Scoring To Picture

[mhayesmusic]

Here is my kunundrum: I compose for many 30 & 60 Spots. I have found a work around for this but I want to make it easier. The timecode for the spots is always at 1 hour and I get a "two beep" supplied at 00:59:58:00 I would like to have bar 1 beat 1 of a composition to start at 1 hour and have "negative" measures before 1 hour bar 1 beat 1. Otherwise, 1 hour timecode might become bar 700 something. It works, but is very diorganized in the timeline. Any suggestions

[lightningad]

If you set your timeline to 10 00 00 00 as the start point, then when you open the movie file and set its start time to 09 59 58 00 the movie will be placed correctly. When you switch to bars/beats i'm guessing it would be as you wanted.

I only ever work with frames so i may be wrong - but its worth a try.

Do you need to hear the "two plop" before the picture or is that purely a sync thing?

[jonwerx]

Another way to do this would be to set your Chunk Start time (in the chunks window, or tempo control drawer) so that measure ZERO starts at 0:59:58:00. If your sequence tempo is 120bpm, measure ONE will be at bar 1. You can add extra negative measures if needed by changing the "measures" value. If the tempo is not 120, just note the timecode difference between measures 0 and 1, and subtract that from 0:00:00:00. The result will be the new ZERO start time. Hope this helps.

[jonwerx]

"... If your sequence is 120bpm, measure ONE will be at bar 1."

Meant to say measure one will be at 1:00:00:00. Sorry about that.

[lightningad]

just as an addition .....

if like me you work exclusively in SMPTE frames, then if you set your BPM to 240bpm, then one measure will be exactly one second in duration.

Comes in really handy when you want to add gaps into the timeline - use the insert measures command and you will get multiples of one second (depending on how many measures you insert).

sorry about that - just mention of the bpms reminded me of that feature.

[williemyers]

mhayes,

in addition to the suggestions above, I'm doing pretty much what you're looking for everyday, so I'll pass along my "process".

Step 1; I have to get some idea of what my start tempo will be, so I usually loop the spot in Quitcktime and use a hand-held metronome to get *some* idea. Once I've got an idea of the start tempo (let's say, 95 bpm);

Step 2: I open a new DP seq. and I immediately click the "Set Start Time" button (in the Control Panel) and set my Start Time to, say, 00:55:00.00 and my Start Bar to -1/1/000 (this gives me 8 beats count off). Then,

Step 3: I put the seq. in to Control Track and I "insert" a tempo of 95 bpm at -1/1/000. Then,

Step 4. I punch "1/1/000" in and check it's SMPTE value. However far off 01:00:00.00 it is, I go back to the "Set Start Time" button (in the Control Panel) and adjust the Start Time by that amount. I (should) now have a seq. that starts at -1/1/000 @ 95 bpm and 1/1/000 hits exactly at 01:00:00.00. then,

Step 5; I open my QT Movie, set it's start time for about 00:55:00.00 and hit it's "lock" button. Then I "walk it down" to the visual "2 pop". When it sits right on "2", I take a look at DP's counter and check the SMPTE value. However far off 01:00:00.00 it is, I go back to the Movie's "set start time" command and adjust the Start Time by that amount.

If *all* the above works (!), I now have a sequence that;
(a.) starts at -1/1/000 @ 95 bpm,
(b.) hits 1/1/000 at 01:00:00.00, and
(c.) a locked movie that "2 pops" at 00:58:00.00

Of course, all of the above *assumes* that I'm happy with 95 bpm, which...after a bit of writing, I'm usually not! The trick there is, to change the starting tempo, you basically have to repeat all fo the above steps, so sometimes multiple chunks are aviseable for different tempi.

And be sure of your movie's frame rate before starting.

Anyway, good luck with it!

bill myers, composer

[lightningad]

it sounds like you are making things difficult for yourself Bill.

I can only assume that the QT's are not starting on the first pop of the 2 pop.

Assuming the QT does start on the first pop, a simpler version is as follows.

set your sequence start time to 01 00 00 00, load your quicktime movie and set its start time to 00 58 00 00.
set the counter to -1/1/000 and set the bpm to whatever you want.

you will get your 8 beats count-in and it will hit the correct start point.

If the editor is sending you QT's that do not have timecode and do not start on a specific frame, then you really must insist that they send you the movies correctly.
There are reasons why broadcast quality and standards are dropping, and its mainly because its too easy for kids to gain access to edit equipment, chop a few shots together and call themselves an editor. Thats wrong....and is giving proper editors a bad name.
Call the producer and tell him that if they want the music correctly synced, then you need to have accurate material to work from. After all, you want to give them the most profesional service you can, you should expect no less from them.
sorry for the rant!

[lightningad]

Bill, if you want to email me about using dp with pictures or to rant about editors (i am one!!), then feel free. The address is available using the icons along the top of this post.
adam