WILD SYNC
As Super-8 sound film stock becomes scarcer, the Super-8 filmmaker is forced to find new methods to produce sound movies. If the goal is to have a print for projection to show audiences, and to make a film that includes dialogue sync sound, the filmmaker is presented with many obstacles. The traditional method involves recording the sound either to a crystal or cable controlled tape recorder, and to transfer that tape recorder’s sound to Super-8 fullcoat, which is magnetic tape in the same shape (including sprocket holes) as Super-8 film. The fullcoat is then edited frame by frame with the film on a two or more gang synchronizer.
This is referred to as "double system" editing. Cresta Electronics modifies brand-new multi-track tape recorders, that when combined with their own invention called the Super Sim-Sync, creates once per frame sync pulses from a Super-8 camera equipped with a PC or "flash synchronization" socket. These pulses along with the spoken dialogue, are simultaneously recorded onto their multi-track recorder. Once the shooting is done, the recording can be transferred to fullcoat for editing the "double system" method, and then transferred back in-sync to the film.
But what if one doesn’t have a camera with the flash sync socket? Another method that I call Wild Sync works for me. The Wild Sync method actually allows one to record "wild" sound on any tape recorder while filming. There are no cables or sync pulses, because the sound is synched up later in the editing process, using Super-8 film as a home-made fullcoat in a Super-8 sound projector. The only other equipment needed is a Super-8 editor, such as an Elmo 912, with an accessory shoe, a battery powered sound monitor, and a frame counter. In addition, the above mentioned Super Sim-Sync and a modified multi-track recorder, both of which are available from Cresta Electronics, are needed for making the final in-sync transfer.
Here’s how the process evolves. Shoot a film, in my case a documentary interview. At the beginning of each roll of film, turn the tape recorder on and shoot someone clapping a movie clapboard to provide a sync reference. This needs to be done only at the beginning of each film cartridge, not the beginning of every shot. Then, go ahead and film every shot with the actors speaking. I usually start the tape recorder a few seconds before the shot, and turn it off a few seconds after. The tape can be played back instantly to hear if the sound was loud and clear and free of camera noise.
When the filming is finished, and the film has been sound striped, the editing begins. Find an old Super-8 magnetic sound commercial movie, perhaps an old cartoon that has faded in color, or some other film of little value. For my experiment I used a Laurel & Hardy comedy that had a manufacturing defect, an out of sync soundtrack. I transferred the sound from the tape recorder onto this film using my Super-8 sound projector. This film now became my home-made Super-8 fullcoat. I now had two films – the first, the actual documentary footage I shot with a blank soundtrack, and the second, my fullcoat with pictures of Laurel & Hardy. Both are ready for editing.
Now comes the tedious part. Load the actual footage on the editor with the frame counter attached, and place the tape recorder with the original recording next to the editor, along with a piece of paper and a pencil to take notes. When the film shows the clapboard striking, set the frame counter to zero. On a piece of paper, write three columns like this:
WORD FILM SOUND
The frame in which the clapboard hits, write "clap" under the WORD column, and "0000" under the FILM column. Next, move the film through the editor and listen to the tape recorder at the same time in short sections. The tape recorder lets one remember the exact words spoken. Try to follow the speech word for word by watching the lips of the speaker. Every few seconds, look for the very start of a word that begins with a consonant, such as "b" in "boy," or "p" in "paper." You’ll find many of these without much trouble. When one of these is found, write the word under the WORD column and the corresponding frame count under the FILM column. I call these reference words and they will be used to match the soundtrack with the actual film. Looking for reference words that begin with vowels are not good choices, as it is harder to distinguish the exact frame that someone begins a word such as "and," or "other." In a two minute film (one complete head and shoulder shot) of someone speaking, I used sixteen reference words.
Now the fullcoat is ready for editing. Replace the frame counter with the sound head on the editor's accessory shoe, and listen closely to the soundtrack (in my case the Laurel & Hardy movie I used as my fullcoat) for the same reference words. When the exact point is found that the word begins, place a 1/6" strip of white correction tape (the kind used to cover mistakes in manuscripts) on the fullcoat. On the actual correction tape itself, write the reference word. It might look like this:
Once this is done, replace the sound head on the editor with the frame counter again. Now locate the same reference words, which are marked on the fullcoat, starting with the "clap" sound at "0000" on the frame counter. At every reference word, write down the corresponding frame count under the SOUND column. When finished, the piece of paper might look like this:
WORD FILM SOUND
Clap 0000 0000
Boy 0187 0192
Dog 0295 0306
Balloon 0501 0507
Now comes the easy part – splicing out, or adding in, a few frames to the fullcoat between reference words so the frame counts for the soundtrack match those of the film itself. For example, five frames need to be removed from the fullcoat so that the word "boy" will begin at frame 0187 which will match the film. This should be done as close to the word "boy" as possible, and during a pause in the speech. Since the pause only needs to be a split second, this is not too hard to find. Sometimes, a few frames of silence must be added to the fullcoat in order to bring the fullcoat into frame for frame synchronization with the film. This constant adding a few frames to the fullcoat, or deleting a few frames every few seconds does a remarkable job of maintaining a respectable sync. In reality, the sound may be in perfect sync at times, and fall out a little between edits, but most people will not notice a one or two frame loss of sync, especially when there are periods of the sync being "dead on."
Once all the editing is complete, a check with the frame counter on the fullcoat at the reference words should give the exact same count as the picture. Now the fullcoat can be run through the Super 8 Sound projector and recorded onto the multi-track recorder using the Super Sim-Sync. The Super Sim-Sync will produce once per frame pulses along with the soundtrack. Then load the actual film in the projector, and record the soundtrack being played back from the multi-track recorder hooked up to the Super Sim-Sync. When playing back, the Sim-Sync will read the once per frame pulses, and will start the tape recorder and projector at the same time with the sound of the clapboard, and lock them at the same speed as well to keep sync throughout the transfer.
Voila! The film has been edited, and has sync sound dialogue as well. Play the film and check to make sure the synchronization is correct. If there is a problem area, where one part of the film is off a few frames, the fullcoat can still be edited and re-transferred, or the Sim-Sync can be used to speed up or slow down the sound a few frames during the transfer itself. I prefer reediting the fullcoat if necessary, as this insures a frame by frame synchronization. Finally, the in-sync dialogue film can be further edited "single-system" to add additional shots, or alternatively, additional shots can be added as long as an equal number of frames are removed, so as to maintain the same number of frames on the film and the fullcoat. If the latter method is used, the fullcoat will have to be re-transferred of course, but sync will be maintained. This second method works well, for example, when reaction shots to an actor’s spoken dialogue are cut into the film, and the soundtrack cannot be interrupted. The results can be quite professional, with a fairly good sync soundtrack made with minimal expense, minimal equipment, and great ease during the shooting process.
---- Chris Cottrill
E-mail: chris_cottrill@yahoo.com
