Apple Cinema Tools 4 - Manual (Page 26)

But What If You Want a Clean Master?
If you plan to conform the original camera negative, the presence of burned-in timecode
and key numbers on the video clips you edit in Final Cut Pro may not be a problem,
especially if you are working with a highly compressed video format.
The burned-in numbers can be a problem, however, if you intend to use the edited
video for screenings or for broadcast. As valuable as they are to the editor, the burned-in
numbers can be distracting when watching an edited project. There are two common
methods you can use to minimize this problem:
• Letterbox the video during capture using a 2:35 aspect ratio so that there is enough
room below the video to show the numbers.
• Flash the burn-in information on the first frame only. Although not quite as useful as
a continuous burn-in, this does provide the editor with the ability to ensure that the
relationship of the edge code to the timecode is correct.
In most cases, telecines produce a log file that can provide the basis for the Cinema Tools
database. This allows you to automate capturing the video into the computer.
Increasingly, telecine facilities can also capture the video clips for you, providing the clips
on a DVD disc or FireWire drive, along with the telecine log and videotapes.
Transfer Techniques That Are Not Recommended
There are a couple of transfer techniques that are worth mentioning just to point out
why you should not use them.
Film Chains
You should avoid using a film chain if at all possible. Film chains are relatively old
technology, as compared to telecines. A film chain is basically a film projector linked to
a video camera. Film chains typically do not support features such as reading the key
numbers or controlling video recorders, and they cannot create a positive video from a
film negative. You must create a workprint to use a film chain.
Using a film chain is usually less expensive than using a telecine, although the cost of
creating a workprint partly offsets the lower cost. The biggest challenge is being able to
define the relationship between the film’s key numbers and the video timecode. This is
usually accomplished with hole punches (or some other distinct frame marker) at known
film frames.
Important: Older film chains may not synchronize the film projector to the video recorder,
potentially causing the film-to-video relationship to drift.
26 Chapter 2 Before You Begin Your Film Project