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Quick and easy way to sync files in FCP


Andy P

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I know this is not our job but it's good info to know. I'm still occasionally running into Editors who don't want to sync up sound and camera files for documentary work. It was actually a very hands-on Director at the BBC who came up with a great way to sync up files in FCP, without the need for any third party software.

You basically treat the sound files as an additional camera, and go through the motions in FCP to do a multi-camera sync. We've used this method successfully to sync any files, as long as they have matching TC. I've also been passing this procedure onto other Productions and they're now happy for me to shoot this way, just with guide audio and TC, which used to not be the case.

Anyway, here's the procedure - it great to have this to hand to pass on to any Editors who don't know.

As long as you have matching timecode on the camera files and wavs that will be fine.

- Select all the wavs and create a multi-clip sequence

- Do the same with the video media

- Create a new sequence and make the start timecode the same as the earliest start timecode of the multiclip sequences

- Drag the multiclip sequence (with matching timecode) onto the new sequence by holding down apple+shift (this will drop the multiclip sequence into individual clips at the correct timecode)

- Drop the other multiclip sequence onto the right timecode using the same drag+shift+apple combo

The whole things only takes a few seconds. It's important that you sync the wavs and video separately as FCP won't let you do them at the same time (unlike avid) as it won't match different codecs.

It's great because I can now use an ERX on pretty much any camera for doco work - It was a total pain trying to get a Zax RX900 on the C300 for example. The Camera ops love it because the ERX is light, I love it because they get my nice 24 bit files- everyone's happy!

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I would tell Andy to add to that:

Make sure you check all the slate claps at the head, and if the sound is off by a frame or two, manually slide the sound track until the clap and closed slate are precisely in sync. And shut up and don't complain.

Pardon me -- just think that last part, don't say it out loud!

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mac - the whole process relies on solid TC but you could use whatever you're most comfortable with : ERX100 if you're a Zaxcom user/Lockit/Timecode Buddy. I personally wouldn't just jam the camera and let it potentially drift a frame here and there. The idea is that they can sync everything automatically and get on with the edit, not be wondering if it's in sync.

As Max said, the ERX100 is fantastic in this situation because of it's low profile.

I hear what you're saying Marc, kid's gloves are needed sometimes ;-))

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  • 3 months later...

fcp allows a max sequence lenght of 6 hours right?.

 

as far as the sync function of fcpx goes i think it uses a waveform to sync from the guide track like plural eyes does.

so when there is no guide track :)

 

...So when there is no guide track, use timecode. If there is no timecode, somebody didn't think ahead and now get to spend hours manually syncing audio with picture. There's only so many features developers can add before the simple lack of forethought makes it impossible for them to make your life easier. I guess some poor developer will have to incorporate a lip-reading feature one day for just such an occasion.

But what if the tallent's mouth isn't in frame? :)

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But what if the tallent's mouth isn't in frame? :)

 

I have personally synced up thousands of takes in post just through "door slam sync" and other hard effects, anything short and staccato enough to work. Great assistant editors learn how to lip-read pretty quickly. Drum hits in live concerts are good, or unique footsteps. There's a lot of tricks when the mouth is out of frame and the camera operator didn't roll on the scene slate. 

 

There's a lot of reasons for which I hate tail slates, which to me are just unnecessary and lazy except in rare cases: stunts, explosions, or wild animals. (And in some cases, very small children.) 

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