Apple Cinema Tools 3 - Manual (Page 110)

110 Chapter 6 Preparing the Source Clips for Editing
There is an exception to this recommendation: In an NTSC environment, where you
need to use NTSC equipment and output to NTSC tapes, you may prefer to edit at
23.98 fps because then you can take advantage of the Real-Time Effects pull-down
feature in Final Cut Pro that lets you easily output your 23.98 fps video as 29.97 fps. This
output conversion feature does not work on video that is 24 fps.
Keep in mind that if you record at 24 fps and then convert to 23.98 fps, your video is
running at a speed slightly slower than that of the original recording. Because it is
slower, it is called pulled down. When video is pulled down, the digitized sound also
needs to be pulled down either by slightly slowing down the playback of the original
sound tape or disk while digitizing (for example, in the telecine transfer process), or by
adjusting the speed of the clip to 99.9 percent after capturing.
Ways You Can Prepare the Source Clips
There are a few different options to adjust your source clips to the frame rate at which
you want to edit.
 Use specialized hardware to capture at your chosen frame rate: If you have the right
equipment, you can use it to convert the frame rate in real time while the clips are
captured and adjust the audio speed to match. Once you do this, the clips are
already in sync do not require the Cinema Tools Reverse Telecine or Conform features
for frame rate conversion.
 Use the Reverse Telecine Feature: If your clips are in the NTSC standard of 29.97 fps,
you can use the Reverse Telecine feature to reverse the 3:2 pull-down that was used
convert the clips to 29.97 fps, thus removing the extra fields created by the pull-
down and converting the clips to 23.98 fps or 24 fps. When clips contain both audio
and video, the Reverse Telecine feature also adjusts the audio speed so that the
audio and video remain in sync after the frame rate is changed.
 Use the Conform Feature: If your clips are in the PAL standard of 25 fps, you can use
the Conform feature to convert them to the frame rate at which you want to edit.
When clips contain both audio and video, the Conform feature also adjusts the audio
speed so that the audio and video remain in sync after the frame rate is changed.
Note: If the audio is separate and not contained in the source clips, you also need to
sync audio and video clips and merge them together as one clip in Final Cut Pro. See
“
Synchronizing Separately Captured Audio and Video ” on page 123.
UP01101.Book Page 110 Thursday, March 10, 2005 3:16 PM