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Start Frame Improvements (What's New in 2024)

The Clips and Timeline segments source media start and end values now show a dedicated value instead of showing the output of a converted timecode value; they now have their own Start Frame metadata. This Start Frame is decoupled from the timecode value that can be set inside the application.

This new Start Frame means updates to the following areas of the software:

Flame Learning Channel: Metadata Improvements - Start Frame

  • Preferences
  • Media Import
  • Media Export
  • Timeline
  • Player
  • Batch
  • Reformat tools
  • List View
  • Burn-in Metadata
  • Tools
  • Conform and Connected Conform

Preferences

The Start Frame setting that was previously available in the Batch/BFX moves the General tab and becomes the default Start Frame value accessible throughout the software.

The Preference named Use in Create Batch Group option is now disabled by default. With this option disabled, when you create a Batch Group from the Conform environment or from the Timeline, the source media Start Frame is used as the Batch Start Frame. On the other hand, if Use in Create Batch Group is enabled, the Batch Group created uses the Start Frame value defined in the Preferences.

Note: If you use the contextual menu or the New button to create a Batch Group, the Start Frame is set to the Start Frame defined in the Preferences.

Media Import

The file sequence index is now used to set the Start Frame value: a clip named SH01-Car-Beaty.1001.exr now imports with Start Frame 1001.

Open Clips and pattern browsing of file sequences also use the file index to set the Start Frame.

Note: The Start Frame value for movie and audio files is always set to 1. Use Tools > Utilities > Change Frame (or Reformat) to change their Start Frame. You can also use Contextual menu > Change Start Frame in Timeline.

Media Export

In the Media Export window, in Video Options, the Frame Index now contains more options to manage the Start Frame.

  • Use Preference: Use the Start Frame value set in Preferences > General > Start Frame. This is the default value.
  • Use Timecode: Same as in previous releases, it uses the timecode of the clip to create the frame index.
  • Use Start Frame: This updated option uses the Start Frame of the content to generate the file index. If you do a Sequence Publish, the Include Handles option adjusts the index value.
  • Custom Start Frame: This new option mimics the legacy Use Start Frame option. It allows you to set a Start Frame when exporting media files.

    With Custom Start Frame, if you perform a shot publish and select Include Handles, then the index starts at the first exported frame, not the first frame of the segment. For example, if you have 10 frames of handles and want the segment to start at 1001, you need to set the Custom Start Frame at 991.

Timeline

A Sequence always starts at frame 1, but its individual segments can have different Start Frames.

The frame range displayed at the bottom of the Timeline canvas now displays the media Start Frame for sources.

If you set General preference > Display > Both, the source frame and timecode information are displayed inside a Timeline segment the information box when the general display is set to Timecode.

You can now change the Start Frame of a timeline segment with Segment contextual menu > Change Start Frame. The new value is applied to the first visible frame of each selected segment.

Timeline FX

In Timewarp editor, there is a new Start Frame menu.

  • Pre TW: Returns the Start Frame of the segment as the Start Frame at the beginning of the segment and then increment by one for other frames. This is the new default.
  • Post TW: Returns the Start Frame of the frame seen with the Timewarp FX.
  • Custom: The Start Frame at the beginning of the segment is obtained from a numeric that belongs to the Timewarp FX. When the Timewarp FX is set to Custom mode using Change Start Frame modifies the Timewarp FX instead of the source. This mode is the recommended one for content with a negative Timewarp FX.

When using Connected Segments, a change to the Start Frame option of the Timewarp FX updates all the Connected Segments. To limit the scope of the Start Frame change, disable Use Segment Connections option.

Player

All the time indications have been updated to display the source media Start Frame value when applicable.

In Flame Preferences > General > Player > Source Time Mode box , the new Show Source TC and Frame option displays both the timecode and frame value anywhere the source information appears. This is now the default option.

Batch

Using the Batch Timing view, you can align clips using their Start Frame with the Use Start Frame option instead of only relying on the timecode.

By default, when you apply a Batch FX to a segment, the Start Frame of that segment sets the BFX Start Frame. If you need your BFX to start at frame 1, disable Flame preferences > Batch/BFX > Batch FX > Use Media Start Frame.

Start Frame No Longer Editable

The Start Frame changes from a numeric field to a non-editable field so it is no longer possible to modify the value by mistake.

The drop-down button associated to the field now offers three options:

  • Change Start Frame: The calculator is opened so a new value can be defined.
  • Use Start Frame Value: The value set in Preferences → General → Start Frame is used.
  • Use First Clip Value: The start frame value of the first clip dropped in the Batch Group is used.

Clip Reformat and Change Frame tools

You can now use Clip Reformat and the new Change Frame tool to edit Start Frame of a clip.

The Change Frame tool is available in Tools tab > Utilities > Reformat.

Clip Reformat is available from a clip contextual menu and the Tools tab.

The Change Timecode tool can now affect the Start Frame, Update Start Frame. If you select Update Start Frame, changing the timecode also updates the Start Frame to match the new timecode.

Tip: You cannot modify the Start Frame of a sequence.

List View

In the Media Panel, Conform, and MediaHub, the List views now displays both the Source TC and Source Frame information.

Flame Preferences > User Interface > Time Display Mode > Time Display Mode box only affects the In and Out Marks, and Media Duration information.

List View with start and end timecodes, and frames values for media start, end, and duration

Time Display Mode box

Burn-In Metadata

In the Frame Layer, the Source Media option now displays the source media Start Frame instead of a converted timecode value.

Tools

From the Tools tab, when you load a tool with a clip, the tool now uses the Start Frame of clip.

If the clip contains keyframes and starts at a frame that differs from the previous clip, you are asked to slip the keyframes to match the new Start Frame. This offsets the keyframes to match the Start Frame.

Note: For Desktop Paint, the keyframes cannot be slipped and you will have the choice between resetting Desktop Paint or not.

Conform

You can now change the Start Frame of selected timeline segments with Contextual Menu > Change Start Frame.

The Start Frame information is no longer displayed for unlinked segments.

Connected Conform

After creating a Sources Sequence or using Contextual menu > Create Source Segments Connections, changing the Start Frame from the Sources Sequence now also updates the connected segments.

Tip: Don't forget to set the Shot Names in the Sources Sequence: not only is it good practice, but it also simplifies Shot Publishing.

If you need to apply different VFX to a shared segment:

  1. On the segment you want to isolate in your deliverable sequence, select Remove Segment Connection from the context menu to break the connection with other segments.
  2. Select Duplicate Source from the context menu to disconnect the segment.
  3. You can now change the Start Frame and Update the Shot Name.
  4. Click Update Sources Sequence.

    A new segment is now visible.

  5. Important: Not setting a Shot Name for content sharing a source can cause issues when generating the Sources Sequence.

Consider Start Frame is a new option in the Conform Options menu. It configures how Sources Sequence handles duplicated content. With Consider Start Frame, the creation and update of the Sources Sequence ensures that duplicated content with different source Start Frame is visible in Sources Sequence. When the option is disabled, multiple instances of the same media are seen as a single segment.

Shots Sequence

Any Start Frame modification done on the Shots Sequence updates every connected segment.

Content with Timewarp FX has its Start Frame option set to the Custom mode. This ensures that the Start Frame from the source is correctly mapped to the segments with Timewarp FX.

Shot Publishing Sources Sequences & Shots Sequence

Publishing Sources Sequences & Shots Sequence allows the connected from the connected sequences to use the published shots. When publishing, make sure to set the Frame Index in the Video Options tab of Media Export to Use Start Frame so that the published content uses the right Start Frame information.

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