Conforming a negative to a video

Johnny_L.A · December 13, 2008, 4:54pm

I’ve edited film by cutting the medium with a razor blade and joining the ends. I’ve edited video (shot on video) by doing the same thing electronically. Due to cost, I want to edit film on video. No problem, since anything I shoot is going to be played on my TV. But suppose I want to conform my camera-original film to the video?

Film has SMPTE and human-readable time codes on it. I haven’t used SMPTE time code on video for a couple of reasons: First, I haven’t done much video editing. Second, what editing I’ve done hasn’t required it. But Final Cut does have SMPTE capability. Not being that experienced with it, I don’t know if it takes the time code from the original digital medium, or if it makes its own. (For that matter, I don’t know if the digital medium takes time code from the film.)

Anyway, assume I’ve shot some film. I’ve had it transfered to a digital medium and have imported it into a computer. I edit the ‘film’ and create a final product and write it to a DVD. If I take the DVD and the camera-original negatives to a processor, would they be able to conform the negative to the DVD?

beowulff · December 13, 2008, 5:06pm

I’m far from a FCP expert, but I’ve played with it. If I understand your question, what you are asking about is known as an Edit Decision List (EDL). FCP can output an EDL, which can then be used to “autoconform” a movie. I don’t know how effects are handled, though.

Johnny_L.A · December 13, 2008, 9:12pm

From beowulff’s link, it looks like the EDL comes from the original source.

So I found this page

Negative Cut and Video Conform Lists
Using KEYKODE numbers and a database program, it’s equally efficient to produce a final assembly log from a video or film edit. These cut lists tell the negative cutter where each scene is located, and in what order, on the original rolls. They are automatically organized for the least amount of negative handling. No matter what assembly method your use, KEYKODE number cut points are available instantly. The software even correlates the new timecode on a “select rolls” transfer with the original video and audio time codes. When you’re ready to make a video master, the software provides a disk for on-line auto conform in any of the standard formats.

Required Equipment:
A PC with appropriate stand-alone software, if select rolls are prepared and retransferred with new time code prior to on-line auto conform. Similar software is required when working from a film edit if an on-line auto conform disk is required.

[And previously in the article, emphasis mine]

Telecine Transfer
When film is transferred for video editing, film rolls can be logged automatically. KEYKODE numbers are read on the telecine and correlated with video and audio timecode (if used) during the transfer. This correlation, saved on floppy disk, enables you to shoot on film, edit in video, and match back to the camera negative for a high-quality release in any format.

And there’s a Wiki article on Keycode.

So that’s cool. I just need to make sure I have the database created during telecine.