Syncing audio and video

[ThirtyWest]

Good morning,

This Fall I'll be shooting the high school marching band from over-field.

However, I'll most likely be recording the music from the spectator position using an Apogee Hype mic.

Any suggestions on how to "clapboard" these two streams to sync them?

 

[Clintoops]

Use a clicker it should be loud enough . Start drone then recording then start recording click

 

[vindibona1]

I had to fly a similar mission last May. What I found to be the easiest way was to do a separate video record WITH SOUND, mounted on a tripod and used movement from the two videos to identify sync points in the video for reference points. Then I imported my drone footage the ground camera footage and my sound track into my editor. I then sync'd my ground track video with corresponding sound track with my air tracks (I used two drones simultaneously with additional crew) and then used the scope function in the editor to then sync the sound tracks. After getting everything sync'd I deleted the ground video/sound track leaving the drone video and the separately recorded audio.

I hope this helps you.

 

[ThirtyWest]

well, I'm going to be at 225ft before they start. I'd need something like a light on the ground, in the frame, to sync that video with the audio feed in my NLE software.

 

[ThirtyWest]

I had to fly a similar mission last May. What I found to be the easiest way was to do a separate video record WITH SOUND, mounted on a tripod and used movement to identify sync points. Then I imported my drone footage the ground camera footage and my sound track into my editor. I then sync'd my ground track with my air tracks (I used two drones simultaneously with additional crew) and then used the scope function in the editor to then sync the sound tracks. After getting everything sync'd I deleted the ground video/sound track leaving the drone video and the separately recorded audio.

I hope this helps you.

yep, I was just starting to think of something like that. thank you. good idea.

 

[vindibona1]

yep, I was just starting to think of something like that. thank you. good idea.

If you have a sound track on one camera the only thing you have to do is make sure that you can identify the same person/people so you can get the exact frames to match. Then use the spikes on the audio to get close and then adjust down to the exact frame with whatever function allows that in your editor. Which editor will you be using?

 

[vindibona1]

well, I'm going to be at 225ft before they start. I'd need something like a light on the ground, in the frame, to sync that video with the audio feed in my NLE software.

You can always run out on the field with a strobe and shoot it while both cameras are rolling, leave them running then just trim the beginning to the desired start point. If you can use your Hypogee mic plugged into the auxilliary video to record the audio with video for reference it will be even easier. In my case I had a pre-recorded audio and the performers danced to the music that was played through loud speakers so I had a separate audio source that I had to contend with.

 

[MS Coast]

How about using a cymbal or bass drum as a clapboard?

 

[ThirtyWest]

How about using a cymbal or bass drum as a clapboard?

haha. well there are a few audio signals that might work. I think just recording audio and video on the ground using an obvious sync point will work the best.

 

[Clintoops]

Just be careful flying over people.
There are restrictions doing so.
You could always use a spectator horn they sell at Walmart one of those air can horns before everything starts

 

[ThirtyWest]

Just be careful flying over people.
There are restrictions doing so.
You could always use a spectator horn they sell at Walmart one of those air can horns before everything starts

oh I've got my FAA waiver and am working with the venue to get it all approved. there's no spectator overflight involved anyway.

 

[vindibona1]

One more thing. I wasn't familiar with the Apogee mic, but it's a 360° mic, no? Wouldn't you be better served with two directional mics if your recording device is in a single location? I would think you might pick up too much crowd noise with an omni.

 

[vindibona1]

How about using a cymbal or bass drum as a clapboard?

That would work if both recording devices had audio. Unless his drone has audio a sound would not work as a syncing method.
... But you got me thinking. While I've never used it and don't know how, but really should learn, if audio can be turned on the phone like some folks narrate and a copy of the video streamed to the phone or tablet, then there would be two identically timed video files, one with a low quality reference audio file for the high quality audio to be sync'd to.

For my future reference and use, how would one go about turning on the phones audio recording during flight and makes sure the low quality video image is recorded on the phone as well? I used to KNOW how to do it but never used it and have since forgotten how. Nothing sticks in my short term memory any more.

 

[ThirtyWest]

One more thing. I wasn't familiar with the Apogee mic, but it's a 360° mic, no? Wouldn't you be better served with two directional mics if your recording device is in a single location? I would think you might pick up too much crowd noise with an omni.

It's on loan to me, and I believe you can change the sensitivity to effecuate a mono directional

 

[MS Coast]

Isn't the objective to sync up the drone video to audio on another track? Seems like a cymbal clash could be used to align the drone clips with the audio recorded from the field. Maybe I'm missing the point? Cymbals and bass drum sticks not visible enough from the drone?

 

[Clintoops]

Isn't the objective to sync up the drone video to audio on another track? Seems like a cymbal clash could be used to align the drone clips with the audio recorded from the field. Maybe I'm missing the point? Cymbals and bass drum sticks not visible enough from the drone?

When Im line up footage and audio.
I'm mostly using the sound track.
Now does not the drone record audio it self. Then you will need a visual que then with sound at same time

 

[Pixeldawg]

Good morning,

This Fall I'll be shooting the high school marching band from over-field.

However, I'll most likely be recording the music from the spectator position using an Apogee Hype mic.

Any suggestions on how to "clapboard" these two streams to sync them?

Easiest way is to have the drone facing you and fairly close and the sound recording and clap. Then, you simply place the sound where the clap is on the video. We tell our students here to do this regularly.

Cordially,

Mark Lent

 

[ThirtyWest]

Thanks everyone--good suggestions.

 

[Zbip57]

Easiest way is to have the drone facing you and fairly close and the sound recording and clap. Then, you simply place the sound where the clap is on the video.

We had several GoPro cameras running in our rally car, usually two inside and one on the roof. Clapping was the easiest way to create a synchronization mark. The two inside cameras each saw the hand-clap and recorded the sound spike, and the roof-mounted camera recorded a clear spike at the same time. I'd sometimes forget to do the clap, then it was always a chore to get all three video streams synched up during editing.