Hi All

Could anyone tell me...

What's the difference between grouping clips and using autosync?  I'm using xpress pro 4.6 and it seems if I do one or the other I get the same options.

I can't seem to get autosequence to work.  There's no actual info on autosequence in the help documents but after having a look on the net it seems to be for creating a "virtual tape" from multiple clips coming from the same tape.  This sounds like a pretty good idea to me as we're always getting timecode breaks, but I can't seem to get it to work.  I'm highlighting my multiple master clips in a bin and then selecting clip, autosequence but autosequence is always greyed out.  Any ideas?!

Many thanks

Joe

Grouping and AutoSyncing are more or less the same thing, the BIG difference being the type of tracks you are 'joining'.

Input a V1 with an A1A2 clip, and you can AutoSync, the end result being a sync clip, behaving just like any subclip would.

Input a V1 with a V1A1 clip, and you will have to Group, since the end result can only display one of the V1 tracks at the same time. In a Group clip, there can be multiple V1 tracks (or any other track number).

Autosequence is used to place a bunch of (sub)clips, belonging to the same tape, on a timeline where Source TC equals Record TC. This comes in handy when you sync up double system footage (picture and sound recorded separately), then want to do a sound relay of the synced up sound to the original dailies tape. It may be that this function is available only in P-projects, though.

Job ter Burg:

Autosequence is used to place a bunch of (sub)clips, belonging to the same tape, on a timeline where Source TC equals Record TC. This comes in handy when you sync up double system footage (picture and sound recorded separately), then want to do a sound relay of the synced up sound to the original dailies tape. It may be that this function is available only in P-projects, though.

So "Autosequence" is only for already synced Subclips??? mmmmh, now i see ... :(

i yesterday discovered this interresting function. (i haven't found your post then) 

I Hoped there would be some possibility to "Autosync" two clips by its Timecodes, where the Video is coming from telecined Film, not Video. The TC from the Telecine Beta Copy does not belong to the Soundfiles TC and the only way to "attach" the Sound TC to the Video is to give each Videosubclip an AuxTC taken from a TC-Slate reading. Would be great but ...

Sadly "Autosequence" does not support any choice what TC to use like AuxTC1, SoundTC ... like the "AutoSync" Function does! That would be really cool! Also in Autosync i cannot cross-select a TC like "link AuxTC1 from Video with <-> SourceTC from Sound".

so TC-Slates outside of Multicam or Musicclip Scenarios makes no sense?

Thank you,

Best, H.

haukez:

So "Autosequence" is only for already synced Subclips???

For any (sub)clips belonging to the same master tape.

haukez:

I Hoped there would be some possibility to "Autosync" two clips by its Timecodes

There is a way, that is what AutoSync can do for you.

where the Video is coming from telecined Film, not Video. The TC from the Telecine Beta Copy does not belong to the Soundfiles TC and the only way to "attach" the Sound TC to the Video is to give each Videosubclip an AuxTC taken from a TC-Slate reading

If the film camera was running TC on set, then you need to have the telecine facility create an ALE or Flexfile for you, which you can (convert and) import into your project. This file will be a set of metadata, including the FilmTC. You can use that in Avid to AutoSync picture and sound, regardless of the Beta TC.

Sadly "Autosequence" does not support any choice what TC to use

You seem to miss what it is intended to do. It will put (synced) (sub)clips onto a timeline where V1 equals the TC1 of the sequence and vice versa. It is meant to create "virtual dailies tapes" if you will.

Also in Autosync i cannot cross-select a TC like "link AuxTC1 from Video with <-> SourceTC from Sound"

No, and that would be a nice feature, but the workaround is easy. If you have an AuxTC on your picture clips, and your sound comes in with its own TC, copy the StartTC for the sound clips into the AuxTC1 column of the sound clips. You can do this by putting all sound clips in one bin, selecting the entire StartTC column and hit CTRL-D (or CMD-D on Mac), and choose to copy all entries to the AuxTC column. Now you can AutoSync on AuxTC.

so TC-Slates outside of Multicam or Musicclip Scenarios makes no sense?

Of course they do. Avids are used daily to do exactly what you need to accomplish. It's been an Avid feature for a very long time (more than a decade).

 

 

 

 

 

Job ter Burg:

Also in Autosync i cannot cross-select a TC like "link AuxTC1 from Video with <-> SourceTC from Sound"

No, and that would be a nice feature, but the workaround is easy. If you have an AuxTC on your picture clips, and your sound comes in with its own TC, copy the StartTC for the sound clips into the AuxTC1 column of the sound clips. You can do this by putting all sound clips in one bin, selecting the entire StartTC column and hit CTRL-D (or CMD-D on Mac), and choose to copy all entries to the AuxTC column. Now you can AutoSync on AuxTC.

Job, thank you for you detailed answer. That i can copy multiple TCs at once is exciting new to me - very helpful.

maybe i have to explain a bit more why i am asking

the upcoming next project will be the final for me as an editor at filmschool, it will be quite big in terms of work for me, there are no assistent editors, just me. So i am looking to easening the exhausting syncing and administrative processes as good as possible before shooting begins.

There is an old (199ies) Deneke TC2SB Slate avaiable at the school but no way to get this ALE or Flexfile Workflow which you described (i'm afraid). Just the SoundTC (from Sounddevice) shown on this Slate. So i hoped to enter that TCs into the AuxTC1 Fields of each Subclips at Clap. Your hint with Crtl-D will be very helpful. Thank you! I have to test that. Some people talking about to having hassles in past with this slate, i dont know what that problems could be?...maybe they're just unfamilliar i hope. Timeslates are not that common in Germanys (student)productions i guess...

So i was asking myself if this TC Slate can straighten my syncing process in some way, you know. In the past i 've alway done syncing with the common Syncsequence->Subsequence->Autosync by INPoint... sorting all the files by hand.

So now, i will check my workflow and this old slate. If this is not working i hope the Soundpeople will do a good and steady Protocol...

Thank you...and for any suggests i'm grateful

H.

 

 

 

haukez:

i am looking to easening the exhausting syncing and administrative processes

Haven't graduated from film school yet, but already lazy? ;-)  You remind me of my students. Sorry, just teasing here, not being serious.

But really, honestly, either embrace the fact that this needs to happen, and use the time spent syncing up the footage familiarising yourself with the material.

Or get a first year student to do your syncing.

 

You can use the TC slate, it might help you locate the clap a little faster on the sound side. However, realise that TC will give you ballpark sync, never dead on perfect sync. I always use the Perf Slip commands (unfortunately only available in 35mm projects) to adjust sync to a 1/4 of a frame, similar to how this was done with 35mm perfed mag tape.

 

Thank you Job,

:) yes and no

i just had always the feeling in the past being isolated or at least distractet from a nice "first impression". I more want to sit for hours and just watch the material with Sound and Pic the very first time, only thinking about the story. When i am syncing by myself there is a kind of first impression too, but interupted by tasks. Its like someone disturbing you in work, like hey "look, thats cool / stop / you first have to get this and that in place" ...

have to find a way to conserve my first ideas

:) so that is how i suspected it would be ... the student always think "i'm limited here to simple tools, out there is the professional world, where shurely things are complete different, everything sweet and honey.." i knew this isn't true but sometimes i'm getting to dreamy ...

So, yes. I think too i will remain trusting in the simple solutions, forcing the Soundguys to do a proper protocol during shooting.

The 35mm Project Slip Thing is worth a try - i've read your post about it around here.

Thank you for your suggest, keep me on ground

H.

Another question concerning Autosequences:

Have here a HD Prject with 2Cam and seperate Audio. I also did the synch
with Autosequences but realises at the end tha t I'm missing now one of the most
important function: Match frame....

When I want jump back to the point in the Autosequence Avid jumps to the original clip...
Argh...

Does anybody know a work around?!
Sorry, for my bad english...this question comes from Europe...

Greetz,
Manfred!!

You don't sync with AutoSequence. As described below, AutoSequence creates virtual dailies tapes.

If you use it to Sync, you are making life too hard for yourself. If all these elements have common Timecode, you should just AutoSync or Group them so you can use them as synced source clips (with all the regular MatchFrame options).

If you sync in a sequence, you subsequently create subsequences per take/shot and then perform AutoSync on those SubSequences. That results in Sync Clips (or Group Clips if you have 2 cams), and those can most definitely be MatchFramed.

That is not so much a workaround as it is proven common practice and workflow.