American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 67
Aaton
s
Time Code
on
Film
by Peter Pilafian
It's been a well-kept secret until recently,
but there is a working, reliable system for
putting readable time code on your nega¬
camera. Developed by Aaton,
it is a viable method now being employed
by camera crews in a wide variety of
productions.
Imagine this: a film-to-tape
transfer session where the original field
audio tapes automatically follow the film
tive, in the
no matter how short the takes; where
there is never a problem being two-orthree frames out of sync. And then imag¬
ine a system where any re-transfers or
audio wild tracks can immediately be
attached by number to the appropriate
scene or
shot,
even
months later in final
editing. The savings in telecine costs
alone could run at 25% to 30%.
And what if this system al¬
lowed the field production crew to dis¬
pense
with the entire disruptive slating
- no more bloop lights, no clap
process
sticks,
no
makeshift markers like mike
taps, tooth pops,
handclaps, etcet¬
era-
nothing but
"...
automati¬
cally?
and re¬
corder will stay in
Well,
system ex¬
ists, and it works.
perfect sync at all
times, for at least
constant dead-on
sync,
such
It
a
comes
from
France, its name is
Aaton, and its ec¬
centric inventor is
Jean-Pierre Beauviala. The proprie¬
tary encoding sys¬
tem, which uses
Above: Director
of photography
Amazingly, both
Peter Pilafian
camera
and assistant
Dan
cameraman
Wagner use the
system on loca¬
tion at Hat Creek
Observatory.
Left: The master
clock encoder.
four hours, whether
they are run¬
ning during that
or
not
time..."
Photos
SMPTE standard time code, is
nobody made
about 20 Panavision 35mm cameras,
which are in constant use around Los
what he had in mind. So Beauviala
started designing 16mm cameras that
would behave like musical intruments: as
being used
by Panavision. It is currently installed on
Angeles, primarily by Lorimar. And it is
ideally suited to the "shoot on film, edit
on tape" approach currently favored by
many television producers.
Thirty years ago, a would-be
filmmaker got side-tracked because
a camera
that could do
man-readable code onto the film itself,
at
24, 25,
or
30 frames per second.
Here are the
transparent as possible to the intentions
of the
by Peter Pilafian
production which will reliably and accu¬
rately expose both machine-readable and
ingredients which
viala's constantly evolving designs is the
Aaton XTR with built-in SMPTE time
make up one formula for care-free timecode production: a Nagra S-T/C (stereo
with time code); an Aaton XTR (or modi¬
fied Panaflex) with current software
code. It is
updates;
an
American
Cinematographer
cameraman.
The latest incarnation of Beau-
March 1990
currently the only
camera
in
'Origin C' master clock
en-
65
American Cinematographer - March 1990
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - March 1990
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 1
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 2
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 3
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 4
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 5
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 6
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 7
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 8
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 9
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 10
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 11
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 12
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 13
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 14
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 15
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 16
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 17
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 18
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 19
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 20
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 21
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 22
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 23
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 24
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 25
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 26
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 27
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 28
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 29
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 30
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 31
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 32
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 33
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 34
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 35
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 36
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 37
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 38
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 39
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 40
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 41
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 42
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 43
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 44
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 45
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 46
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 47
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 48
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 49
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 50
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 51
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 52
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 53
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 54
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 55
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 56
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 57
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 58
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 59
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 60
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 61
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 62
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 63
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 64
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 65
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 66
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 67
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 68
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 69
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 70
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 71
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 72
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 73
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 74
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 75
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 76
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 77
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 78
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 79
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 80
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 81
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 82
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 83
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 84
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 85
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 86
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 87
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 88
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 89
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 90
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 91
American Cinematographer - March 1990 - 92
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac199001
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com