Sync Sound Success

Post by **jessh** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 5:46 am

I know many people on the board have done this before but I was suprised at how easy it was and how well it worked so I feel like making everyone listen to the details :-)

I had to shoot a 3 minute film for a class project so I decided I would use it to test out shooting Super8 sync sound using a non crystal synced camera.

I used a non-crystal synced Nizo 6080 w/ Barney for the film and used a MiniDV camera, shotgun mic and fishpole boom to record the dialogue. The dialogue takes were 2+ minutes long. I slated at both the beginning and end of each take. I did a DIY telecine using my friends panasonic 24P minidv camera and my Elmo projector. The film was shot and transfered at 24fps.

I was a bit worried that it would not sync up correctly, but once I figured out how to stretch the audio track in Avid it synced up PERFECTLY. throughout the entire 2+ minutes of dialogue it is dead on, I knew that it would work for short takes, and that in theory it should work for the long, but I was still a bit worried. If anyone is interested in the method/workflow I used to stretch and sync the audio just let me know.

Unfortunatly the underwater footage that I shot didn't come out. For some reason all of the footage on this Eumig Nautica I have is way out of focus :-/

So does anyone even remember me? It has been a while since I last posted, and I even had to reactivate my acount... But I am back, atleast I plan on stopping by a bit more often than I have been recently.

~Jess

Post by **T-Scan** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 7:40 am

I just posted tonight asking the same thing. what kind of software is "Avid" ?

Post by **jessh** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 7:59 am

T-Scan wrote:I just posted tonight asking the same thing. what kind of software is "Avid" ?

It is professional non-linear video editing software. Similar to Premiere or Final Cut Pro. They actually just released a free version not long ago. http://www.avid.com/

But you should be able to use just about any NLE to do it, basically I just used it to find the slate marks on the video and got it to tell me how many frames of video that was, then did the same thing with the audio using the audio waveform. Then you divide the first number by the second and the resulting ratio is what you enter into the audio stretching tool. Then you sync the audio up with the video using the first slate, and it is in sync.

The most important thing to remember is that when shooting you must slate at both the beginning and end of each shot, you could actually do it with just a slate at the beginning and a constant ratio which would depend on the camera and how it was transfered, but then your chances of it going out of sync are much higher.

If you have any more questions dont hesitate to ask.

~Jess

YouTube · Post by **Andreas Wideroe** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 12:18 pm

Good to have you back again Jess!

Post by **sunrise** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 1:10 pm

Hey Jess,

why would you have to stretch your audio if the film was shot and scanned at the same speed?

Cheers
sunrise

Post by **mattias** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 2:05 pm

sunrise wrote:why would you have to stretch your audio if the film was shot and scanned at the same speed?

well, you wouldn't but it wasn't.

/matt

Post by **sunrise** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 2:23 pm

The film was shot and transfered at 24fps.

No??? :?

sunrise

Post by **mattias** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 3:16 pm

sunrise wrote:
The film was shot and transfered at 24fps.
No???

i'm sure he meant 24 as opposed to 18, not 24 as in exactly 24. after all he did write that he used a non sync nizo and a diy transfer.

/matt

Post by **sunrise** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 4:51 pm

The Nizo 6080 does film 24 fps.

I'm still confused, Mattias. But your explanation makes sense IF the footage was shot at 18fps.

sunrise

Post by **mattias** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 5:27 pm

sunrise wrote:The Nizo 6080 does film 24 fps.

no, it films at something close. that's what "non crystal sync" means. if you shoot at 23.9 fps and transfer at 24.1 your sound won't sync up.

/matt

Post by **sunrise** » Tue Dec 09, 2003 6:19 pm

Right, I think even I get it now... :roll:

Cheers
sunrise

Post by **jumar** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:48 am

I just had my first sync success as well.

I had also slated on the front and tail, recording audio on a miniDV camera, and synched in Avid (although it took me awhile to find the audio stretcher). It looks like my Nizo 801M is off crystal by about 0.02%. The camera noise was very noticeable, but the mic was only three feet from the camera, and not covered in any way.

Fun!

Post by **discs of tron** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 8:33 am

awesome. i'm gonna try as soon as i get my 4080 running again. non-sync, but it's so nice and quiet.

Post by **jessh** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:13 am

I actually did get some camera noise with the 6080 and barney but that was mainly due to the close proximity in a small room. I did notice that the camera was noisier with some cartridges than others. On some it ran with a nice steady purring sound, but on others there was also a much louder sound at a regular interval. Sounded like it could be something scrapping inside of the cart...... anyone have any idea what causes this sound and what can be done to keep it form happening? When that didn't happen the camera only produces a very small very pleasing purring sound :-)

~Jess

Post by **discs of tron** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 9:58 am

hmm... i don't know. mine purrs, when it's actually running. i think it's quiet enough for long shots. where did you get your barney, or did you make it?