Time Code Breaks

[Brian Dzyak]

Using the F900, I generally shoot at 59.94I with no problems whatsoever. However, I just finished shooting for a week at 29.97P and apparently the editors are going crazy with timecode breaks all of the sudden. Another cameraman on a different project (for the same company) is also shooting at 29.97P and is having the same "complaints" from post. They are using AVID.

 

Any ideas? And no, we are not "lazy" because we don't do a video return everytime we wish to record. We are shooting behind the scenes footage so immediacy is crucial, unlike a film-style environment.

 

 

As an aside, I was curious about the gentleman who blacked his tapes prior to using them in his cameras. It is my understanding that a camera...any camera...records in "assembly" mode, not "insert" mode. So laying down control track (and presumably timecode) should be a tremendous waste of time as the record process would wipe out the control track like a bulldozer. If things haven't changed, then that isn't an option to solve the problem either.

 

Thanks!

Brian Dzyak

www.dzyak.com

[Jonny Kerr]

Hi,

 

I've recently spoken to an editor who complained about the breaks in timecode from our two HD cameras (F900's) on a short film. Because we shot everything on two cameras (I sync'd both cameras with tri-band lock-it boxes (including the genlock) and ran 'time-of-day' on the preset - as you do), the editor was experiencing 'jumps' in timecode that apparently caused concern to the avid machine (?). However, the facilities company was re-striping the timecode anyway when they down-converted to digi for delivery to the network after the edit house had done their thing. When running time of day on syncronised multi-camera shoots, and provided you ret when you playback, time of day should bear no relevance to breaks in timecode at all. Or am i misguided?

 

Hey,

 

Where are you shooting? Can you please explain the 59.94I frame rate? I'm beginning to get to grips with the different frame rates around the world, but this one is new to me.... I'd very much value yer input...

[Tom Bays]

You can encode over time code breaks in AVID by going to your digitize tool and toggling the deck offline. Put your deck in local and hit play...then hit the record button in the digitize tool...you should maintain timecode.

 

Even if you have a big blank spot between shots the time code will be continuous.

 

I edit most of what i shoot and i've never had a time code problem that wasn't user related.

 

This is a reach but if you shoot a certain tape...say Sony and then use Maxwell...there could be grooves on the heads that aren't catching the same.

Edited May 5, 2006 by Kemper

[Brian Dzyak]

The latest word I have from post is that there is some kind of inherent problem digitizing 29.97P material to AVID. They told me that they have the same problem with HDV as well for some reason. Reps from AVID were in to talk with them about it and nobody has an answer for why it's happening.