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Tip: Timecode for Video

I just came across a very solid explanation of drop and non-drop frame timecodes and why they came about. But you don't have to read it.

Now that standard def video is outmoded in favor of HD, let me just say this: 23.976 frames per second, sometimes rounded up to 23.98 or referred to in casual conversation as 24 frames. Know it, use it... why?

First, if you are trying to replicate the look of film, a key part of that is a frame rate of 23.976 frames per second. (People often round this up to 24 fps, but the fraction makes a difference, trust me.)

Standard Definition was 29.97 fps, and the frames were split into two fields which were interlaced or mingled together. Similarly, one of the flavors that most HD cameras offer is 1080i, which shoots at 59.98 frames/second (really, 29.97 fps multiplied by two interlaced fields). The 1080 stands for the number of pixels tall the frame is. (A 16 x 9 ratio means the wide part will be 1920 pixels, hence the standard 1920 x 1080 resolution for HD video.)

The reason 1080i is not good for filmmaking is that conversion from 1080p/23.976PsF (partially-segmented frames) to interlaced 59.98 video is relatively simple, essentially involving duplicating every sixth frame. Going in reverse is more difficult, since dropping frames makes motion look weirder than having a duplicate every so often, and the interlacing means the frames that are created out of two fields look like someone smeared the pixels with a comb. There are ways to fight this, including a very expensive box called a Teranex. Better to just film at the industry-standard rate that everyone is used to.

Image source: timecode by myrad photos under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

About J. Ott

John Ott is a writer, filmmaker and futurist. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.