Using Audio from the Set (Production Audio)

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Audio recorded while filming can come to you in many forms. A video editor may give you an OMFI file or an EDL that refers to the original source tapes. An edited version could come on videotape. There are so many sets of circumstances that can occur in the production of a film or video that you must be prepared to handle just about anything. Let's start with the oldest and most basic way of transferring audio clips, the EDL.

EDLs

An EDL, or Edit Decision List, is a list of time code values and tape names , in the form of a text file generated by the video-editing system, that can be interpreted and used to collect various audio or video segments and place them in a certain order, thereby creating an edited work. Analysis of this text file will tell you where to get each piece of audio and where to put it in time relative to the picture. Analysis can be performed by machines as well as by humans , which is helpful when problems arise. There are three basic standards for EDLs in wide use today: the Sony 9000 EDL, CMX-style EDLs, and the Grass Valley Group version, or GVG. Each one is slightly different but contains the same basic information. The CMX 3600 is the most widely used EDL format, and I'll use it as an example to further explain how EDLs work and how you can use them with Pro Tools.

CMX 3600 EDL

Figure 5.1 shows a small CMX EDL generated from Final Cut Pro. In this example, three audio files are edited together over a 20-second portion of the video. The first audio clip is from a tape called R1103, the second from R0101, and the third is from R0207. The two time code numbers on the left determine where on R1103, for instance, the first audio file comes from. The next two time code numbers are the start and end point in the timeline where the audio file will be placed within Pro Tools. Other indicators determine what type of edit occurscrossfade, cut, and so on. The types of edits done in video editing are more complex than those with audio; these indicators can usually be ignored for the most part with audio. The video editor should remove all video edits from an EDL before giving it to you. The example in Figure 5.1 is a very simple EDL containing audio edits only.

Figure 5.1. An excerpt from a CMX 3600 EDL generated by Final Cut Pro.

Each edit is noted by a three-digit number on the left. The next alphanumeric string to the right is the reel name or number. The reel name can be any combination of eight letters and numbers; it tells you what tape the source material is from. The first edit, 001, is from reel, or tape (they are typically referred to as reels, though), R1103. The next item is the edit type, in this case AA. This indicates a stereo audio edit, which is the most typical type. Most video editors will not get into very tricky, single-track audio edits if the project is moving on to a sound editor. It is your job to perform the trickier editing and mixing of audio, anyhow. Next comes the transition indicator. The C simply means a straight cut. You might find a dissolve here, which would mean an audio crossfade occurs. A dissolve is noted by a D followed by a three-digit number indicating the length of the crossfade in frames .

Next come the time code numbers. They are paired as start and end times for each clip's source and destination locations. The first two SMPTE numbers are the start and end times of the clip on the source tape. The next two SMPTE numbers are the start and end times within the project where this clip is located. Stated another way, the first pair determines where the clip comes from on the tape and the second pair determines where the clip goes in the Pro Tools session.

The text following the asterisk is used for comments and descriptions only. It does not affect how the edit occurs. In this example the clip name is given; having the clip name can be helpful when you're trying to discern what an edit is for.

Following is a breakdown of the first edit:

Edit 001 is a stereo edit (AA).
The type of edit is a cut only, no crossfade (C).
The reel where the source audio can be found is R1103.
The source material starts at 00:21:29;19 and ends at 00:21:35;21.
This audio clip will be placed on the first two tracks, starting at 01:00:00;00 and ending at 01:00:06;02 in the time line.
The clip name for information purposes only is PRE SET A1.

The second edit (002) comes from reel R0101 but has an edit type of NONE, because this audio clip will go on adjacent tracks. Since no edit will occur on the main two tracks, the edit type is NONE. Notice the phrase AUD 3 4 underneath the edit. This determines on which tracks the audio clip will be placedin this case Tracks 3 and 4. The reasons for placing audio on Tracks 3 and 4 could be many. The audio from edit 002 could overlap the audio on Tracks 1 and 2. Different processing or levels could be needed on this clip. In this example, the audio does not overlap. Let's imagine that it's a music clip and would need to be at a different level and EQ setting than the dialog material on Tracks 1 and 2.

Recording Audio from Videotape

When using EDLs you get from a video editor, you will most likely be capturing audio from videotapes. Each tape should be labeled correctly, with the reel name and time code information on it. Communication is the key here. I have seen made-up names for tapes that don't correlate with the tape label, leading to major confusion. Video editors might not realize that you'll have to use their EDL to capture audio, so you'll need to make that clear in pre-production.

In order to use an EDL to capture audio into Pro Tools manually, you must first synchronize the source tape deck with Pro Tools. Next, you'll need to locate the source deck to a position before the first time code number in the EDL's line for this edit. You should be far enough ahead of the start time to include pre-roll and handle amounts needed (see Note below). Set your start point at the beginning of the handle, before the actual source start time. Set your end point at the EDL's end time plus your handle amount, as shown in Figure 5.2. Now you can arm your tracks and put Pro Tools in record. Make sure you have set your preferences to Record Online at Insertion/Selection and not at Time Code (or ADAT) Lock, as shown in Figure 5.3. Otherwise, Pro Tools will start recording as soon as it sees enough valid time code and will ignore your start and end times.

Figure 5.2. Setting up Pro Tools to capture an audio clip, including handles, while locked to tape. Here, I am capturing the first clip from the example EDL.

Figure 5.3. Preferences > Operations > Online Record Options. When recording audio from time-coded sources, use the Record Online at Insert/Selection option.

NOTE

HANDLES

When digitizing audio, it is a good idea to capture more than the EDL specifies in order to facilitate creative editing later on. The extra bits of audio you capture on either side of an edit are called handles . These handles allow you to adjust edits once they have been created in Pro Tools. If a word is slightly cut off in an edit, you will be able to " open up" the region to allow the whole word to be heard . Fine-tuning edits in this way is a big part of the audio editor's job. Typically, handles are two to five seconds in length. That is, the audio clip you capture will start two seconds before the EDL's source start time and end two seconds after the source end time. If two clips in the EDL are very close to one another on the source tape, you can simply digitize the combined section that contains both clips. This can save time during digitizing and also provide you with more handle options while editing.

Once you have captured the clip, you can trim it and then place it at the correct time according to the EDL. With Grid mode on and a grid value of 1 frame, use the trimmer tool to trim away the handles, leaving only the audio clip specified in the EDL, as shown in Figure 5.4. Next, drag the region to the appropriate destination track. Switch to Spot mode and click on the region. The Spot dialog box will open, allowing you to enter the start time of the clip as defined by the third time code number in the EDL. In this case, edit 001 has a destination start time at 01:00:00;00, as shown in Figure 5.5. This makes sense, as it is the first audio clip in this mini EDL.

Figure 5.4. Trimming an audio clip to the correct EDL source start and end times. Use Grid mode and set the grid value to one frame.

Figure 5.5. Using Spot mode to position a region according to the EDL's destination times.

This process can be repeated for each edit in an EDL. When you are finished, you will have a replica of the audio edit contained in the video workstation from which the EDL was generated. EDLs can have a variety of edit types in them. It's often useful to capture both tracks (2 tracks in most cases, but there could be more) from the source material, as doing so allows for more choices when editing and mixing the project later on. Production sound mixers will typically record two sources, one on each track, to allow for flexibility during post-production. Usually, there will be a boom mic or shotgun mic on one track and a combination of wireless body mics and other mic types and placements on the other track. While certain decisions about which track or combination of tracks will be made during the video edit, you should keep you options open. It's part of your job to determine which mic or track sounds the best in a particular situation.

It is a good idea to capture all of your clips at once before placing them in order. When all the clips have been captured, you can save the session under a different name before you begin moving them all around to their destination locationsdoing so allows you to return to the original session in order to find a missing clip or fix an edit. You can also use multiple tracks to capture clips and then edit on other tracks. Create a track for each source tape in your project, naming it appropriately so the files will have their reel name included. Then create tracks for your destination edits. Multiple playlists could serve the same function as well. Use one playlist for capturing and another for EDL placement. Try to stay as organized as possible, as mistakes are easy to make in this process.

This entire process described above is known as "conforming" an EDL to picture. It is also referred to as "loading and spotting audio to picture." In the process, you are gathering audio files and arranging them so that they conform to the edits prescribed in the EDL. The result should be an edited audio track that is in sync with the related video.

Following is a step-by-step synopsis of conforming an EDL to picture. This synopsis is intended to provide you with a quick reference guide while you are conforming EDLs.

Examine the first edit in your EDL to determine what source tape and time code values are used.
Insert the proper tape or reel into your 9-pin deck.
Locate the deck to a position that is ahead of the EDL's source start time.
Using Grid mode set to one frame, select an area in the Pro Tools timeline that corresponds to the start and end times of the EDL source clip plus handle times.
Record this clip onto the proper track(s).
Trim region to the exact start and end times of the EDL clip.
Move this clip to the proper destination track or playlist.
In Spot mode, set the start time of this clip to the EDL's destination start time.
Repeat this process for every clip in the EDL.

NOTE

TIME CODE OVER 13 HOURS

Pro Tools cannot have a session or an audio file more than 13 hours in length. This is due to limitations in Mac OS file sizes. If you're using source tapes that have high time code numbers in this range, you'll have to change the session start time to a higher number so as to not exceed the 13- hour session length limitation. Once the audio has been digitized, it may be moved back to a much earlier time code position without any trouble while retaining its original time stamp.

For any project over a minute or so in length, conforming EDLs can become a lengthy and arduous task. Software tools are available to automate this process. These tools are capable of reading different formats of EDL files and automating the process of recording source audio, including handles, trimming to the proper length, and placing (spotting) the regions at the correct SMPTE position and on the right track(s). If you'll be working with any long-form material over two or three minutes in length, an investment in this type of software will pay off. With any automated EDL conforming software, you will need the Digidesign MachineControl option and a 9-pin controllable audio or videotape deck.

Digidesign offers an EDL auto-conform software package called PostConform. Synchro Arts Limited (http://www.synchroarts.com/) provides a full-featured EDL auto-conform and session creation tool called Titan. Carefully examine your needs and compare them with the features of auto-conforming tools to determine the right choice for you.

Importing OMFI Files

OMFI, or Open Media Framework Interchange files, are data files that can contain audio, video, and EDL information all in one document. This standard was created by Avid and is used throughout the audio and video industries to transfer projects from one workstation to another.

You will need the DigiTranslator option for Pro Tools 6 in order to use OMFI files. DigiTranslator will examine the OMFI file and then create a Pro Tools session with all of the audio files, fade files, and a session document. During this process you can change the audio file format, bit depth, and sampling frequency for the new session. Some video workstations, especially older ones, can run at 44.1kHz. If you receive an OMFI file that is 44.1kHz, you can convert it to the standard of 48kHz during the translation.

While translating OMFIs into Pro Tools sessions might be relatively easy, it is important that whomever creates the OMFI knows how it is going to be used. When creating OMFI files for audio post-production, there are guidelines to follow that will ensure that the transfer works properly. In the next sections, I'll discuss the guidelines and then I'll walk you through translating an OMFI file into a Pro Tools session.

Guidelines for OMFI Creation from the Video Workstation

OMFI files can be formatted in a variety of ways. The most dramatic difference between these methods is how media is handled within the OMFI. It is possible to embed all the media associated with an OMFI composition inside the OMFI file. It is also possible to merely reference the original media files and not go through the time-consuming process of copying all of the media files into the OMFI file itself. Media files, whether audio or video, can consume a large quantity of disk space and take a long time to copy. Having a single file that contains everything you need can be convenient and eliminate confusion. In the case of Pro Tools, my experience has been that the OMFI file with embedded media works better and has fewer errors than referencing external media. So, that's the first guideline: Use the embedded media option in most situations.

The second guideline relates to the file format of audio files contained in the OMFI file. When using the embedded media option, there are three choices for the audio format of the embedded files. The first is AIFF-C, which stores audio in the AIFF format. The second is the SDII format; this is the native file format of Pro Tools and of the Avid video-editing systems on Macintosh computers. The third is WAV, or Broadcast WAV, which is an emerging cross-platform standard. The Avid Symphony uses the WAV file type natively. It is also possible for editors to use multiple file formats and sample rates within one video project. With all of these possibilities, it is probably prudent to use the AIFF-C embedded media format, as this will cause the fewest hassles. Converting all audio into this cross-platform AIFF file eliminates any sample-rate discrepancies or different file types in the OMFI. You will have the option to convert these files into Sound Designer II (SDII) files, the native Pro Tools format, when you convert this file into a Pro Tools session.

The third guideline pertains to miscellaneous information that might be contained in the OMFI file. Video editors should be able to export only the audio files of a project without including video files. Also, the sequence they export should be consolidated so that only relevant audio files are copied to the OMFI. Consolidation is a process that occurs inside the video workstations, wherein the unused bits of audio and video are removed from the video project prior to conversion to OMFI. If the sequence is not consolidated, every audio file the editor currently has in bins associated with this project can be included in the OMFI, even if they are not used in the sequence. It's kind of silly to get a 1.5 gig OMFI file for a 30 second spot that really only uses 200MB of data. Figure 5.6 shows the export screen from the latest version of Avid Media Composer set up for a consolidated and embedded AIFC OMFI export.

Figure 5.6. The export screen from Avid Media Composer. It is set up for creating a consolidated and embedded OMFI file with AIFC audio files and no video files.

In the case of a long-form project that will go through several revisions while you are working on it, referenced media might be a better idea. When referencing media, the OMFI file does not contain any audio files. It contains references to audio files that are located somewhere else. this type of OMFI file is similar to the EDL file mentioned earlier in this chapter. This OMFI only describes where certain audio files should be placed within the timeline. The actual audio files themselves need to be available in order for the OMFI to use them. In this case, any reference to the audio file must be copied from the video workstation to the Pro Tools computer. In some cases, it is possible to copy all of the digitized audio from the video workstation to the Pro Tools computer. This way, no matter what the new edit coming from the picture editor is, you should have the relevant audio media already on your system. These smaller, EDL-only OMFI files can be sent via e-mail, making it convenient to work over long distances.

NOTE

MORE ABOUT OMFI

Further information on OMFI can be found at Avid's Website, at http://support01.avid.com/support/ProdRef.nsf/DocsR3?ReadForm. PDF documents found there will describe in detail the methods for transferring OMFI files between video and audio workstations.

Using DigiTranslator

Prior to 5.3.1, DigiTranslator was a stand-alone application that translated OMFIs into Pro Tools sessions. You didn't even need to have Pro Tools open. In Pro Tools 5.3.1 and later, DigiTranslator is a part of the program itself. It is still an add-on that must be paid for separately, but it functions within the application. The new version, DigiTranslator 2, functions within the File menu. It is accessed any time you open a session or import audio into the current session. By choosing File > Open Session, you can now select OMFI files directly. When opening an OMFI file, Pro Tools will refer to the embedded media if any exists, or search for external media to reference. Once the OMFI has been opened, saving it causes a new Pro Tools session document to be written to disk along with Audio Files and Fade Files folders that are created in the same directory into which the Pro Tools session is saved.

NOTE

REFERRING TO EMBEDDED MEDIA

When referring to embedded media in an OMFI file, you'll need to keep the initial OMFI file on your audio drive, preferably in the same directory as the Pro Tools session that refers to it. Removing the OMFI file is like deleting the Audio Files folder in a normal Pro Tools session folder. Any additional recording done into a session created from an OMFI file will be placed into a new Audio Files folder in the directory where the current Pro Tools session is located. In order to embed the new audio into an OMFI file, it will be necessary to export a new OMFI file with embedded media.

You can choose from many options in the Import Session Data dialog box (see Figure 5.7), which is accessed by choosing File > Import Session Data. You may choose to refer to the source media, which will use the audio data directly from the OMFI file. You will need to keep the OMFI on your audio drive as part of the session. If you choose Copy from Source Media from the Audio Media Options pull-down menu, new audio files will be created from the OMFI data and placed in the Audio Files folder of the currently opened session. You can then delete the OMFI file, as it has unneeded duplicate media within it and may be using up valuable disk space. Be careful when deleting any major media files from your system, thoughbe absolutely sure that you do not need them before doing so!

Figure 5.7. DigiTranslator options in the Import Session Data dialog box.

Creating OMFIs from Pro Tools Sessions

In some cases, picture editors will need an OMFI file from you that might contain ADR, foley, or other audio. They might use this file to fine-tune their edits or add material. The OMFI allows them more control of the audio during this process. They can turn the music down, just listen to the ADR, or trim fades and edits as necessary.

There are two main caveats to keep in mind when exporting OMFIs back to picture editors. First, Avid systems are not capable of recognizing edits that have boundaries between SMPTE frames. This means that if you have edits that fall between the exact start or end of a frame, the OMFI translation must resolve this edit so that it falls exactly on a frame. Think of Grid mode. The translation to OMFI will truncate any edits that do not begin or end exactly on a frame, and will create little audio files that contain the portions of audio that fall between the frames plus enough silence to create a full-frame audio file. The portions of audio left inbetween frame boundaries pop up in Avid as "sample accurate edits" and can be frustrating to editors. DigiTranslator can crop your edits to frame boundaries but the result might not be what you want. Keep this in mind if you are creating sessions that will eventually be imported back into Avid. Also, Avid will not recognize any handles that you supply them in the OMFI file, so don't bother supplying them.

NOTE

STAYING CURRENT

As with any computer technology, audio and video tools change rapidly . Avid's Media Composer receives regular updates, and features will change with each update. Make sure you stay current with all the latest features. Any limitations discussed in this book may have changed by the time you read it. Use the Internet to find the latest information on any software product you are working with.

The second caveat concerning exporting OMFI files concerns bit depth. Most Avids cannot create or understand 24-bit files. Only the very high-end systems, such as Avid DS, are capable of dealing with 24-bit audio. Therefore, by using the OMFI's embedded media option in Pro Tools, you can convert your 24-bit audio files to 16-bit AIFFs for the OMFI. Make sure you consult the post-production facility to determine their preference for audio file formats.

In order to export an OMFI file from a Pro Tools session, you must first select all the tracks you want to include in the OMFI. Being able to export only a few select tracks to an OMFI is a handy feature that allows you to have a large session with many tracks, but export only the tracks that might be needed, such as ADR or foley tracks. Many video workstations cannot handle the high track counts that are possible in Pro Tools. You might have to submix several of your tracks in order to export an OMFI that can actually be used by the video workstation.

Final Cut Pro, Version 4, has added extensive audio capabilities to its features. There is definitely a trend to increase the audio capabilities of the video-editing systems to provide an all-in-one solution for post-production. Typically, eight discrete tracks are the most many video applications can handle. Once you have selected the desired tracks, choose File > Export Selected Track as OMF. The dialog box shown in Figure 5.8 will open. Choose the Enforce Avid compatibility option if you're planning to export to an Avid workstation. The Quantize edits to frame boundaries option will be checked and grayed out. The bit depth will be set to 16 and also grayed out. Choose Embedded OMFI as the audio format. The sample rate should be determined by the needs of your projectAvid can use both 44.1k and 48k sample rates.

Figure 5.8. Export Selected Track as OMF dialog. DigiTranslator's options are set to encode an OMFI file for use in an Avid system.

In certain circumstances, it can be beneficial to use referenced media instead of embedded media usually in facilities that have video and audio studios together and that may share drives and media easily. If you use referenced media, it is possible to send back an OMFI that is very small, as it does not have to contain any media files. This assumes that no new media files have been created that are part of the current project. As long as the media used for the OMFIs resides on both computers, exchanging OMFI files without embedded media will work.

Recording from Production DAT Tapes

You will often need to record audio from the original source tapes or production audio tapes. Doing so can be necessary when you need to conform EDLs from source tapes, record wild takes of dialog, or gather ambience recorded on location. Usually, production audio comes in the form of DAT tapes. The picture editor has a copy of any production audio that was synchronized to picture, usually from videotape copies or film transfers. The videotape could be straight out of the camera that shot the footage or it could be a copy made prior to editing, and that copy could have been made using an analog transfer process or a digital one. Without being privy to every step the audio has been through during all the transfer, digitizing, and OMFI creation, you cannot guarantee the quality of the audio you receive from a picture-editing workstation. Some software will convert the audio in both bit depth and sample rate when it is imported. Video laybacks may use an analog signal path . The point is if you want the highest quality, you must go to the sourcein this case, the original recordings made during filming. Using source tapes will require some sort of EDL conforming and/or speed correction, depending on the format of the film or video.

DATs from a 24fps Shoot (Film or HD)

In the case of a film shot at 24fps and transferred to video using 2-3 pull-down, you will need to change the playback speed of the production audio to match the speed change caused by the film transfer. If you are working at 48kHz pulled down (47.952kHz) in Pro Tools, then a direct digital transfer will be possible. You might have to temporarily switch to normal 48kHz operation while transferring, but switching back to pull-down will make the speed adjustment correctly.

If you're working with videotape transfers of the film and are not operating with a pulled down sample rate, you will need to make an analog transfer or use a sample rate converter while transferring the original audio digitally. In this case, you need to be able to slow the speed of the playback DAT machine.

NOTE

WHAT'S A SIMULDAT?

SimulDATs are DAT tapes made during the film transfer process. They will sync directly to the transferred footage on videotape. For a film-to-video project SimulDATS are ideal, as you can use direct digital transfers into Pro Tools without altering the speed. This can be helpful for those without a high-end DAT machine, and can be discussed during pre-production. You'll need to know if the film transfer facility supports SimulDATs.

The most common method of altering the playback speed to match a film transfer is to reference the DAT machine that has 30fps SMPTE on it to a video signal running at 29.97fps (if the machine is able to reference video as a sync source). As the DAT is using the reference video signal to determine its playback speed, it is expecting to receive 30 frames/60 fields at its video sync port. Instead, it sees 29.97 frames/59.94 fields per secondwhich is .1% slower than 30fpsresulting in the slowing down of the audio. The DAT will play at 47.952kHz and cannot be digitally transferred into Pro Tools running at 48kHz. You should either record using analog connections or using a sample rate converter that will convert the incoming 47.952kHz to 48kHz on-the-fly .

For the budget-minded, there is another way to alter the playback speed. As DAT machines that reference video sync signals are rather expensive, you may also transfer files directly into a 48kHz session digitally with any DAT machine and then open each file in an application such as Peak or Soundhack. These programs have the ability to alter the audio file header information that indicates the sample rate of the sound file without changing the audio data at all. Altering the sample rate information of an audio file will indicate to other applications that this file was originally recorded at another sample rate. You can alter the header of a 48kHz sound file to indicate a 47.952khz file, as shown (using Peak v3.2) in Figure 5.9. This tricks an audio application into playing back the file at 47.952 kHz (that is, .1% slower than it was actually recorded). Choose Preferences > Audio Info in Peak to access the dialog box shown in Figure 5.9.

Figure 5.9. The Audio Info dialog box in Peak v3.2. Here you can change the sample rate of an audio file without actually converting it. This tricks the file into playing at a different speed.

Save the file under a new name so as not to erase the original. Then import this new, "tricked" file into Pro Tools. When you do this, you will be given the option of adding it to the session without converting it. Pro Tools will indicate that the file will play back at the wrong speed, as shown in Figure 5.10. Choose to convert the file instead. This will convert the sample rate back to 48k, but the audio will still play .1% slower, thereby achieving the pull-down needed to synchronize with film transferred to video.

Figure 5.10. Pro Tools Import Audio dialog box. Notice this file can be "added" to the session without converting the sample rate. Pro Tools tells you that it will play at the wrong speed. Choose convert to achieve the .1% pull-down.

After importing the tricked file, it must be placed back at the same location as the original. The process of changing the sample rate in another application will most likely result in the loss of the original time stamp. You will have to manually place the audio file at the correct location in Pro Tools. Using Spot mode, select the original unaltered file and copy its start time. Click on the new file and paste this number into its start time. The two files should be in exact alignment. The new tricked file should be .1% longer than the original. Zoom in to the end of the files and examine them to see that the new file is slightly longer than the original one. The pulled down file should play a tiny bit (an imperceptible change in pitch) slower and be slightly longer if done correctly.

NOTE

FRAME RATES AND PULLDOWN

When using this work around, make sure to set the Pro Tools SMPTE frame rate to 30fps while recording from DAT. Doing so assures accurate time information from Pro Tools. When you have finished converting all audio to pulldown, switch the Pro Tools session frame rate to 29.97 to reflect the -.1% speed change that has occurred.

This is a workaround for projects on a tight budget. It can also be helpful if you need to replace only a few lines and do not have access to a DAT machine capable of pull-downs. If you plan to work with production audio tapes regularly, the investment in a professional-quality DAT machine and external clock capable of pull-ups and pull- downs will be well worth the money.

DATs or Videotape from a 29.97fps Shoot (Video, HD, or Film)

Recordings made on a shoot where the camera was operated at 29.97fps should require no speed conversion to match the videotape. Digital transfers should be possible without any sample rate conversion. Make sure you know whether the SMPTE format is drop-frame or non-drop frame.

DEVA and Hard Drive Based Recorders

The DEVA recorder by Zaxcom, pictured in Figure 5.11, has become the first professionally used hard disk recorder for production audio. It records directly to an internal hard disk and the audio files can then be copied to an external drive such as a DVD-RAM. As it records to several data formats, your choice of Broadcast WAV, or SDII, it is not necessary to record this audio into Pro Tools. It may be transferred directly.

Figure 5.11. Zaxcom's DEVA, a hard disk recorder used for production audio.

The DEVA, like other data field recorders, generates or monitors time code while recording, and can timestamp the audio file with its starting SMPTE number. DEVALink software can translate all the audio files from DVD-RAM disks into an OMFI file that in turn can be opened as a Pro Tools session. The whole process of loading in from a DAT machine is eliminated.

Many production sound mixers are using this technology in feature films today. Pearl Harbor was recorded using a DEVA recorder, and 99 percent of the dialogue in the film is from the original recording and not ADR. This is no small task for an effects/action film in which so much action takes place in noisy environmentssuch conditions would normally require ADR.

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