Help! Distortion at capture

[Alex DePew]

I recorded an opera singer and there is one point at which the audio spikes and the image distorts. This was a one camera shoot, so I don't have a second cam to cut away to. I'm pretty sure that the footage is just dead, but if anyone knows of a way to recover/fix the video I would be immensely grateful. I checked the tape and the error is on the tape, it wasn't an importing glitch.

Also, if anyone knows why this happened and how to avoid it, that would also be very helpful. I hate having to explain to a client that it was a camera malfunction. Makes me look terrible.

Thanks for your help.

You can view the clip here (http://chocolatemilkfilms.com/Private_Stuff/PrivateStuff.html).

[Robbie Comeau]

recapture it

[Kevin Lee]

Frustrating to say the least. I have had this as well. Its either a problem with the tape, or heads, I cant figure it out. This is where you have two cameras, use footage from the other one. Or if you have some other footage of say the crowd from earlier or later on this day, you drop it in there. Or you may want to fade from one part of the song to another if you have no other audio track recorded. Its not ideal but may be the only way to deal with this footage.

[Robbie Comeau]

if u have a 2 second glitch and u fill it with the crowd, if wud be weird wathcing say a 4 minute singer, and show that audience clip ONCE, so u might wanna go back and fourth to it if u add it

[Adam Gonzalez]

Alex,
the reason this happened is because on your tape there are a couple of things going on. First your time code layer which is always at the bottom of the tape that is being laid, then you have your two audio tracks being laid and then right about the audio is your picture being laid. If you audio spikes and the tape can not write the sound the glitch can be sent through that small portion of that tape destroying all but the timecode.

This is another reason why you dont always want your audio peaking you want it below. They always say don't trust the headphones (even if you weren't using them) trust what you see on your meters!

Sorry to hear that happened. Good luck!

[Alex DePew]

Thanks for the help guys, like I figured, I'm pretty screwed for those seconds. I did get a little bit of the crowd and some piano, but not enough to occasionally insert into the 2 hour plus worth of edited footage without serious repetition. If I only insert it into that one spot or even just that one performer of the dozen or so it will stick out. Argggghhhhhh!!!!!!

Thanks for the heads up on the possible reason. I was keeping an eye on the levels, but I wasn't like a hawk. There was a sound engineer recording the performance, so my sound was purely for matching up for the edit. Now I know, always, no matter what keep an eye on the levels. Funny thing though, The levels around that part are fine and she wasn't hitting a high note. IF it happened at a later part where she went way into the red I would completely understand. As a precaution next time I will not use the same tapes, AY-DVM63AMQ's,will keep an eye on the levels, and will pray to Pelicula, goddess of filmmakers.

[HorseFilms]

Also, turn the limiter on for your next shoot. It'll help keep you from going into the distortion zone.