Hack 4. Black and Code a Tape

You can avoid problems with digitizing your footage by prerecoding timecode on your tapes before you record footage on them .

Digital video provides you with a professional level of accuracy while editing through the use of timecode. A movie is simply a series of still images, or frames, displayed quickly and in succession. Timecode is a method of referring to, and tracking, each of those frames. The frame rate of the video is the measurement of how many frames are displayed per second.

Timecode is measured in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. The accepted notation is HH:MM:SS:FF. So, if someone provides you with a timecode of 42:21:33:04, you know the image occurs at 42 hours, 21 minutes, 33 seconds, and 4 frames.

There are two types of timecode: drop frame (DF) and non-drop frame (NDF). The accepted notation is to use a semicolon (;) to indicate drop frame, and a colon (:) for non-drop frame. Some people also use a period (.) to indicate drop frame. Here are some examples:

01;00;00;00 drop frame

01:00:00;00 drop frame

01:00:00.00 drop frame

01:00:00:00 non-drop frame

The type of timecode is important for editing systems, and the vast a majority use drop frame as a default.

Timecode is used as a reference point for editing. If you have the same timecode occur on a tape more than once, you will have an exceptionally difficult task determining which image to use. Therefore, you want each frame of your video to be associated with a unique timecode.

1.5.1. Viewing Timecode

Many cameras generate timecode, starting at 00:00:00;00, whenever they are turned off and turned on again. This can become a problem during production, because you might be attempting to conserve battery power while recording and consequently turning the camera off and on frequently. Because of this, you could wind up with a tape with numerous duplicate timecodes.

An easy way to tell if you have regenerated timecode is to simply look at the current timecode of the tape in your camera's viewfinder. For example, if you have recorded 10 minutes of footage, turned off and on your camera, and then notice the timecode is at or near 00:00:00;00, then you have more than likely regenerated timecode. Figure 1-4 shows the timecode displayed on an LCD both before (left) and after (right) cycling the camera off and on.

Some video cameras and decks have a feature to generate timecode internally, therefore ignoring any timecode on your tape. This feature is sometimes referred to as Regenerate Time-code. The feature is not the same as the occurrence of regenerated timecode explained herein.

Figure 1-4. Keeping an eye out for timecode that "jumps" backward

In order to avoid a duplicate timecode fiasco, you can perform a simple task: black and code your tapes. Black and code refers to the process of recording a black image across your entire tape while allowing the camera, or deck, to assign a continuous timecode for every frame of video. After performing this task, you will be able to turn off your camera safely, because it will not overwrite timecode that is already present. However, it will record over the black image.

1.5.2. Determining the Frame Rate

The vast majority of time, you will be dealing with video that has a frame rate of 29.97 frames per second (fps) for National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) video or 25 fps for Phase Alternation by Line (PAL) video. There is a reason for the noninteger frame rate for NTSC, but I'll leave that for you to research. (Hint: television was not always broadcast in color.)

Here are the timecodes for the major digital video standards:

NTSC (29.97 fps)

Used primarily in the Americas. Although the format is referred to as dropframe, frames are not really dropped. Rather, frame numbers are skipped. The calculation for drop-frame timecode is to drop one frame every minute, except when the minute is divisible by 10. When dropping a frame, the frame indicator will skip from ;29 to ;02.

PAL (25 fps)

Used primarily in Europe. Running at a full 25 frames per second, PAL's timecode does not need much explanation, because it is straightforward.

24p (23.976 fps)

Stems from High Definition video. Some DV cameras are now able to record in the 24p format, which runs at 23.976 fps. This seemingly odd frame rate provides a "film look" that many people prefer, as film traditionally is shot at 24fps. Most editing systems make using this frame rate fairly straightforward.

Panasonic has a 24p Advanced format which records 24p while applying a process, known as telecine, to make the video also work at 29.97fps. Some editing systems are able to recognize the 24p Advanced format and work with it seamlessly. If you plan on using this format, then you should make sure your editing system can deal with it correctly.

1.5.3. Creating a Black and Coded Tape

To black and code your tapes, you have a few options. Whichever option you choose, you should make sure you black and code your tapes before recording actual footage on them. Yes, people have actually attempted to do so after they have recorded footage…quite unsuccessfully.

1.5.3.1. Using your editing system.

If your editing system provides a Black and Code option, you should use it. Apple's Final Cut Pro, Avid Xpress, and Adobe Premiere are a few of the mainstream editing systems that provide this functionality. If your editing system does not offer a Black and Code option, you can create a new timeline with a long black slug. Your slug should be as long as your tape, so if you are planning on recording to a 60-minute tape, your slug should be 60 minutes long as well.

After you have created the timeline, simply record it to tape. An advantage of this method, depending on the capabilities of your editing system, is that you can set the starting point of your timecode. For example, you can start the timecode of your first tape at hour one (01:00:00;00), your second tape at hour two (02:00:00;00), and so on.

If your editing system does not transfer the timecode you assign, you can still use it to send a black image while your deck or camera assigns timecode. But in such cases, you may just want to use your camera by itself, as it has a built in method of creating black.

1.5.3.2. Using your camera.

You can create black with your camera by leaving the lens cap on and recording. Because the lens is covered, your camera will record a black image (because there's no image to record), while assigning continuous timecode to the tape. This will give you a functional black and coded tape.

Your camera's microphone might pick up audio and record it to tape. If you are able to do so, you should disconnect or mute the camera's microphone before using this technique. Just don't forget to reconnect or unmute the microphone when you are done.

1.5.3.3. Using your tape deck.

You can save the wear on your camera's heads by black and coding your tapes using a digital video deck. If you are planning on acquiring a lot of footage, you should invest in a deck. When using a deck to black and code a tape, you can either use your editing system's built-in function (as discussed previously in "Using your editing system") or send a black signal to the tape deck's analog video input.

1.5.3.4. Purchasing precoded tapes.

Many professional post-production facilities also offer precoded tapes. There is usually an additional charge, beyond the cost of the raw tape stock. Although most facilities use these tapes for their clients' editing sessions, you should be able to purchase them for use outside of their facility, as well.