 and I can deliver a digital file, AppleProRes (HQ). If so, are these specs you are describing for video blanking the same? i guess is just for video input when i do log and transfer into final cut 7?

and yes, unfortunately, the bugdet is low and they asked me, I agreed, then later they sent me all this info, and is overwhelming, but not impossible…so here i am doing homework for all of this.

thanks so much!

[Esther Casas]

Hi Shane,

I am getting video files from a Sony Handycam HD AX-2000 and I can deliver a digital file, AppleProRes (HQ).

This is why I am confused with this specs regarding timecode..
I already said it on my previous post, it is a very low budget for pBS, and this is why I am responsible, they told me I could ask them, but before, I like to make sure I understand what I am talking about…and here I am. SO I really appreciate you guys taking your time to inform me. I just need to breath not and not be stressed to keep moving forward…

thanks!

[Esther Casas]

By the way Shane, this is great info!!! and I just wanted to reply specifically to each of this to confirm some stuff:

– when you say “full mix left or full mix right”, do you mean all the way to R or L? I panned R and L before (-1), I just want to make sure this is what you mean?

– “Then make a new sequence, bring in the exported audio, arrange them as requested”
I got lost here: I understand the process of exporting OMFs, but what do you mean with this sentence? if the audio tracks are already arranged, why do I need to re-import again into a new sequence? and do you mean re-import as OMFs? could you pls clarify?

– ” If you aren’t skilled with mixing audio on the timeline, for broadcast…it would be wise to hire someone for that.”

They say to put the audio waves at -20dB and -10dB maximum pick. I guess I just have to make sure the picks are not more than -10dB controlling t with the mixer in final cut 7, which I have done before. Is this what you meant?

-“Standard information for time-code to be recorded onto a tape”.
no tape here…only HQ digital file delivery, so the Drop-frame tiemcode SMPTE 12M is info only if you print to tape. I will use a regular timecode for sync purposes on final cut 7, yes?

thanks so much Shane, that will be it to confirm my questions with you!
🙂

[Mark Suszko]

Make the time code drop-frame for everything.

Also, fire the Producer of this project.

[Shane Ross]

[Esther Casas] “- when you say “full mix left or full mix right”, do you mean all the way to R or L? I panned R and L before (-1), I just want to make sure this is what you mean?”

Yes…panned LEFT and RIGHT…all the way.

[Esther Casas] “- “Then make a new sequence, bring in the exported audio, arrange them as requested”
I got lost here: I understand the process of exporting OMFs, but what do you mean with this sentence? if the audio tracks are already arranged, why do I need to re-import again into a new sequence? and do you mean re-import as OMFs? could you pls clarify?”

They want a single QT file, with a stereo mix on 1 & 2, and M&E on 3&4. When you edit your project, you have audio on multiple tracks…and if you exported just that, you’d end up with a stereo mix on 1&2, but not the separate M&E on 3&4. Here’s what I did when I was responsible for the final mix and audio embedding.

Cut normally. I do assign audio to specific tracks: Interview on 1&2, B-Roll on 3&4. SFX on 5-8, Music on 9-12, VO on 13. Or I might add in more tracks for SFX for a total of 17 tracks. Anyway….that’s how I edit. Now I mix and get things just right

Now I need to export a QT with a stereo mix and M&E. So the first thing I do is export an AIFF of all my audio…as a stereo mix. FCP defaults to a stereo output. In the SEQUENCE SETTINGS, AUDIO you can see this. OK, now I have those stereo tracks. I now mute, or disable all the B-Roll and interview and narration audio. I export another stereo AIFF…this is my M&E.

I import those back into my project. Duplicate the sequence…and then you can follow this tutorial for what I do next:

https://library.creativecow.net/ross_shane/multi-audio/1

Shane
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Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Esther Casas]

Shane thanks so much! this is great 🙂
I will check the tutorial and get back to you. You guys deserve to know if i succeeded…

Thank you so much for taking your time to reply, really appreciated!!

[Michael Gissing]

No offence Esther but the challenge of these deliverables is not for people who need to ask what Full mix and M&E means.

I strongly recommend you hand over the audio to an experienced person to tracklay and mix to those specs. Also you need someone to grade and online the video to meet tech specs. It is crazy impossible to give you years of technical experience in an online post. These are professional jobs that need the right equipment and experience. FCP7 can be used as a broadcast finishing tool as I have for years but in a facility with the right audio and picture monitoring and a knowledge of what these deliverable specs mean plus software outside of the NLE.

Once you have worked with professional finishing houses you will never want to try and finish for broadcast again.

[Esther Casas]

Hello Shane!

Just wanted to thank you again for your tips and your video tutorial, it
s been great and I was able to do everything right, so thanks again!

I only have a question for you, as I could not figured out yet:

I follow all your instructions in how to change sequence settings of audio output in final cut 7 to 4 audio outputs ( as I am asked to do 1 and 2 Master mix and M&E 3 and 4). I duplicate the sequence, I change the settings and every time I do, there is a message appears:

“The current audio device does not support the number of outputs selected in the Sequence Settings Audio Output tab. Unsupported outputs will not be heard during playback on this machine unless downmixed to Stereo.

[ ] Downmix all autputs to Stereo (toggle in Audio Mixer)
[ ] Do not warn again ”

I have the latest Mac Pro(2.7GHz 12core intel)…and I checked online and many people told me to “ignore” the message. I actually do because it can export the audio tracks on each output I assigned them to and everything looks OK, did you ever had this message? I have no idea how to get rid of it…just wondering..

Thanks again Shane!