I might be missing something completely obvious, but is there a timecode generator in MC6 that allows the user to input a desired start timecode? I see the timecode burn-in effect, but I don't see that option within there.
you can use the sequence timecode, and just change the start tc of the sequence
Thank you, but not quite what I'm looking for - if I make an edit that extracts material from the sequence, I want this custom timecode to still point to the same points in the original sequence. Here's the situation:
-I have an edited sequence that was sent to client.-Client gives a list of edits that point to timecodes on his DVD copy.-I want to be able to quickly refer to those points, but in such a way that if I make edits that extend or shorten the total time, that doesn't break the relationship between his timecode reference and the content in the sequence. If something was 2;11;05 in the previous version, I still want to have SOME reference that I can quickly look at, that still shows it as 2;11;05 as I continue to make edits.
Workarounds:
-Make a mixdown of the original and assign it the timecode I want, then drop it into the sequence and use the TC burn effect. This achieves the goal, but it means waiting to create the new media - I want something that I can do almost instantly, and without creating new media.-Make some kind of low-size clip (a silence track, maybe?) that's long enough, and do the same thing.-Roll back to prior versions of the software that DID have this ability. I know 1.5 does, I used it the other day. Think it's in the Illusion FX bin somewhere.
Another workaround would simply be to do the client's notes in reverse, so you start from the end of the timeline and work backwards.
But in those situations I normally just refer back to the movie file I sent the client if it gets confusing.
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usatraveler:Make a mixdown of the original and assign it the timecode I want, then drop it into the sequence and use the TC burn effect. This achieves the goal, but it means waiting to create the new media - I want something that I can do almost instantly, and without creating new media.
Dont you have to render the TC to make the copy for the client? Instead of rendering it I mixdown the sequence and use that to make the client burn in Then your mixdown workaround becomes instant. Loading this mixdown in your source monitor gives you instant access to show the clients the original if /when they are about to change their minds again.
Edit (an after thought) Send the client a file type that is AMA compatible and then AMA link to that file instead of a mixdown
I don't need the client to see the burn, it's for my own reference as I edit based on the client's notes. The client's getting a DVD, and is pointing to counter times on the DVD as edit references. As I make changes, I want to still be able to see some form of timecode, wherein the number I see still points to the same contents on the list of changes from the client - some form of timecode track where I can cut it, and in doing so, actually cut out blocks of timecode. Once done, I'd then just get rid of the TC burn and give the revised copy to the client - no need to ever actually render it.
Rather than a full mixdown, maybe I'll just export a QT Ref, AMA to it, assign its TC to 0, make the track itself invisible, and assign a TC burn to it. That way, when I make edits to the sequence, I'll keep that dummy track in sync, so that when I extract or expand anything, the TC burn will still point to the same content.
There's probably an easy way that I'm missing, but regardless, the ability to add a custom-start timecode burn is a feature that would be nice to have back. It was there years ago, and it's now inexplicably gone - presumably for the newer, better effect, but it's missing that functionality.
it might be that I'm to lazy to find a solution, but I always make changes from the end to start (as mentioned bebore)... to keep TC
usatraveler:I don't need the client to see the burn, it's for my own reference as I edit based on the client's notes. The client's getting a DVD, and is pointing to counter times on the DVD as edit references.
I must say that not giving the client a burn in would seem to ultimately lead to as much of your time wasted figureing out notes as doing a mix down or having a low data rate "time code clip" sitting on your drive for such situations.
I am actually trying to figure out how this old effect you mention would work. If it was not "real" media, I am haveing a hard time figuring out how it kept track when you "cut" it. That seems like quite a feat.
Just thinking with my fingers.
Jef
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Jef Huey
Senior Editor
In the past, I have logged dummy master clips with the sequence timecodes, and cut those along on an extra V-track.
Job ter Burg: In the past, I have logged dummy master clips with the sequence timecodes, and cut those along on an extra V-track.
Bingo! That works great. I drop in the dummy logged clip starting at whatever TC I want on an extra track, then a 0% superimpose on it, and then the TC burn effect - no extra media created, no extra drive space used up, yet done almost instantly, no extra rendering, and easily toggled or adjusted. Thank you!
Why even have a TC burn in at all if you're not giving the burn to the client? That's the most bizarre thing to me. If you're client is just using a DVD counter as time reference, then why don't you just set your TC to show you Absolute and your 0 will match "sort of" with his 0.
I've never known a client that didn't appreciate having the TC burn in on screen for their notes. It's much more accurate and easier for them to see and notate while reviewing.
Mixdown your sequence with the TC burn on it and then cut the Mixdown in onto an upper track. When you get the notes back and start cutting, the TC burn that your client is referencing is "baked into" the Video Mixdown track so it will never change.
Kenton VanNatten | Avid Editor (for hire)
"I am not obsessed... I'm detail-oriented"
Good points, that could work - the situation here is that the material is many hours of a conference. The client's edits mostly consist of choosing large chunks of material to remove, sometimes a minute or more in length. Notes just had to be within a few seconds. If I just set my sequence TC to show Absolute, when I pull out those chunks, my times no longer come anywhere close to matching their times. The burn, whether done by your mixdown method or Job ter Burg's method, keeps that sync intact, and it's the only way I can think of to do so, even if used only for my own reference.
On giving the burn to the client, I usually do include one. In this project, adding burns would end up meaning nearly a full day just to render those, rather than being able to export QT refs to encode almost immediately - that's a huge hit on turnaround. In addition, many sessions didn't need to be touched beyond what I'd already done - so if they had no further edits, the file was immediately finished - no need to encode once more to make a "clean" version; it was already done. It seemed like the best compromise I could think of between ease of letting them choose chunks to remove, and being able to turn them around quickly once I received the notes. Better idea to just throw a burn on everything until it's final? Maybe so.
Certainly, good points on the pros of client TC burn copies to review, things I'll definitely keep in mind going forward. Thanks to everyone for the tricks of getting things done more efficiently, and for the advice overall - great insight as always on these forums.
Don't think you need to superimpose, but rather keep the dummy clip(s) on a higher V-track that you don't monitor. The Burnin could live on a lower, visible V-track, but get its data from the unmonitored dummy clip.
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