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Timecode bug?
I know there’s another timecode discussion going on but this (being me) is really basic.
I put in the Timecode generator all along my timeline to facilitate communications with the group for whom I’m doing a project. In the parameters for that generator there is “Format” with the choices of HMSF, HMS and Frames. For the sort of people I ‘work’ with, the flashing frame part is a bit distracting so I selected HMS thinking that I would only get the hours, minutes and seconds. No, I seem to get hundreds of a second – even more distracting!. To get round this I’ve used the “Custom” generator above it to cover up the last bit but that looks a little bit weird, oh well. Is this a bug in what I’m using?
I thought maybe the “offset” Published Parameter might do something useful for me here, but no.
<font face=”inherit”>I’m using Ventura 13.6.2 and FCPX 10.6.10 – yes, I’d love to upgrade but I </font>always<font face=”inherit”> seem to be in the middle of projects – not complaining though.</font>
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5 Replies
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It’s a limitation of the generator in Motion. It’s always been a half-built template, IMHO. Look at some third party timecode readers that may be more flexible. And I think you’re underestimating the intelligence of your coworkers. I’ve submitted thousands of jobs for review by clients over the past two decades, and they never get confused by frames or hundredths of a second being counted in the timecode.
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Many thanks for your reply Ben, much appreciated. Perhaps as you say I’m underestimating my contacts but these are mostly amateur performers having fun on stage in village halls and such like. Well, I’ll expose them to it and see how they react and if not so well then I do have a way of covering things up. Thanks also for the tip about 3rd party equivalents – I’m going to do that research!
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If your client is in the performing arts, they must have seen Youtube clips showing on-screen timecode. During post-production that is how decisions are made. It is always HH:MM:SS:FF.
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Thanks for that Joe. As alluded to, my clients tend to be pretty basic and if some of them had those flashing frame numbers in the corners of their eyes, their heart beats would probably go up considerably. No matter, I understand it is what it is but I just thought that the HMS option in this context is slightly misleading. NBD, thanks.
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Again, underestimating the intelligence of a client is very dangerous. I’ve seen so many videographers get in trouble over that.
Performing arts? Oh heck yes they can deal with full on SMPTE timecode, for sure! They deal with way more complex stuff than you can imagine.
Stop treating clients as idiots, respect their intelligence, just put the timecode on, they won’t freak out. I’ve been in videography, film, and TV broadcast for about 25 years, I’ve NEVER had a client freak out over frame count in timecode.
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