Avid?s ScriptSync ? An Overview

masteringfilm.com by Steve Hullfish

If you have a script, you can import it into Media Composer. With the script imported, it is then possible to link specific shots and takes to exact portions of the script. This is similar in appearance to a traditionally marked-up script from a script supervisor. Actually, you or an assistant editor can use those marked-up scripts from the script supervisor to match the shots in another bin to the script pages.

ScriptSync can be used in Avid without a license if you are willing to hand-sync each line of script with the matching audio. The licensed version allows you to automatically match the audio in the files with the phonetic sounds in the words of each line.

The basic process is to export a script as a .txt file from a program like FinalDraft. Then, in Avid, import the script. With the script open in Avid, listen to the various takes in a scene and then select the lines in the script covered by the take. With the lines selected, drag the clip onto the selected lines in the script. This links that take to the selected section of the script. You?ll see a line, similar to the way a script supervisor marks up a script (see below), running down along those lines of script with a thumbnail of the take at the top. Continue to do this for each take. Eventually, you?ll be able to see which takes cover which lines of the script (see below). When this is done, select the clips and choose ScriptSync. This uses phonetics in the audio file to match the exact words in the script to the exact moments in the clips that those words are spoken. With this done, you can click on any line of the script and audition the exact moment of that line in every take done of that line. read more...

Note: Script Sync is not supported in the latest version of Media Composer [ Software MC8. It does still work with MC 6, 6.5 and 7

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	Avid Script Sync for Media Composer $979.00			Avid ScriptSync and PhraseFind bundle $1,250.00			Avid PhraseFind for Media Composer $479.00