![\"Slate-800\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.movingpicture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Slate-800.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nTime code is an electronic means of determining an exact location in digital audio and video recording.\u00a0 The current time code standard was developed in the 1960\u2019s by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), which is how it received its technical name, \u201cSMPTE code\u201d.\u00a0 Time code allows for a common point of digital reference for both audio and video for the purposes of synchronization.\u00a0 It is expressed in four numerical values representing hours, minutes, seconds, and frames<\/i>.<\/p>\n
The primary importance of time code is to provide an efficient means for editors to synchronize audio recorded on an external recording device to the video recorded to a camera. There are of course other methods to accomplish the same synchronization task.\u00a0 One common method would be the use of a \u201cclap\u201d or clapper board (slate).\u00a0 The editor would match up the spiked audio peak produced by the clap from the camera and audio recorder to sync the audio.\u00a0 Unfortunately, modern digital cinema camera systems have mostly done away on-board microphones.\u00a0 Cameras like the ARRI Alexa, RED Epic, and even pro-sumer cameras such as the Sony F3 have no internal microphone to record a reference audio track.\u00a0 When using any of these types of camera systems and there is no possibility of sending audio to the camera due to mobility concerns, physical distance, or the lack of technology to due so, the use of time code is paramount.<\/p>\n
Time code is typically the responsibility of the Sound Mixer, or in the case of a music video, Sound Playback.\u00a0 In either case, it\u2019s definitely a Sound Department function, don\u2019t count on Camera Department to make sure it\u2019s implemented properly.\u00a0 A camera assistant will happily wave a time code slate in front of the camera all day long whether it\u2019s displaying the correct time code or not.\u00a0 In the case of syncing recorded audio, a \u201cTime of Day\u201d time code is typically used and is generated from the Sound Mixer\u2019s digital audio recorder, such as the Sound Devices 744T.\u00a0 This time code will be \u201cjammed\u201d (synchronized) to the digital time code slate and usually handed off to camera department for usage throughout the day.\u00a0 When syncing pre-recorded music to video, Time of Day is not used.\u00a0 Instead the time code will reflect the run time of the song.\u00a0 A special version of the audio track is prepared, ideally before the shoot day, which contains the time code embedded with the audio track.\u00a0 While filming, this time code is usually broadcasted wirelessly to the digital time code slate, which is why the numbers start rolling when the music starts.<\/p>\n