GB2304966A

GB2304966A - A film post production process

Info

Publication number: GB2304966A
Application number: GB9517836A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Burns; James Duggan; Eamonn Maloney
Original assignee: VISUAL ENTERTAINMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: VISUAL ENTERTAINMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 1995-08-28
Filing date: 1995-09-01
Publication date: 1997-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2015-09-01
Also published as: GB9517836D0; IES950662A2; IES65984B2; GB2304966B

Abstract

A film post-production system for electronic post-production of films and broadcast programs to produce a broadcast film master having both audio and video components to improve the production efficiency and final quality of the broadcast film master. A processed negative is received (1) and converted to a video rush and a sound track is also received (6) and converted to an audio rush. Video and audio rushes are synchronised (11) and digitised (13). Selected portions of video rush and audio rush are used to generate an edit selection list (19) which is used to select portions of processed negative for grading to a desired standard (27) and portions of the soundtrack to produce soundtrack sections (33). Selected portions are combined to produce the broad cast film master (35).

Description

"A film post-production process" The present invention relates to a film post-production process, and more particularly to an electronic postproduct ion of films an broadcast programs having both audio and video.

A variety of film post-production processes are known for editing video and audio reels produced by a filmmaker. The video and audio reels can be recorded together or independently, in a vide variety of formats which are then edited and synchronised to produce a broadcast film master. One example of a sound postproduction process for video taped programs is shown in United States Patent Specification No. US 4, 491, 879 which describes a method of synchronising audio and video information for sprocket driven audio films.

Processes of this type allow a high quality broadcast film master to be produced however they are relatively slow and production efficiency depends on the film-maker using formats compatible with the post-production process.

It is an object of the invention to provide a process for producing a high quality broadcast film master in an efficient manner while minimising production costs.

There is therefore provided a film post-production process for electronic post-production of films and broadcast programs to produce a broadcast film master having both audio and video comprising the steps of: receiving a processed negative, identifying a processed negative format and checking the identified negative format against a plurality of pre-defined negative formats; checking the identified negative format for time code information; transferring the processed negative to video tape using one light and adding a post production video time code to each frame of the video tape to produce a one light video rush; receiving an audio sound track; identifying an audio sound track format and checking the identified sound track format against a plurality of pre-defined sound track formats; checking the identified sound track format for time code information;; transferring the sound track to digital audio tape and adding a post production audio time code to produce an audio rush; synchronising the audio rush and the one light video rush by linking each post-production video time code with an associated audio post-production video time code to produce a film rush; and digitising the film rush.

The editing of one light rushes in digitised format significantly reduces post-production times allowing a high quality broadcast film master to be produced faster than was heretofore possible. Additionally as the process may accept both video and audio recordings in any format it is therefore independent of equipment used by the film-maker.

Preferably the process includes the steps of: selecting at least two video portions of the film rush, each video portion having a start video time code and a stop video time code; generating a video selection list containing the start video time code and the stop video time code for each video portion; and generating a video grading list having sequential video time code references for the selected video portions.

Beneficially allowing the process to accept both video and audio recordings in any format and therefore making the process independent of equipment used by the filmmaker.

Ideally the process includes the steps of: selecting at least two audio portions of the film rush, each audio portion having a start audio time code and a stop audio time code; generating an audio selection list containing the start audio time code and the stop audio time code for each audio portion; generating an edit selection list by linking the audio selection list and the video selection list; generating a video conforming list from the edit selection list having ordered video time code references for the selected video portions; and generating an audio conforming list from the edit selection list having ordered audio time code references for the selected audio portions.

Thus, the process provides a method of electronic film and broadcast program post-production in which the film makers original processed film is never cut. This advantageously allows for the archiving of original film footage for use in further productions and ensures that valuable film footage is not cut away and lost.

In one arrangement the process includes the steps of: retrieving the processed negative and locating at least two portions of the processed negative in response to video grading list; removing electrical noise and picture artifacts from each retrieved portion, grading all retrieved portions using an RGB light array; ordering the graded retrieved portions in response to the video conforming list to produce a film rough; regrading the film rough by locating and colour matching adjacent film portions; locating and ordering at least two portions of the audio sound track in response to the audio conforming list to produce a sound track rough; remixing the soundtrack rough; combining the regraded film rough, the remixed soundtrack rough, text and special effects to produce a broadcast film master; and dispatching and copying the broadcast film master.

Conveniently as the film post-production process combines the use of one light rushes and digitised images, specialist post production skills are minimised.

This further reduces production costs and allows the process to be performed in a single location.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a broadcast film master whenever produced by the process hereinbefore described.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figs. 1 to 3 are flow charts together illustrating a film post-production process in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a film post-production process according to the invention.

Processed negative containing video information is received from the film-maker at step 1. The processed negative may be of any length and in any one of a number of film formats, for example 16mm, 35mm or Super 16 and the format used is identified in step 2. Film is recorded by the film-maker at various speeds for example twenty five, twenty four or thirty frames per second and is frequently recorded with a time code on each frame.

The presence of the film-makers time code reference is detected at step 3 to ensure that the film-makers time code reference is not lost during post-production. In step 4 the processed negative is loaded onto a telecine machine and transferred to video tape where a postproduction video time code is added in step 5. The transfer from processed negative to video tape is performed very quickly as only one light of three possible lights (namely red, green and blue) is used to create a one light video rush. The one light video rush may alternatively be produced by using more than one light without but without grading to produce a pregrade transfer.

Tape containing audio information is received from the film-maker at step 6. The audio tape may be of any length and as with the processed negative may be in one of a number of audio formats, for example i" tape with Tm pilot or FM tones or digital audio tape (DATUM) with a time code. The format used is identified in step 7.

The presence of a film-makers audio time code reference is detected at step 8 to ensure that the film-makers audio time code reference is not lost during postproduction. In step 9, the film-makers tape is converted to i" digital audio tape and a post-production audio time code is added to the digital audio tape in step 10 to create an audio rush commonly known as a post production original.

In step 11 the audio rush from step 10 and the one light video rush from step 5 are synchronised to produce a film rush. If compatible audio and video formats have been used, the post-production audio time code and the post-production video time code will be identical, however as film-makers frequently record film and audio tracks independently, a correlation table is created in the synchronisation step 11 by a post-production editing processor.

The correlation table links the post-production video time code with the corresponding post-production audio time code to synchronise the film and audio rushes in the film rush. The correlation table for the film rush is stored in software associated with the post processing editor and is available for use by other steps in the process. The correlation table may also be updated during the process by the addition of information to the correlation table or marking entries in the table for subsequent processing.

The film rush from step 11 is received in a postproduction editing suite in step 12. The film rush is then digitised in step 13 by loading the film rush onto a video tape reader. Each frame of the film rush as determined by the correlation table, is stored on a fast access magnetic disk. In step 14, video portions of the film rush are then selected for inclusion in the final master. Start and finish references for each portion are added to the correlation table created in step 11 and these references are indexed in step 15 to generate a video selection list.

In step 16, audio portions of the digitised synchronised audio rush from step 13 are selected for inclusion in the final master and start and finish references for each audio portion are noted in the correlation table created in step 11, updated in step 14 and indexed in step 15. To add musical background or desired audio effects, start and finish references for audio portions from an audio library are similarly added to the correlation table in step 17. In step 18 the start and finish post-production audio time code references for both the audio portions and the audio portions from the audio library which were selected are indexed to generate an audio selection list.

The audio selection list from step 18 and the video selection list from step 15 are combined in step 19.

The correlation table for the process originally created in step 11 and updated throughout the process is then regenerated and includes all start and finish references for both audio and video tracks. In step 20 the regenerated correlation table of step 19 is accessed in time code order to produce a video grading list X. The video grading list X contains post-production time code information in chronological order as recorded by the film maker greatly accelerating the post-production process. In step 21 the regenerated correlation table of step 20 is again accessed to produce a conforming list Y. The conforming list Y contains post-production time code information in broadcast film master order to position the video portions selected in step 14 relatively.In step 22 the regenerated correlation table of step 20 is accessed once again to produce an audio conforming list Z similar to the conforming list Y of step 21 for the audio portions selected in step 16.

The processed negative from the film-maker is retrieved in step 23 and reloaded onto the telecine machine. As the video grading list X is sequential, the reels of processed negative are loaded in the order in which they were recorded. The video grading list X produced in step 20 is then retrieved by the telecine machine in step 24 and used to index through the processed negative in step 25 to locate the video portions selected in step 14. As each video portion is located, electrical and picture artifact noise is filtered out in step 26 and each video portion is fully graded using all three lights with appropriate intensities in step 27.

Electrical noise may be caused due to the presence of high voltage equipment or strong magnetic fields when the negative is being recorded or processed and picture artifacts may be as a result of physical damage to the negative such as dust, grime or scratches.

The video conforming list Y produced in step 21 from the regenerated correlation table of step 20 is retrieved in step 28 and used in step 29 to order the film portions selected in step 14 relatively to produce a film rough.

The film rough contains all of the video portions selected in step 14, fully graded and in final master sequence. The film rough is then regraded in step 30 so that adjacent portions of the film rough are graded relatively. This ensures that adjacent film portions which were recorded at different times appear to have been recorded together, this is known generally as 'scene to scene grading".

The audio conforming list Z, produced in step 22, is retrieved in step 31 and audio portions associated with the audio conforming list Z are located in step 32 to produce soundtrack sections. The soundtrack sections are positioned relatively in step 33 in accordance with the audio conforming list Z to produce a soundtrack rough, which is remixed in step 34. The remixing of step 34 is equivalent to the video regrading of step 30 for audio components and also includes the addition of background music and special sound effects.

The film rough and the sound track rough are combined in step 35 and special effects and screen text added to produce the final broadcast film master for dispatch in step 36 or for copying and dispatch in step 37.

It will be appreciated that the order of the steps described may be varied. For example the steps required for editing the audio components may be conducted in parallel to vide processing when performed by multiple operators or may be done as sequential steps by a single operator.

It will also be appreciated that the use of one light in creating the one light rush, allows work to be undertaken on a processed negative very quickly.

Additionally as this one light rush is then digitised and stored on a magnetic disk with links between the video rush and audio rush are stored in the correlation table software associated with the post production editor, operator editing time is greatly reduced. This digitisation also allows the operator to generate the grading and conform lists automatically, in turn, greatly reducing the time taken to grade and conform the final master. It will be noted that as only portions of the processed negative are fully graded production times and costs are significantly reduced. It will further be appreciated that the one light video rush may alternatively be produced by using more than one light without but without grading to produce a low quality pre-grade transfer.

Additionally as the processed negative is never physically cut, it may be stored indefinitely and used as archive footage in later productions.

It will further be noted that as a post-production time code is used, the types of video and audio equipment used by the film-maker when recording the program does not adversely affect the process. Additionally as time codes used by the film maker are not destroyed in the process they may still be used by the film-maker for reference.

It will also be noted that the overall simplicity of the process permits the use of a minimum number of skilled operators and further lends itself to implementation in a single site.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

1. A film post-production process for electronic post production of films and broadcast programs for producing a broadcast film master having both audio and video comprising the steps of: receiving a processed negative, identifying a processed negative format and checking the identified negative format against a plurality of pre-defined negative formats; checking the identified negative format for time code information; transferring the processed negative to video tape using one light and adding a post production video time code to each frame of the video tape to produce a one light video rush; receiving an audio sound track; identifying an audio sound track format and checking the identified sound track format against a plurality of pre-defined sound track formats; checking the identified sound track format for time code information;; transferring the sound track to digital audio tape and adding a post production audio time code to produce an audio rush; synchronising the audio rush and the one light video rush by linking each post-production video time code with an associated audio post production video time code to produce a film rush; and digitising the film rush.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 including the steps of: selecting at least two video portions of the film rush, each video portion having a start video time code and a stop video time code; generating a video selection list containing the start video time code and the stop video time code for each video portion; and generating a video grading list having sequential video time code references for the selected video portions.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2 including the steps of: selecting at least two audio portions of the film rush, each audio portion having a start audio time code and a stop audio time code; generating an audio selection list containing the start audio time code and the stop audio time code for each audio portion; generating an edit selection list by linking the audio selection list and the video selection list; generating a video conforming list from the edit selection list having ordered video time code references for the selected video portions; and generating an audio conforming list from the edit selection list having ordered audio time code references for the selected audio portions.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3 including the steps of: retrieving the processed negative and locating at least two portions of the processed negative in response to video grading list; removing electrical noise and picture artifacts from each retrieved portion, grading all retrieved portions using an RGB light array; ordering the graded retrieved portions in response to the video conforming list to produce a film rough; regrading the film rough by locating and colour matching adjacent film portions; locating and ordering at least two portions of the audio sound track in response to the audio conforming list to produce a sound track rough; remixing the soundtrack rough; combining the regraded film rough, the remixed soundtrack rough, text and special effects to produce a broadcast film master; and dispatching and copying the broadcast film master.

5. A film post-production process substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A broadcast film master whenever produced by the process as claimed in any preceding claim.