Outputting a master sequence to tape is not as simple as it appears. It’s not like a screening dub where you can slam the record button and let it roll. Outputting a master is the last opportunity to gauge quality control before it goes out into the world.

It is important for you to learn how to operate a VTR so that you know how to pre-stripe a tape for output. This tutorial cannot cover all of the variations between VTRs, but they generally have the same functions. While you can surely figure it our by reading the manual, you are far better off having someone teach you how to do it. Here is a checklist:

• Patch video black into the VTR, set the VTR video input to the correct input mode.
• Pre-set the deck to the correct timecode format: DF or NDF.
• Set the internal timecode generator to Preset, and set the start timecode to 00:58:40:00 via the dial menu.
• Record black for the entire length of the tape, unbroken, or for at least as far as you will need to output your master, plus a few minutes.
• When it has completed recording, patch the output video/audio from your edit system to the deck, and set the VTR to digital input (or whatever mode you are outputting by), then rewind the tape.
• Make sure the VTR is set to Remote control.
• Patch the composite video output of the VTR to a monitor you can watch as it records down.
• Patch VTR audio out to your mixing board or to some other sound monitoring system so you can hear it while it records down.

Do not indiscriminately output to tape with wild timecode unless it really truly doesn’t matter. I recommend pre-striping a tape then outputting in Insert edit mode rather than doing an Assemble edit. Do an Assemble edit only if you are in a time crunch. Drop frame is used exclusively for broadcast/cable programming. Non-drop is used for everything else. Program should start at 1:00:00:00 no matter which form of timecode you use. If you accidentally layout your master sequence in the wrong timecode format, change it, then check your program to see if it still starts at 1:00:00:00. I never output from the Canvas – only from the Viewer. It’s a workaround leftover from a bug in FCP 4, but it always works.

When you output to tape ALWAYS look at a monitor and listen to the sound that is coming off tape, and NOT what is coming off of the editing system. This is called confidence playback for a reason. (Don’t ask me how many times I have outputted an entire program to tape where the VTR was set to the wrong video input and I never bothered to monitor the VTR output. The editing system doesn’t care what the deck is set to!). This will also protect you in case there is a glitch on the tape or a reference sync problem and you can see the results of the problem right off. These kinds of glitches will NOT be seen if you are watching the master record to tape while watching edit system playback. For 4-track outputs, make sure all four tracks are actually recording.

If you have a chance to watch the whole program again playing off tape, then do it. If not, spot check the master tape all the way through, and then go beyond the program just to be sure you didn’t grab a used tape and there is some other leftover program after the end of your output. Even if the tape looked like it was a virgin tape, you had better be sure it was!

But wait! You’re not done yet! Some clients require outputting what’s called a Protection Master. You can either clone your master or simply output another copy of your master. There is a reason behind this other than simply having a backup master. More on this later in the Archiving section. You might also have to output a “No Titles” version, which is your master without any graphical text or credits. This is usually for revising the master for international markets.