changing non-drop frame to drop frame?

Can you change a non-drop frame sequence to drop frame? If so, how?

Make a copy of the sequence for safety.

Select the copy and hit apple-0 (zero, not O)

Under the Timeline Options tab, tick the box that says "Drop frame". You will notice the last colon change to a semicolon in the starting timecode window.

That's it.

deb

Thanks, but the drop frame tick box is greyed out, it will not allow me to tick it. Any suggestions? Editing timebase is 23.98, not sure if that makes any difference.

Make a new Sequence. Use an Easy Setup if you can. Make sure the new Sequence is set for drop frame.

Load that into the Timeline. Then open up the "offending" Timeline, select all the clips (apple-a), then copy them (apple-c). Click on the tab in the Timeline for the new drop frame Sequence you created, and paste (apple-v) the clips into that Timeline.

There's nothing magical about drop-frame vs. non-drop. It's just a counting scheme. It doesn't affect the clips. It just counts all the frames in a different manner.

deb

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I understand the difference between the two, the issue is that the closed captioning company as well as the TV station requires drop frame and this project was begun with non-drop selected.

Thanks again!

There is no drop frame equivalent for 23.976 sequences. It will, in FCP at least, always be 24frame timecode. That means that basing your sequence duration on the timecode count of 23.976 sequences will always be off by .1%.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

Shoot. You're of course absolutely right, Andrew.

That's what I get for reading too fast!

deb

Yup...23.98 is only NDF. Can't have a DF 23.98 sequence.


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ok, I copy/pasted the clips into a new sequence with a 29.97 drop frame setting and all is well.

Thanks!

You put 23.98 footage into a 29.97 sequence? Why? FCP doesn't add the proper pulldown when you do that. It won't look right.

>the issue is that the closed captioning company as well as the TV station requires drop frame and this project was begun with non-drop selected.

Oh. Well, it would be best to output a QT movie from this timeline for the CC company, so that you ONLY use this footage for timing. But when you output to tape, it would be far better to output via a capture card and let it handle the pulldown. You aren't going to embed the CC file and output that way, right? You are going to have the tape dubbed with CC? This would be the best way then.


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Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]