Timecode
Definition
Timecode is an electronic signal used to identify a specific frame of video by its position in time. It is expressed as hours:minutes:seconds:frames (HH:MM:SS:FF) and provides a unique address for every frame of video. Timecode is essential for synchronizing audio and video recorded on separate devices, for logging and organizing footage, for communicating precise edit points between departments, and for creating EDLs and other post-production documents. The most common timecode standard is SMPTE timecode, developed by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.
Contextual Usage
The assistant editor creates a log of all the footage: "I've logged all the camera rolls and assigned each clip a unique timecode range. The timecode is burned into the proxy files so the editor can always identify the exact frame they're working with and trace it back to the original camera file."
About this section
Production — or "principal photography" — is the phase in which the film or video is actually shot. It is the most visible and, typically, the most expensive phase of the entire process. Every day on ...
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