[Chris Edwards]

It is not quite true to say that anything less than a frame cannot be edited in video. Whilst editing systems will only allow a minimum edit duration of one frame, it is possible to effectively perform half-frame edits ie one field edits in an interlaced environment. By changing the chosen edit field in the menu settings on the record VTR (eg a DigiBetacam) from field one to field two the machine will perform an edit half way through a field. Now switch the machine back to field one, edit on the next frame and you have effectively performed a one field drop in or edit. Much simpler to do with an edit controller than FCP’s edit to tape function (which I personally find less than friendly).