Changing timecode on a clip

I have footage that was captured off a DVC Pro tape...looped through a firewire camera into the computer and captured as a "non-controllable device"

The customer has made edit decisions off a timecode windowburn copy of this tape. However, since I can't capture timecode off my DVC Pro deck (no firewire output on the deck, and no other type of input on the Mac Pro, other than firewire), I was wondering if it was somehow possible to adjust the timecode that is on the clip so that instead of starting at 00:00:00:00, I'm starting at 00:04:25:24.

I was able to do a match frame on a cut on the video, so I can line up the timecodes accordingly.

The way I have done this in the past is to either adjust the timecode starting number on the sequence, or I have just slid the beginning clip to 00:04:25:24 on the timeline.

If there is a way to actually change the timecode on the clip, then I can edit much easier throughout the whole process and keep consistent timecode numbers, regardless of how I edit.

Any help would be great!

Thanks!
Casey Petersen

Modify - Timecode.


www.derekmok.com

Sure, it's possible. It's even easy.

Step one: Back up your media.

Step two: No, seriously, back up your damn media. You're about to alter the actual Quicktime movies themselves.

Step three: Back it up again. When it comes to computer data, you don't have anything unless you have it twice, so back it up in at least two places.

Step four: Make sure the frame rates of your offline and your online match. If you're finishing at 24p, but the offline was done off 60i media, this won't work. That's probably not the case here, from what you said, but I just thought I'd mention it to be safe.

Step five: Note whether the edit list is in drop-frame or non-drop-frame timecode. If you can't tell, then you CAN just take your chances ? the odds are 50/50, so you could just flip a coin and see what happens? but it'd be better to find out for sure before proceeding.

Step six: For each media file on your computer, identify what the timecode of the first frame should have been, based on that edit list. Alternatively, identify the timecode of a given frame ? like the slate frame or something, if you have one. Point is, for each media file, you need a specific frame with known timecode.

Step seven: Load a media file up in the viewer. If you identified a timecode reference frame, go to that frame.

Step seven: Modify menu -> Timecode.

Step eight: Choose either "first" or "current" under "frame to set," based on whether you know the timecode of the first frame or a given reference frame.

Step nine: Tick the "Source TC" box, and fill in all the fields. The reel/roll identifier is important; if you're assembling from an EDL (or exporting one later) it's critically important, so spare a thought for it now. Make sure you get the right type of timecode, too. If your edit list was made with NDF timecode and you pick DF, your edits won't be right.

Step ten: See that warning at the bottom? "Modifying a timecode will change the timecode for all users of this file, including other clips and other programs." Maybe you ought to pause to back up your media again, just to be safe.

Step eleven: Click "OK," and may God have mercy on your soul.

Then just repeat for all remaining media.

Now, it's possible to do this by leaving the source timecode alone and using one of the two auxiliary timecodes instead. I'm sure others might recommend just that. But in this case, where your source timecode is literally useless ? 'cause you didn't have any ? I don't think it's worth the extra fiddly effort. If you really want to erase your timecode track and replace it with a new one, this procedure will get you there.

But you really, really should back up your media first.

ROCKIN'!!!