[Job Ter burg]

[Jane Anderson] “6: The project setting should I believe be 24P ?”

24 PAL, correct.

[Jane Anderson] “7: Logging the keycode or hopefully a FLEX file – any directions here (really basic to the complex stuff – never done it before)”

Here’s what I do. I get Flex and or ALE files from telecine. If you get Flex, use Avid Log Exchange to convert those files to ALE, select only to log V, not A1 nor A2. If you get ALE’s, open them in a text editor, and change all VA1A2 entries into V. (You may not even have A1A2 for the events if the Beta tapes are made without sound syncing in telecine).
I open the ALE to check for the _exact_ tapename in the database entries (not the tapename at the top, in the header, but the tapename as described per event).
Then I capture the entire reels of TK rushes in one go. I assign the _exact_ tapename as found in the ALE.
After capture, I select the long masterclips, choose File-Import and under options, under Shot Log, select “Merge with known sources and automatically create subclips”. This will creat subclips from the long reels based on the TK log (ALE). If the camera records Timecode, this will likely generate a subclip for each take for each scene. If the camera did not run Timecode, you may only get the reels broken up into labrolls or camrolls, and you will have to manually break up/sync up V&A.

[Jane Anderson] “8: Audio setting for the project is where I start to get nervous. I want to import the audio as an OMF sequence from the hard disk back-up. The 24fps timecode will match the digital slate for sound sync.”
Will they be syncing this stuff up in Nuendo or something then? Usually, I get BWF-files (WAV files with metadata) that I import, with metadata into MC.

[Jane Anderson] “9: If the audio is already at 24fps, but the image will be slowed to 24fps by the film composer – how does it work? I trust it will work, but…?”

The Avid has two types of 24p PAL project, one assumes that picture and sound are both coming in at 25fps (not your option), the other assumes that picture comes in at 25fps, but sound comes in at 100% (your option). It will also be referred to as sound at Video Rate (>100%) and sound at Film Rate (=100%).

[Jane Anderson] “10: Using the auto sync function (?) – I need to subclip every take in order to ‘marry’ the image and sound – any instructions here would be very helpful.”

Several options exist. If picture and sound were both recorded with common timecode, you can simply select each picture and sound (sub)clip and AutoSync based on timecode. For that to work, you need to modify the ALE, so that Sound TC and Auxiliary TC1 are reversed in the desciptor. This ONLY applies if both sound AND picture have recorded TC, and this TC is logged in Telecine.
If you don’t have timecode, you can either manually search for the sync mark (sticks, hopefully) in each V and A (sub)clip, and the choose AutoSync and select to Autosync based on Mark Ins.
Or you can throw all your footage in sequence, and shot by shot align the appropriate sound under it. Then create and label subsequences for each take (exclude any edits!), then select all these subsequences and hit Autosync. It will convert the subsequences into Sync Clips.

[Jane Anderson] “11: Out put settings for the edit for audio post – just play out the edit (Film Composer running at 24fps) and SP deck recording 25fps?”

Yes. The SP deck will always record 625/50i, and the signal on the output of the Avid will always be 625/50i, but the playback speed of the sequence _within_ the 625/50i signal can be 24p-with-PAL-pulldown (slight hickups every half of a second) or 25fps (without pulldown, 1 frame of film is 1 frame of video).
For picture post, you need to send them tapes _without_ this pulldown. In the digital cut tool, you will see the ability to playout at either 24fps or 25fps, it’s that simple, fortunately!
The past few years, I haven’t done any Beta playouts for sound post, though. I usually send them a QT export in DVPAL at 24.00fps. This will result in files of around 4GB per reel, at a nice quality, and without any pulldown.

[Jane Anderson] “12: If I want to burn in a visual footage and frame count, will it be correct?”

Yes, but you have to think this through. With the v3.0 BITC generator, you’ll have the ability to select multiple counters. Make sure you choose the 24TC if you want true running time indicators.

Also, if you create a 24p PAL project, go to your Film Settings and set the edit play rate to 24fps. Somehow it seems to want to default to 25fps, creating the wrong playback speed during editing.

And second, the Master TC counter in 24p PAL project defaults to TC1, which is a 25TC counter. You need to manually change this one back to TC24 each time you launch the Avid. It also determines how I/O duration is calculated, I think.

[Jane Anderson] “13: Any help with generating the cut list would be great – should I give the lab an edl as well?”

I haven’t had to make a film cutlist for 6 years. All labs and DI houses here (Netherlands) seem to prefer EDLs. So check with post whether or not they really need a cutlist, and if so, what type. FilmScribe can generate a whole bunch of different lists. I used to work with a neg cutter that could import ALE cutlists in her system, but that system was _very_ sensitive to what entries could and could not be in that database file.

Don’t hesitate if you have any further questions.

In general, I think it would be nicer for you to have someone with a little 24p experience around, be it an assistant or a colleague. But you should not worry too much, since it is basically very simple, and very much tried and proven to work.