OMF and QT/PT timecode are off. Any way to correct?

[Dallas Taylor]

I always match the OMF to the Quicktime's scratch track. Just nudge with 1 frame as the nudge value. Easy, painless and 9 times out of 10 is frame accurate.

[chagos]

I can get the QT timecode to match perfectly with the session timecode, but the OMF audio is waaay early.
I talked to the editor, and it looks like he added the SMPTE leader without moving the original audio, so the OMF was off. At least that's what we think it is, I have not received a new copy yet.

If it is in fact the SMPTE leader, then wouldn't I be able to just add some pre-measures at the beginning of session and have it sync properly?

Also, before the OMF madness happened, I noticed a bit of drift between the QT timecode burn and the session.
Example:
beginning of film: PT= 0:00:00:00, QT timecode burn= 0:00:00:00
middle of film: PT= 0:07:04:17, QT timecode burn= 0:07:04:07
End of film: PT= 0:12:37:19, QT timecode burn= 0:12:37:00

Is this somewhat normal or is this going to cause all sorts of problems?

[rhumphries]

What framerate are you running at and what frame rate is the video counting in? I can almost guarantee you that one of you is running DF and the other NDF. That would make the timecodes off by 3:16 over an hour, so 19 frames over 12 minutes is about right.

Once you get that sorted out just cut and paste the OMF tracks so they start where the sound starts on your quicktime. There's no need to over complicate things. Unless...your OMF and the quicktime audio are drifting (not just the frame count), then one system is running at film speed and the other at video speed.


-Richard

[chagos]

according to the editor it's 24, and that is what my session is set at.

[rhumphries]

Set your session to 23.976.

[chagos]

i'll try it out and get back to you.

[chagos]

you were correct, it was 23.976.

going to try to get everything to sync up now.
one more question. i have an omf and a qt. when making a session based on these, which do you import first or does it matter?

[cut]

Chagos - most editors will not use the decimal nomenclature when regarding timecode. Most will call 29.97 "thirty", and now that holds true the HD rates. One of you is definitely at 23.976 and the other at 24. Make sure the editor manually types in 23.976 is using Final Cut 7 - when creating OMF. It will default to 24 from what I understand.

This reference bit an associate of mine in the ass on a big project, he asked the editor what the time code was, the editor responded 30 non drop. He then formatted a bunch of DA 88s at that rate (we are going back more than a bit here, and no this story is not about me!!!). Low and behold, the music mix gets to the stage and it is all out - WAY OUT. It is always good to learn a lesson at the expense of someone else's hide!!!!

[chagos]

i still can't get any of their stuff to sync.
the qt timecode burn is 00:00:00:00
the omf starts at 01:00:00:00

normally i could just move them to line up with each other, but the audio in the omf doesnt match with the audio in the qt because they added a smpte leader after their editing was finished.

so where you would normally take the beginning audio and match it with the qt audio, there is extra space because of the smpte leader.

also, the editor took it upon himself to gain/limit/compress a bunch of the audio before handing it to me, so the waveforms don't match enough for me to nudge them to the correct spot.

i don't really know what else to do. i just told them at this point if they could just give me a 2-pop on the omf we can go from there. i'm at a loss.

update:
i was asked by the director "do you really need one of those leader things?"
. . . .

[Mike Thornton]

Try moving the video and spotting it to start at 01:00:00:00.

Then change theSession Start time to 01:00:00:00.

Everything then should be OK except the BITC with be displaying the hour wrong.