5 Common Timecode Mistakes in Post-Production

A single timecode error can cost thousands of dollars in fixes if it isn't caught before color grading or sound mixing. Here are the most common pitfalls to avoid.

1. Mixing Drop and Non-Drop Frame

This is the #1 killer of broadcast delivery. If your timeline is set to Drop Frame (DF) but your source footage is Non-Drop (NDF), your edit will look fine, but your EDL (Edit Decision List) will be wrong. When you send it to the online editor, every cut will be shifted.

2. Confusing 23.976 with 24.00

They look almost identical, but they drift apart by 3.6 seconds every hour. If you try to sync audio recorded at 48kHz (true time) with video running at 23.976 without flagging it correctly, your actors' lips will be out of sync by the end of the scene.

3. Starting Timelines at 00:00:00:00

Professional editors rarely start a timeline at zero. Why? Because if you need to add a transition or color bars before the start, you go into negative numbers, which breaks many systems.

The industry standard is to start the program at 01:00:00:00 or 10:00:00:00.

4. Ignoring 29.97 in Audio

Sound mixers need to know the frame rate too. If they export their WAV files without the correct timecode metadata stamp, the files won't snap to the correct place in Avid or Premiere Pro.

5. Relying on Mental Math

Humans are bad at base-60 math (seconds) mixed with base-24 or base-30 math (frames). Trying to calculate "1000 frames from now" in your head usually leads to a 1-2 frame error.