Matching Digitized Film to sound

[Stephen Varden]

Hi, everyone as a newbie to this site forgive me if the this question as been answered before, but here goes.

I recentley digitized some of my 8mm and Super 8 films using a Film scanner made by Reflecta, which scanned 2 frames per second. This device made a digital copy of my films at 20 fps, in mp4 format onto a SD memory card.
I then recorded directly from my Eumig 822 film projector the audio from these converted films using the line input on my pc

I noticed that the length of the recorded sounds and the length of the digitized videos are different in length, for example one film was 14 minutes for the film and 15 minutes for the audio recording. I am presuming this is to do with the frame rate conversion of the film differing from the recorded audio made directly from the projector, or the way the digitizer converts the film.

My question is , what is the best way to match the video length to the audio length , to get a reasonable sync. when they are put together, using video or audio editing software on my computer.

Thank you

Kind regards to all

[Jon Bang]

Hi, everyone as a newbie to this site forgive me if the this question as been answered before, but here goes.

I recentley digitized some of my 8mm and Super 8 films using a Film scanner made by Reflecta, which scanned 2 frames per second. This device made a digital copy of my films at 20 fps, in mp4 format onto a SD memory card.
I then recorded directly from my Eumig 822 film projector the audio from these converted films using the line input on my pc

I noticed that the length of the recorded sounds and the length of the digitized videos are different in length, for example one film was 14 minutes for the film and 15 minutes for the audio recording. I am presuming this is to do with the frame rate conversion of the film differing from the recorded audio made directly from the projector, or the way the digitizer converts the film.

My question is , what is the best way to match the video length to the audio length , to get a reasonable sync. when they are put together, using video or audio editing software on my computer.

Thank you

Kind regards to all

The speed on 8mm/super 8 is 16-18 frames/second. The reflecta is making the movie in 20fps, unknown why...
But you just stretch the sound to the same length as the movie. That should do it. I think :-)

[Nantawat Kittiwarakul]

Most video editor software should be able to stretch/squeeze the audio track independently from the video track. Just squeeze/stretch it until seems proper.

By the way set the playback speed of the video track to proper speed first of course!

[Gregory Oliver]

There is a free-ware program called Audacity that I use. Load the audio file, and under the effect drop down line is change speed. A positive number shortens the length and vice versa. Tweak it to the correct time and then export as a WAV file.
Good luck,
Gregory

[David Brown]

Stephen

I've worked in video production and also had to add audio to my old home movies. Many of my older 8mm films had audio recorded on an un-synced cassette tape.

I've found that most folks can not perceive small speed changes, if the film is running a little slow or fast, but can easily hear the audio out of time. I would get the audio to sound good, and then force the video length to match it. If you have dialogue, there is another step to get lip sync. I'm guessing most of us don't.

I've had 8mm films outsourced and they come back at 30fps, but the playback was good. It's each frame's timing that matters. Played back at 30fps and looked like 18fps. That's done to avoid DVD/Blue Ray playback issues (I've heard).

I think most home movies look better at 15fps, even when they were shot at 16 or 18. The camera movement, panning and zooming, was usually done too fast!

[Lee Mannering]

Hi Stephen. By now your brain must be buzzing!

To simplify it..
having transferred your film images at 20fps you will be needing some basic video editing software to use on a computer. Premiere elements will do.

Bring your film file into that software onto a timeline and you can as already stated shrink or stretch it's running speed to THE SPEED it was filmed at probably 18fps. The software will convert/ conform it for you.

Next bring your sound track into the software and you will be able to place it on the audio timeline.

This type of software enables you to make a dvd blu-ray or video file via EXPORT

Speaking for myself I've been transferring film 8mm 9.5 16mm 17.5 gauges since 1978 and still learning even tho I'm a media pro.

If you are using a reflecta buy yourself some Film Guard to protect film from scratching..that's if you are using the silver fronted Reflecta machine.

Professional scanning service we supply here now works on a similar principle although about 20 times the image quality. Sound we are on the same level.

I'm pleased you have a Eumig known in the uk as The old work horse at least in the1970s.
good luck