Digitizing -- Keep your Audio and Video media segregated. We recommend that when you digitize your dailies, you should put the video and audio on separate drives. You can use your slower drives for audio, and your faster drives for video. This way, you may avoid some playback problems like stuttering video or dropped audio and at the same time it will help with your media management.

Cross-Referencing Information -- Telecine log files may contain mistakes which can cause problems if not caught early enough. The following procedures will help you catch and correct most of these errors before they become a problem and can save tremendous time later.

Cross-reference each shot digitized to make sure all of the reports and notes match the burned-in window and slate information. The Dailies log, the Camera Reports, the Sound Reports and the Script Supervisor's notes should all agree with the slate and the burned-in information.
1. Load the clip into the Edit window and go to the first frame of picture.
2. Advance the picture frame by frame until the "Vid Start" timecode on the Dailies Log matches the Video Timecode window burn-in.
3. Check to make sure that the "Clip Name" on the Dailies Log matches:
* the Scene and Take on the picture Slate
* the Circled Take in the Script Supervisor notes
* the Cirlced Take in the Camera Reports and
* the Cirlced Take in the Sound Reports
4. Check to make sure that the "Key Number Start" on the Dailies Log matches the KeyCode window burn-in.
5. Check to make sure that the "SND Start" timecode on the Dailies Log matches the Sound Timecode window burn-in.
6. Check to make sure that the "Cam(era) Roll" on the Dailies Log matches:
* the Slate on the picture
* the Circled Take on the Camera Reports
7. Check to make sure that the "S(ou)nd Roll" on the Dailies Log matches:
* the Slate on the picture
* the Circled Take on the Camera Reports

* SLATE: You can consider the information on the picture slate to be correct, unless the camera person or script supervisor noted otherwise. This is what the negative cutter will use when he or she is cutting your film.

* CIRCLED TAKE: The Script Supervisor is in charge of double-checking all camera reports and sound reports to make sure the circled takes match his/her notes. If there is a discrepancy as to what should be circled, call the Script Supervisor. If that's not possible, then go by the Script Supervisor reports for the final decision as to what take should have been telecined.

* KEYCODE NUMBER: 95% of the time the KeyCode number in the window burn-in is the correct one. It is not 100% of the time, however. IF there is a discrepancy between your Dailies Log and the key number burn-in window, the only way to guarantee that the key number is correct is to have someone visually check the negative at the frame in question.

* If a mistake was made on the key number burn-in, then it will be necessary to re-telecine the shot with the correct window burn-ins. For more details, see "Regarding Re-Transfers" below.

* If you find that after having someone visually check your negative and the key number burn-in on the video is correct, you should correct your Dailies Log.

* SOUND TIMECODE: 99% of the time the window burn-in is correct (do not use the timecode on the smart slate, if one was used - it is not always accurate). Also, look at your sound mixer&Mac182;s reports. If there is a discrepancy between the Sound Timecode burn-in and the Sound Timecode number on the Dailies Log, the only way to guarantee that the Sound Timecode burn-in is correct is to have someone check the timecode on both the production audio tape and the telecine tape at a common reference point.

* If a mistake was made on the sound timecode burn-in, it will be necessary to re-telecine the shot with the corrected window burn-ins and a new telecine log. For more details, see "Regarding Re-Transfers" below.

* HOT TIP: Regarding discrepancies, if a problem can't be answered by investigating all the paperwork, checking the video and checking the actual film, sometimes it is necessary to contact the Script Supervisor who should have the answer for you. Always try to get to the bottom of a film discrepancy to avoid costly problems down the line.

Regarding Re-Transfers-- If you have to re-transfer a shot because of incorrect telecine data , the telecine facility should do this for you at no charge. Make sure they label this with a new tape name.

Once you get the new transfer tape:

1. Digitize the new clip from the new converted telecine log.
2. Cut the new clip into your film, being sure to replace all instances of the re-transferred shot(s).
3. Delete the old clip and it's media.

* Never use the first or last frame of a shot when you make your cuts. Be sure to leave yourself at least one or two extra frames for safety.

* For WYSIWYG editing, set your editing system to stop at the first field of video when in "park mode".

* Whether you are editing a 16mm or 35mm show, ask your optical house for their "preferred lengths" for dissolves, fades and wipes. Convert the film durations to the closest video durations, and try to keep your dissolves, etc. to those lengths. This can save you quite a bit of money when creating your opticals for your film finish.

* Keep your audio tracks segregated

1. Use tracks 1 & 2 for dialog and other production sound.
2. Use tracks 3 & 4 for sound effects.
3. Use tracks 5 & 6 for your music.
4. Use tracks 7 & 8 as overflow.
If you setup your audio tracks this way, you will only have to export EDLs for tracks 1 & 2 and any applicable overflow tracks for the final mix.