Timecode won’t show up in Viewer window of single-cam clips

[Dennis Widmyer]

Are you certain of this, Jeremy? Larry Jordan wrote a whole article about how they do:

Yes, that will definitely be in the next release. The Mac App Store will be closed for a one week Christmas break so it may not appear until after that, depending on their review times.

FYI I was wondering why this bug hasn’t been reported before this. Is there another way to make multicam clips that would avoid this? Here’s the method my assistant editor used:

He would first grab each camera angle clip and sync it with the audio. So now he has 5 clips in the bin:

26B_1_A (camera angle 1)
26B_1_B (camera angle 2)
26B_1 (audio)
26B_1_A_Synchronized Clip (sync sound version of angle 1)
26B_1_B_Synchronized Clip (sync sound version of angle 2)

Then, with those bottom two Synchronized Picture/Sound clips, he’d highlight each one and choose ‘New Multicam Clip.’ This creates a merged, synced version of the two camera angles.

The problem is, because they were synchronized first, they no longer show the source timecode.

So the issue might stem from the way my particular multicam clips were created from the get-go.

Is there a better process you can recommend for doing this? Because whatever process Larry Jordan is using, is preserving the source timecode after the clips have been multicammed, whereas mine is not.

—
Dennis Widmyer
http://www.parallacticpictures.com

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Dennis Widmyer] “Are you certain of this, Jeremy? Larry Jordan wrote a whole article about how they do:”

Synchronized clips do not carry over original timecode. I’m sure of it. All synchronized clips start at zero. Synchronized clips should be used when your source has to tc. If tc is important to you, use multiclips. you cannot, however add multiclips to multiclips.

[Dennis Widmyer] “FYI I was wondering why this bug hasn’t been reported before this. Is there another way to make multicam clips that would avoid this?”

One way is to not use synchronized clips. You can sync audio only angles to multicam clips right in the angle editor. It’s very easy.

Or, if you must use synchronized clips, you have the option when creating a multicam clip to choose a starting timecode. Typically, it will choose the lowest one. Since you have a synched clip with zero tc, it chose zero as the start time. Next time, add the tc that you’d like. Your synchronized clips will still have a tc of zero, in the multiclip, but at least the multiclip will have orig tc.

Jeremy

[Dennis Widmyer]

So you’re saying the best workflow for us would’ve been to first create the multicam clips (which comprise about 85% of our entire film project). Then, take all of those clips and, one by one, open them in the Angles Editor and line up the clapper with the audio clip?

If that’s what you’re saying needs to be done to avoid Synchronized Clip, I get it, but honestly, it sounds like a huge headache for any feature project with as many multicam clips as ours, when FCX provides a tool to sync audio with the click of a button.

Pretty annoying that you can’t tell Synchronized Clips to retain the source timecode. That would solve all of this. Yet another item to put on the future updates list.

—
Dennis Widmyer
http://www.parallacticpictures.com

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Dennis Widmyer] “So you’re saying the best workflow for us would’ve been to first create the multicam clips (which comprise about 85% of our entire film project). Then, take all of those clips and, one by one, open them in the Angles Editor and line up the clapper with the audio clip? “

No.

Use the audio as it’s own angle and sync it in the multiclip when you sync everything else. this way, you sync the audio and video all together. There’s no need to sync one audio to one video and then video to video.

Here is a similar problem. It has pictures that may help visualize what I mean:

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/335/62522

[Dennis Widmyer] “If that’s what you’re saying needs to be done to avoid Synchronized Clip, I get it, but honestly, it sounds like a huge headache for any feature project with as many multicam clips as ours, when FCX provides a tool to sync audio with the click of a button. “

Mutliclips have the same sync function, and more. You can even add the audio later, and choose “sync to monitor angle”. There is no reason to use Synchronized clips in a multicam edit as you have much more functionality in multiclips. That’s what I am saying.

[Dennis Widmyer] “Pretty annoying that you can’t tell Synchronized Clips to retain the source timecode. That would solve all of this. Yet another item to put on the future updates list.”

Yes. It is an inconvenience. Synchronized clips are for clips that don’t have tc. If your clips DO have tc, simply use a multiclip. You will be much happier. You still have to be careful about the start time of the multiclips, though. If all of your clips have tc, including audio, then FCPX can take care of it.

Jeremy

[Dennis Widmyer]

That all makes sense. Wish we would’ve done it that way. Too late now. But great to know going forward.

Thanks!

—
Dennis Widmyer
http://www.parallacticpictures.com