Timecode explained

[snaillael]

I'm set to shoot a feature. I know production is providing a digital slate so I was confused. I've been told that I'm going to have to run cable to the camera to keep TC with the red. I wasn't sure why so I thought I'd ask here first to get a sense of things.
I really didn't want to have to spend time running cable because I'm sure I won't have utility on hand, so thanks a bunch for the info. Makes sense to me now. They probably don't have everything quite planned yet and may have been taking directions from post. I'm sure it will be clear at the pre-production meeting.
Thanks again

[Karl Lohninger]

Ok, production provides a TC slate, just use it. Somebody else above in this thread mentions something like running a cable to the camera....there is no cable to run, period.
If the camera sees the slate at the beginning of each take (+ the clap) that's enough for a solid sync. Because RED's TC implementation is a bit retarded (excuse the word) one has to - if one wants to jam the camera - repeat this exercise every time the camera is turned off and on. This is a total nuisance and really slows down production. Now RED's solution, instead of fixing the camera (hello....)is to ask that one attaches another gimmick (lockit boxes etc) to make it work. Now film cameras (99% at least) do not have internal TC. It only really makes some sense to jam (video cameras) when there's lots of stop and go and no time or no intention to use a slate at all.
If it's a feature, meaning there's a script and actually something like a shooting plan, it is unnecessary.
If they think they can't live without external sync, they'll have to pay for it via renting more equipment, loosing valuable shooting time and having to deal with very common TC sync errors....like, battery down in the lockit, the camera guy not telling that he shut down the camera, etc etc...
Enjoy the show, don't forget the most important thing is good sound ;-)

[Alex Carr]

The Main reason post guys would want TC sync is because Smart Post Guys can Auto-sync with TC JAM/. I can do it, and I always want to JAM camera to the recorder (Camera Takes the Mixer's TC) for this reason, whether post has the Tools or not (which some are are Free).

I usually suggest Production rents a Clock it, but I NEVER keep it on the Camera. When I need to change a battery and a Hotswap is not used, Ive got the Battery in my left hand and the Clockit in my Right hand or I teach the 2nd Assistant why to do this. The Camera only needs to take see the TC for 1 second until a power down.

[Karl Lohninger]

Well, Alex, you don't know, but there's peoples who know what they're doing, but there are not too many of those around ;-)
You are a bit of an exception!
But, please, tell me more about how you 'auto-sync'. You throw stuff unto the timeline and magic happens?

[Alex Carr]

There was a $400 program called Sync and Link, I never used it.

The one Ive used for the past two years is a Free Program called Sequence Liner. I can sync the Dailies in less than a minute, once you figure it out its really sweet. The Moroccan action film with no squibs was the last thing I synced, and I didnt have any tools at that point so I went investigating until I found an answer.

You basically import a Reel and a the corresponding sound files into FCP, and then create an XML file from the Bin List. Import XML into SeqLine, and its gives you back an XML to import into FCP. It gives you one huge Timeline from the first clips TC to the last. From here you export new synced Quicktimes for Offline editorial (w/ correct TC). SeqLine also will re-link audio inside a Cut sequence, I'm so far from Post Production now I haven't had a chance to thoroughly test the ONLINE abilities.

How's everything! Karl? Are you in the US?

[Karl Lohninger]

Alex, I've just downloaded this script/app - it's from Andreas Kiel, I've always used his BWF2XML for certain things. That's really interesting - if it works ;-)

I'm right now in Berlin, but we're flying into Vancouver coming Thursday - we'll see how that goes ;-)

[Alex Carr]

Thats great! shoot me an email if you have trouble getting the XML into his script, it took me a few minutes to figure out how Andreas' App likes how the XML file was created since its coming from a Bin instead of a Timeline.

So you select Target sequence(to set resolution,Frame rate, codec) and and also the Bin with Audio and Video Clips inside and export XML,

Ive successfully created dvd dailies of an entire day using this script, I would just delete the space between the shots or export individually so TC is preserved for Offline or window burn.

[jerome manato]

Time Code is a clock data that will give each recorded frame an exact location or address. In video, it is recorded parallel to the picture information. Your camera can generate an internal timecode and so is the sound recorder. Though time code is frame accurate, not all equipments' internal time code generator, like with your camera and your sound recorder, run at the same speed. That is why you need to jam synced your camera, sound recorder and your digital slate (if you're using one). By doing this, you are creating a singular timecode for the entire recording for all those devices, thus, making your picture and your sound information to sync up.

You can use your Sound recorder's timecode to jam your camera and your digital slate or an external TC gen with a stable oscillator for a much more frame accuracy.

But if I were to ask, it is much better if he can record sound to the camera that will serve as a reference aside from jam syncing.
cheers!!!

[Brian Ferguson]

As some have said if the camera sees the TC on a smart slate that is what you would have for sync on film. The case for timecode on camera becomes more important as multiple cameras are used. It is much easier to edit clips from multiple cameras if you can look for a corresponding TC number anywhere on a clip. The Syncing of dallies is great with TC on picture at the head of a take, but TC really makes it simple for the rest of the editing process. So it becomes as important to have the cameras in sync with each other as it is sync'ed with audio.

[David Rasberry]

The point of timecode jam sync is so that each frame of picture has the same time code address as the corresponding frame of sound. To sync in post only requires lining up the same frame numbers on the sound track and picture timelines.
Jam sync synchronizes the camera and sound recorder clocks to the same frame number reference before shooting begins. The clocks are set to free run continuously regardless of whether camera or sound are actually being recorded, so theoretically they are always matching frame addresses when recording is taking place. No two clocks are exactly perfect though, so there will be some amount of drift over time, but it is still easier to deal with in post than a non-synchronized shoot.

Bottom line, use the clapper too.