Timecode and mulit-camera shoot

I am new to Premiere Pro CS5. I want to do a two camera shoot and I thought the timecode would allow to sync both cameras. But it appears that the clip shows beginning at zero and does not actually show time or date. So if cameras were started at different times this is of no value for sync. I am going to do a two camera shoot at our church for a concert of piano and organ. One would be wide shots and the other closeups.
Would I have to start both cameras at the same time and let them run for the entire concert in order to be able to sync?
Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

You definitely made the right choice with the H4n - it's what I use. Pair it up with a Rode NT4 stereo mic and you get 4 tracks of sonic perfection.
If recording in a church, be careful of natural reverberation. Place mics close to the sources and you get a nice balance of ambience and dry source sound.
In terms of syncing visually, again be prepared for the large reverberant ambience of a church because if you are using a visual cue to line up both cameras the attack portion of the your visual cue (a clap for example) can get swamped in reverb. What I tend to do is walk in front the site of both cameras whilst they're running and snap a clothes peg together. This gives a quick click and allows me to line up multi cameraS.
Good luck

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5 camera shoot

I am getting ready to shoot a roller derby bout for my sister's roller derby league. I plan on using 5 cameras. A roller derby track is a basic oval and they skate in a counter clockwise circle. I will have two cameras shoting the corners and two cameras shooting the straightaways. The 5th camera will be one I free hand for close ups and such. My question is, is there a way to layer all 5 shots so they are synched up in FCE. Then I can just pick the track I want for a certain shot and then switch when they go by to the next camera which has them in view. The main reason I want them synched up is for the audio. They will have two guys calling the bout over a PA system, but I don't have the equipment to record just their audio, so I will have to use audio from a camera. I do plan on just using on camera's audio for the whole bout, so the sound doesn't change volume as the camera changes. I just shot my son's band concert just using two cameras, and made the cardnal mistake of turning off my hand held camera when I would do something else for a few minutes, so now I am having to manualy synch them together and its A PAIN!!! I can't imagine haveig to do it with 5 tracks. My two cameras are older models, and the other three belong to the girls, so I'm not sure what types they are. I do know they all use Hi8 tapes. I can't get FCE to capture any video, so I import the tape into iMovie, and they do a drag and drop into FCE from imovie. I do have to render the audio, but it seems to be the easiest way for me to transfer my footage into FCE. So my question is, how do I synch up all my camera, or is that impossible? This is my first "real" job with multi cameras and I want to do it right and not have to take 4 months to turn out their product. Thanks for any input.

Hi(Bonjour)!
A big challenge in perspective. As you noted from your previous experience, it's very important to keep all cameras rolling along the race. If you can use a sort of clapper board signal (like a air horn shot, the start signal or a camera flash) it will be easier to synch all your material. This point can be anywhere in the clip as it is present in all clips.
Pay attention that camcorders supplied by "girls" must record in a compatible format for FCE. And use 16 bit audio for all.
Your analog Hi8 must be a problem but you can use a DV camcorder with analog in converter to output signal through firewire. To avoid pitfall, try to use 5 DV camcorders from start.
Once material captured into FCE, open each long clip in viewer and find the synch point (air horn or flash or anything else recorded on each camera). Put a marker exactly at this point. Repeat for each clips.
Put each clip on a video track in timeline and synch the markers. From this point it's better to use one audio (the better one- you can even record the audio with a digital audio recorder), so mute the other audio tracks.
Use one video track as your camera A roll, put it on V1 and lock this track.
All other clip (camera B rools) must be keep in synch,. To monitor all your 5 angles, scale all clips to a 20% scale (in motion tab) and position them in mosaïc in canvas.
You can now play the timeline and use razor blade to cut angles. Delete unwanted portions (you will be able to use those portions later with the roll tool). This is a tedious and long work, but be patient.
Once all the material will be cut, reset the scale to 100% for each clips on V1-2-3-4-5.
You will get many angle from A and B rolls with a main audio. You can mix different parts from audio as audio related to V2-3-4-5 are available but muted in timeline.
Piero, a fellow contributor on this forum, has designed a custom plugin to use 4 clips in multicamera mode, but as you use 5 cameras I think it's better to scale clip by hand.
If you can, try a test shots with 3 camera before the "J" day...
Michel Boissonneault

Multi cam shoot using P2 cards. How to move clis to timecode positions

multi cam shoot using P2 cards. How to move clis to timecode positions. We were using free TC. I want to a large # of clips from both cams. and have them move to the correct TC position on the timline. In Nuendo eith audio u hit apple a or ctrl a right click move to orgin. Avid will take care of it for u. FCP???

If you read the "Apple Pro Training Sereis; Final Cut Pro 5" book, it's very easy. You can sync the clips manually by setting In or Out points, specifying TC, or using one of the two Aux TC fields. Since this is the first, and most basic step in doing Multiclip editing, I'd suggest you get the book, or read the appropriate section of the User Manual. I don't think anyone wants to post a full "how to" article in a forum.
It can be done, you're clips have to all have been recorded with synced TC, or they simply won't sync up in any NLE. Read the book. Cause even if I did have the time to explain FCP's Multiclip editing in this forum, you'd still have questions that are in the book.
If you actually walk through the first steps of building a Multiclip to edit, it's blatatnly obvious in the first step. I'd give it a try first.
Problem is the DVCPRO-HD codec is going to require a higher end Mac with tons of RAM and either RAID, or internal drives to do a DVCPRO-HD Multiclip, as DVCPRO-HD (P2) is a pretty high bandwidth codec. I use it daily, I know, it takes horsepower to do.

Timecode and Canon DSLR

Do the Canon DSLR cameras shoot timecode? If so, can Premiere recognize it? I've had 2 projects with source footage from Canon 7D cameras and all of the clips start at 00:00:00:00. This latest project has over 6 hours of source footage, I could really, really use some timecode...
-Jeff

Hi Colin,
Thanks for the reply on this. I don't care how they do it, a sidecar file would be fine, but it's soooo useful. I don't even mind if it's something we had to trigger in Bridge, since Bridge seems to be where I start out with hundreds of clips. I use Bridge to add the metadata to multiple clips at once (e.g. the tape/card name/number and scene). Bridge can see the camera model, lens, ISO, etc for photos, but doesn't seem to bother for video. Please, pretty please Adobe?
Getting the camera, lens, iso, aperture and shutter speed has been useful in tracking down a couple of issues in the past, like why is this shot so noisy, oh someone stuck it at ISO6400! That sort of thing.
Yes, you are correct that the timecode is not frame perfect, but since we sync the times on all cameras at the start of the day it's close enough to be able to pin point clips fairly accurately when looking for them. We can then run them through PluralEyes to sync them perfectly (oh, that's another story!).
In FCP we use a chequer board system to lay all clips on the sequence according to the timecode, using multiple tracks, one for each camera. If we had 3 or 4 cameras rolling then we simply reduce the video size to 50% in the sequence and move them to the 4 quarters of the monitor so we can see them all at once - similar to multicam. The difference is we can still see every single clip taken by every camera throughout an entire day of shooting, on a single sequence timeline, in chronological order, more or less synchronised. We can scrub through seeing all cameras simultaneously, and instantly see what each camera did that day.
Why would we want to do this? It's just a really quick way of reviewing the day's action! If the cameras were split during the day covering different things happening then this allows the editor to quickly scrub through all the clips, see what was happening at the "same time" in different locations (how do you even begin to do this without timecode or slate?). It also familiarises them with all the clips and scenes in a single sequence for the entire day.
Now, as Colin pointed out, the timecode is not accurate enough to sync with, but it's close enough that knowing roughly what time of day something was shot we can quickly scrub through and find a shot very quickly. This effectively becomes our reference sequence.
I can't find any way of doing this in Premiere Pro CS5, but it was literally 2 or 3 mouse clips in FCP to take all the clips from the logging bin and create a sequence like this. There seems no way of doing this in CS5.
How long would this take without time code, and with CS5 as it stands today? The THREE things I really miss from FCP are the timecode, multiclip sequence and the join through edit. Oh well......
Naturally, I've submitted a feature request
Message was edited by: ExactImage - Fixed a couple of typos!

Auxiliary timecode and drop/nondrop timecode

I'm new to FCP and am trying to edit a 4-camera shoot that didn't have synced timecode. I'm trying to use auxiliary timecode to sync the footage. Here's my question: If the source timecode is nondrop frame, but the FCP sequence is drop frame, do I make the auxiliary timecode drop frame or nondrop frame?
Also: I can't watch the multiclip in the timeline on Safe without rendering. If I watch it on Unlimited, it keeps dropping frames on playback. Can I edit anyway, or will I have a mess later?

The 10.4.7 update won't hurt you any... just run Software update to get it.
Is the LaCie drive really full?
If you would, download a utiltiy from AJA.com... here: http://www.aja.com/html/supportkona3swd.html The System Test is what you want about 1/2 way down the page.
Run that on the LaCie... the performance tests. Post back what it's Sustained Read is. It needs to be pretty fast to run several streams of video at the same time. That's what you are trying to do when you play a multiclip.
Be sure that multiclip playback is turned on in the RT pop up menu in the upper left area of the timeline window too.
Jerry

MacBook Pro display usable as a reference monitor for a camera shoot?

I am shooting a video project and wish to try and use my 17" Mac Pro display screen as a reference monitor on a live mini-DV camera shoot for focus and color versus lugging around a heavier CRT and battery back. Will the MacPro display be sufficient to significantly judge color, exposure, and focus? I know it's not ideal, but with improvements in LCD displays over the last few years I would like to hear from other users who may have tried using their display screens in this way and see what their results were.
Many thanks,
John

While the answer in itself is probably no, you could however spend some time to get yourself a known comparitive situation. With some careful calibration and comparison to a final result you should be able to get it to a point where, while not perfect, you know what you're going to get.
By the way, the matte display will produce far more consistent colour than the glossy display.
Utlimately though for the best results the suggested CRT solution is the one to go for even though it's somewhat a pain.

Want to show camera shooting data in contact sheet

I want to be able to choose some of my camera shooting data, such as lens used, FL, aperture, ISO, shutter speed, in addition to the filename, to be listed below the photo image, on a contact sheet. Could this ability please be added to the contact sheet parameters for use and printing them out.
Thanks,
Debra Gillilan

I just wanted to second this.

Timecode and logging troubles

Hi,
I have recently been having a lot of trouble capturing logged media from my Panasonic AG-DVC30 camera. I thought at first it was the tape so I went out and bought a new one, but sadly that seems not to be the issue. It seems as if the problem is occurring because there are two timecodes, one when the tape is stopped and another for the actual footage. This makes it so that when Final Cut tries to capture it seems to become confused as it tries to rewind or fast forward, and instead goes into a rut in which the display on my camera shows the timecode being switched back and forth between the two timecodes. Finally Final Cut gives up and says that it is unable to find the timecode break or something like that. I am really desperate to figure this out so please post if you have any suggestions. I probably just did not set something up right, but I'm definitely stumped.
Thanks,
Brett
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.6) Final Cut Pro HD
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.4)

It seems as if the problem is occurring because there are two timecodes, one when the tape is stopped and another for the actual footage.<<</div>
Never seen such a problem. If that is what's actually happening, send your camcorder in for service NOW.
But more likely is that when you started and stopped during recording, the camera lost track of the timecode and started over again. This often happens if you review footage after a shot then don't cue the tape back to the right position. Hence the timecode break message from FCP.
-DH

White balance setup error on multi-camera shoot. Help!

On a three-camera shoot two cameras had white balance set to auto, one was misset to daylight. Footage was shot both exterior and interior. How do we (newbies) correct or minimize the damage in Premier Pro CS6 for this short class project if reshooting is not an option?

Scroll down to find a whole series on color correction.
https://blogs.adobe.com/kevinmonahan/2012/09/19/premiere-pro-cs6-video-tutorial-series-by- andrew-devis/

Editing A Multi Camera Shoot

Can someone point me to a nice tutorial on how to set up my multi camera shoot files so that I can do a mock "live switch" on my FCP? I am tinkering with the "Make Multi Clip" set up, but I just can't seem to figure out how to view the three cameras, make camera angle selections, etc.
Thanks,

its not as hard as it may at first appear Pete
1. open each of your 3 clips in the viewer and mark an In point on an easily identified frame (clapper, camera flash, blink etc)
2. select the 3 clips in the browser and choose Modify menu > Make Multicip
3. in the multiclip window's popup menu tell it to sync on In point and click OK
4. drag the multiclip you just made ( the clip with its name in italics )
5. set the View menu > Playhead Sync > Open
thats it ... now you should see your 3 clips displaying simultaneously in a 4 up display in the viewer

No sound in mulit camera edit. CS3 premeire pro

Followed instructions exactly on tutorial disc for syncronizing clips.
I have 2 .avi clips with the sound dis-abled and a .wav file with the sound enabled.
All three clips have been syncronized and multi cam edit has been enabled.
In multi camera edit window: When playing there is NO SOUND.
My OS is Windows XPpro
I am using CS3 production premium.
Why is there NO SOUND?
Thanks, Scott
[email protected]

Hurray!
I unlinked Video/audio 1 and deleted the audio track 1.
I then moved the .wav file in Audio 3 into the now vaccant audio track 1. Making sure to have the audio selected for that track.
IT WORKED. IT WORKS. I NOW HAVE AUDIO IN MY MULTI CAM EDIT WINDOW. The audio ( .wav file ) that I want to use.
Thanks for jarring my brain in the right direction. I can now FINALLY finish the wedding video.
They will be so so happy to finally receive it.
Thanks so much Stan.
Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 13:12:21 -0600
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: No sound in mulit camera edit. CS3 premeire pro
I hear you, but I don't see how that work flow could have ever worked in CS3 (or other versions - I'm still CS3) unless the .wav is in Audio 1.
In addition to my suggestion above, I suppose you could put the wav in track 1 with no video in v1; and put the cams in v2 and 3. Keep the audio set to NOT follow cams, and then select between cam 2 and cam 3 for the video. It won't matter whether you mute tracks 2 and 3; you won't hear them anyway. You should hear only track 1 audio.
Here's the CS3 help file:
http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/PremierePro/3.0/index.html
Now I may have to take back what I said. I see that the help file says that if you select DO NOT follow cam for audio, it will use the audio in the selected track. So perhaps you used to select that track (I assume audio 3) and do not have it selected now (in the multicam source sequence).
>

Regarding final cut pro and sony camera

hi,
I have a Sony HDR-CX550/CX550V XR550/XR550V Digital HD Camera Recorder, and I wanted to know if the format that this camera shoots, will it be natively compatible with Final Cut Pro?
I would really appreciate an answer, as I need it asap
Much thanks

I have the same camera, and I noticed that in Standard Def mode, the Sony HDR-CX550V shoots in MPEG 2 PS (not AVCHD)
- Can this be natively edited in Final Cut Pro? If so, how?
- Is this an XDCAM format?
- If the Sony MPEG-2 PS can't be edited in FCP directly, what's the fastest / most space-efficient way codec for me to translate this to (for example thru mpegstreamclip)?
Would much appreciate your insights-

Multi-camera shoot.. having import issues, could use some work flow advice

Okay, so I am doing some multi camera shoots. I have 2 Canon HV20's and 1 Canon HG10. The HV20's are being captured at HDV 1080i setting (1440x1080), and the HG10 is being logged and transferred coming in at it's different setting, (can't remember off hand what it is)
I am syncing these 3 with "in points", however becasue the HG10 is a different format I can not use it to do a Multiclip with, I have been using QT to convert it to HDV 1080i, but a 60 minute record seesion is taking 7 hours for the convert.
is there an easier way to get the AVCHD data from the HG10 to match the captured info from the HV20 tapes, or os there a setting to tell FCP that the multiclip doesn't need to use the same settings?
Or does someone have a better workflow I could use...?? I understand that just buying anothe HV20 would solve the problem, but I can't afford that right now, so I'm etiehr stuck only shooting with 2 cameras or wasting the time of converting to use the 3rd different format camera..
I could use some help or advice, thanks
also, I haven't been able to set my capture in's and out's and do a batch capture with the HV20's... I keep having to "capture now" to get the footage, I always get an error as soon as I tell the batch capture to start
Message was edited by: Chris Fritsche

understand that just buying anothe HV20 would solve the problem, but I can't afford that right now,
so I'm etiehr stuck only shooting with 2 cameras or wasting the time of converting to use the 3rd
different format camera..< </div>
The simple most direct route is to dub (or convert) your odd camera to the base camera's format (or convert everything to a single format). It's not a waste of time at all; simple and immediate and solves everything.
bogiesan

Confusing Colour Issues with 3 camera shoot. Please help

Hey Everybody,
I have had to re-register, so this looks like my first post!
There is a colour issue which is seriously baffling us, we shot a fighting event with a 3 camera shoot. 3 Days, and on all 3 days the cameras seem to have produced different colour outputs dispite being on the same setting. Can anybody shed any light on how to match the colours here. All settings on the cameras were the same, so we are surprised that the footage has come out differently. The following day the footage from all 3 cameras were indentical. However this is the footage produced from the first shoot
We have tried bightness/contrast, levels, fast colour correction, Colour Balance and CB_HLS and still can't get the footage to match.
While it would appear there might be a slight hint of over exposure when we take the brightness right down, there is hardly any highspots.
If there is no solution for us to do, is there anybody who we could send a short clip, have them correct it and we can duplicate to the rest of the shots? If so what kind of expense do you think that would incur?
Thanks in advance

its important to use the same exact cameras on multi camera shoots. also important to take color meter and see what the lights give you. sodium vapor and tungsten and flourescent all need different " color correction" gels to make them equal 32k or 56k .. and its not just orange and blue correction ...its also green and magenta etc...
professionally , you cant do all that at the " lens " with cc filters..you need to actually get to the lights physically ( with scissor lifts or cranes ( manlifts ) and gel the lights too ).
Once you have your lights corrected and ready to shoot...all cameras need to shoot "color swatches - usually Kodak .. with a single light source that equals what your camera is set to ( color temp )...and that is used to get your balance correct in post.
That said it sounds like you are screwed...
To have someone try to correct that professionally would cost more than you can afford, or you would have used that " money " to correct your color etc in the beginning... in other words, if you could afford to send everything to a pro lab and try color correcting all that stuff, you wouldnt have this problem to begin with IMO.
My suggestion:
Since wrestling is a gritty sport and " manly " and full of emotion that is basically " tough " and " hard " ....trash the color altogether and make everything black and white... maybe increase your contrast a tiny bit ...or maybe add a slight " tone " to it....( not sepia which looks just " old " , but maybe slight blue tint ? ) ...something to make it look as gritty and hard as you can...
Then tell client you did it on purpose ! Is part of your concept to begin with... wow them with your creativity !

Project Manager ruins timecode and tape name

After picture locking a sequence, I tried using Project Manager with the "collect files and copy to new location" option to consolidate for the colorist.
Unfortunately, the resulting files all lack tape names, and have incorrect timecode. This is a serious problem, obviously, since the colorist will never be able to relink these clips. Has anyone else gotten this process working?
I then tried cleaning the media cache database, and I ran the Project Manager again with the same settings. This time, it created files with proper tape names, and incorrect timecode.
This project contains clips from multiple cameras, and the only ones having this problem are from a Sony FS700.

That's a great idea.
Importing the sequence into a new PP project brings the accurate timecode and tape names, so it's easy to export all the clips. But after queueing them up and exporting QuickTimes in AME, the new files all have timecode starting at zero and no tape name! WTF??
Here is a screenshot with proof. You can see file 00001.MTS in Premiere with timecode starting at 46:10:20 and in AME starting at zero.

Timecode and mulit-camera shoot

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