We're doing post-production on a documentary. We have lots of storage space, so we've chosen to capture whole tapes. Unfortunately, we made what turned out to be a big mistake in using free run on one or more of the the cameras. Not only does it take considerably longer to capture because the deck has to shuttle and jog around finding timecode breaks, but it also produces unreliable clips--footage missing the opening few seconds due to pre-roll, and some clips missing the bulk of their duration, because FCP for some reason insists that they are only a few seconds long, despite the source files having the appropriate length.
It's generally a nightmare and I will never use free run again.
Right now, I am very tempted to set preferences to "Warn After Capture" on timecode breaks, and treat these tapes like non-free run, but that I'm constantly warned of the impending disaster that is unreliable timecode. Surely, though, that can't be any worse than what I'm going through now?
I can't see what problems this could cause down the road, other than not being able to automate a recapture, which, since we've got all footage backed up, is not terribly concerning to me right now. But you never know, so I'm looking for some solid advice on whether I should make my life easier now and throw timecode caution to the wind, or heed the warnings and keep slogging through freerun hell, or any third option that I'm not aware of.
It's generally a nightmare and I will never use free run again.
Right now, I am very tempted to set preferences to "Warn After Capture" on timecode breaks, and treat these tapes like non-free run, but that I'm constantly warned of the impending disaster that is unreliable timecode. Surely, though, that can't be any worse than what I'm going through now?
I can't see what problems this could cause down the road, other than not being able to automate a recapture, which, since we've got all footage backed up, is not terribly concerning to me right now. But you never know, so I'm looking for some solid advice on whether I should make my life easier now and throw timecode caution to the wind, or heed the warnings and keep slogging through freerun hell, or any third option that I'm not aware of.
