How to remove the 10-frame gap when a clip is moved?

Report · Sep 01, 2017

I've been putting up with this problem for years, and it's about time I asked the experts here for their input.

For certain reasons, I don't want to go to multiple timelines, which I think might fix the problem. So, one-timeline only.

I'm using Encore 6.0.1.013, running under OSX 10.9.5. All my clips are 23.976 fps.

Two Observations on my system

In a timeline when trying to move a clip, the minimum move to the right is 10 frames.
When moving left, a clip cannot be moved closer than 10 frames to the previous clip. There is always at least a 10-frame gap.

Ques

Is it possible to:

move a clip to the right on a timeline
align the start point of the audio and video
and then move both of them left, to the edge of the previous video clip?

Report · Sep 02, 2017

I can avoid gaps and get zero frame between segments in DVD by using non-GOP material. I took DV AVI clips and I get no gaps with:

a) video and audio clips, adding multiples per timeline, changing the lengths etc.

b) video and audio in separate clips, adjusting lengths separately, changing the final length

I did not try any GOP material, knowing that it is easy to get exactly the problem you describe. My guess is that EN is not allowing adjustments that violate the GOP boundaries. If your material is GOP source, making changes that only respect GOP boundaries (add a chapter marker and EN will show you), experiment with creating a tiny audio black clip to fill. EN is adding the equivalent when you have an audio gap.

I found enough problems other than these to avoid putting multiple assets on one timeline. So I just avoid it the "easy" way!

Report · Sep 02, 2017

Thanks, Stan, for the feedback. I forgot to mention that the problem occurs in Blu-ray timelines. I've never tried DVD, and I haven't tried multiple timelines either.

Just to confirm that the way I do things at the moment is probably the best – I use Encore to generate "Before Interval" sections when we invite friends over and have movie nights. I try to mimic going to the pictures in the 1950s – a Before Interval section, then the main feature after interval. There might be 40 separate items in the first section: God Save The King, cigarette ads, newsreels, shorts, cartoons, a music video, and coming attractions. It's very easy to assemble them in one timeline, apart from the gap hassle.

Multiple timelines would be even more of a hassle for 40 items, wouldn't it?

Report · Sep 02, 2017

I would create the befores, etc in Premiere and export as one or more sections. With the PR CC to EN CS6, I always calculate bitrates, so it is just as easy to export from PR than to let it transcode in EN.

Not that much of a hassle. The alternative in Encore is playlists: Just import each item as a timeline. Then put the timelines you want into a playlist. You can add the same item more than once. Or create 2 playlists with a different order.

The problem with EN and BD is that it may create short pauses or gaps between items in the playlist or between menu/transitions. You won't know for sure what you have until you are playing back the disk on a player.

Report · Sep 14, 2017

Thanks Stan for the suggestions. The one about adding short audio files to fill the gap is a good workaround. I've generated three: 10ms, 20ms and 30ms to fill in gaps of approximately 1/4 frame, 1/2 frame, and 3/4 frame. Seems to work well. Interesting that EN will not accept m4a files of those lengths. They have to be wav.

You've also prompted me to start playing around with Playlists. And that leads to a few questions in another thread I'll start.

Report · Sep 14, 2017

Thanks for reporting!