dealing with non-pro source footage where time codes all start at zero

hi there.

i've got a bunch of small-format footage in my current project:
5D, GoPro, and even some iPhone which we may or may not use.

im converting first to Prores4444 as a master (i know it's overkill, but that's the format from the main camera)
then down-resing to my edit format.

i'm adding simple reel#s such as 5D, GOPRO and IPH, but i realise the TCs all start at zero.

i don't want to have media with the same reel# & TC,
and i'm wondering what other folks do about this.

i see 2 options:
a unique reel name for each clip: GOPRO-1, etc
or, a new Hour in each clip's TC (if i don't have too many): 01.00.00.00, 02.00.00.00 etc


thanks,
nick

oh, right.... log & transfer.


it's coping with the 5D footage,
but not the iPhone footage, so the question remains, i think...


nick

This was easier to deal with when Log and Transfer worked, which would generate time-of-day timecode based on camera metadata. However, the Canon 5DmkIII generates a file structure that can no longer be ingested with the Canon E1 plugin. (Why, oh why did they mess with this? So unnecessary.) And as you noted, Log and Transfer can't deal with GoPro or iPhone footage, period, nor can it handle many other kinds of AVCHD, Flip, Zoom Q2, and all these other lovely non-professional formats. You're lucky you're dealing with 5DmkII footage, but if too many other camera formats at hand are absent timecode, a solution for one camera doesn't help us particularly much, does it?

Using Compressor or MPEG Streamclip to convert will mean all timecode starts at 00:00:00:00. In effect, no timecode.

I think Jon Chappell's Digital Rebellion Pro Media Tools can give you more timecode control when ingesting these kinds of clips, but I haven't used it, so I can't comment on how well it works and how best to utilize it.

[www.digitalrebellion.com]

I've been lucky in that the projects where I get a "motley crew" of media formats have been smaller projects with fewer than 20 cards/reels, making the system easier to deal with.

> i see 2 options:
> a unique reel name for each clip: GOPRO-1, etc

I disagree with this system. I personally believe that reel numbers should never replicate, even when reels came from different formats/memory cards.

Instead of this:
GoPro-1
GoPro-2
5D-1
5D-2
7D-1
7D-2

I would do this:

Reel001_GoPro
Reel002_5D
Reel003_GoPro 29_97fps
Reel004_7D
Reel005_DigiBeta
Reel006_DV
Reel007_DigiBeta

The camera format is strictly information and, given a perfect reel-numbering system, has no bearing on the ability of the software to find the necessary media. So a suffix would work better than a prefix, in my opinion, while allowing you to keep a unique number for every single reel/card.


www.derekmok.com

hi Derek.

a unique name via an alpha pre-fix is ok by me.
we get this quite often with A and B units.
(001, 002, 003 and B001, B02, B003)

as long as each frame has unique Reel/TC value i'm satisfied.
but how to achieve that?

i wonder if there is any sort of time stamp on GoPro or iphone footage?


nick

Derek wrote-
[ I personally believe that reel numbers should never replicate, ]

I certainly agree with that. Duplicate reels even identifying different formats do not protect the editor from the kind of clip-switching you get from 30 Reel 001's all with timecode starting 00:00:00;00.

When I get an-numbered tape or card from the field, IT GETS A REEL NUMBER, before ingest. Bullet dodged.

- Loren

Today's FCP keytip:
Hold Option and click on the timeline clip volume bar to set a keyframe!

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide™ Power Pack.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com