24P sync sound - test results

As I promised in a another thread...I would post the results of our sync
test, using a double system.

Details of the set up are as follows:

2 F900 cameras running at 23.98 via external sync and TC from Lockits that
are jammed from my DEVA running 29.97. TC slates are jammed and running at
29.97 to refer to the DEVA and back-up DAT, also at 29.97. The DEVA is 24
bit, DAT is 16 bit, both at 48 kHz. Track one on the DEVA is a mixed track.
I am sending the same signal via Lectro 211 to track one of the F900.

We ran a 5 minute test with the slate clapped at the beginning middle and
end of each take. The camera operator stayed wide on the first pass, then
moved in for close ups on the second pass. The tape was then taken to post
production, where an editor made a series of about 25 edits in the peice to
create a scene. The edl was then entered into Post Conform and the assembly
started with the DVD from the DEVA. The editor created a flat file of the
scene to be used as a guide for the conformed segments. All was good,
within a few sub frames, which was better than usual under normal
circumstances. A few minutes of manual phasing and it was pretty much
sample accurate. In Pro Tools you could flip back and forth between the
flat file (guide track with camera audio) and assembled audio (DEVA audio)
and there was the finished work....before the dub stage.

They then output a dub to go to the dub stage and we find out about that on
Monday. As far as the sync part, I'm pretty confident in the set up, but
it's a pain in the butt. I'll get used to it I guess.

There were some hiccups in the test, but only the result of bad equipment at
the post house...though the fingers started pointing at me first. :) After
quite a bit of running around and frantic calls, the discovery of a bad
downconverter in the 500 deck was to blame. All has been cleared up.
--
Phillip W. Palmer
Production Sound Recording for Film & Television
www.palmeraudio.net