The Problem with Timecode

Timecode as it exists today is arbitrary and imprecise, and conflates its role of identifying an individual media element and functioning as a time clock. As we move more and more into file based, cloud first workflows, we need a new time labeling standard that empowers and achieves the same level of complexity that advancements in our video and audio pipelines do. — To address this, we evaluate a number of glaring problems with timecode to understand what problems need solving, and what is required in a new standard. — A new standard needs to be extensible and designed to work inside of a file instead of a video signal. A new standard also needs to address all samples — video frames, audio samples, and data samples — while also avoiding the limitations of a 24-hour clock. Additionally, it should allow for layers in order to track manipulation through a pipeline. A frame or sample should be able to be identified from a delivered file back to its original source. — The creation of a precise time labeling system that allows us not only to provide and accurate sense of when a sample was created, but also by whom and what it is, is required to empower the next generation of digital workflow and creative tools.

Published

2021-11

Content type

Original Research

Keywords

Timecode, Digital Cinema, Cloud, Post Production, Production, UTC, time label

DOI

10.5594/M001940