Picture-to-Sound Sync
Timecode, waveform or clap sync, frame-accurate, with the camera reference track disabled once your separate recorder is locked and XML/AAF handoff for the edit.
Reliable sync work that keeps edits flowing
How picture-to-sound sync works
Syncing isn't just lining up claps, it is protecting performance and preserving the natural rhythm captured on set.
I combine technical rigor with musicality, ensuring dialogue, instruments, and atmospheres breathe together.
Expect timelines that are mix-ready, easy to version, and reliable however many cameras or recorders the shoot involved.
On dual-system sound shoots, podcast video, multi-camera interviews and live capture, the clean audio lives on a separate recorder while the camera only holds a scratch reference. I sync that separate recorder to picture in DaVinci Resolve, build waveform-accurate synced clips, group the multicam angles, then disable the in-camera reference track so the timeline carries the recorder's clean source from the first frame.
Drift almost always traces back to a format mismatch caught too late, so I verify sample rate and frame rate before aligning anything and validate across the full length of each take, keeping a clip that locks at the head holding at the tail. When a guide or scratch track needs cleaning before the picture department gets it, I handle that in Pro Tools and iZotope RX, and any compositing or shot-level fix happens in Fusion inside Resolve.
Project highlights
- Timecode-based or manual waveform syncing
- Clapperless shoots recovered with creative references
- Grouped sequences for multi-cam timelines
- Dual-system sound: separate recorder synced to camera, in-camera reference track disabled once locked
- Sample rate and frame rate verified up front (48 kHz vs 44.1 kHz, drop-frame vs non-drop-frame) to stop progressive drift
- Synced in DaVinci Resolve and Fusion; audio clean-up in Pro Tools and iZotope RX
What You Receive
- Synced sequences per scene or song
- Clear labeling of wild tracks and alt takes
- XML/AAF exports for other teams
- Synced clips with the camera scratch reference replaced by the separate recorder's clean audio
- Grouped multicam timelines for podcast video, multi-camera interviews and live capture
Picture-to-sound sync is the alignment of dialogue, music, and multi-camera footage to the frame, ready for editing. Delivered remotely worldwide and on-site in Paris, it locks sound to picture by timecode or by waveform and clap/flash markers, returns labelled synced clips with XML/AAF exports for other teams, and on dual-system shoots swaps the in-camera scratch audio for your separate recorder so the take carries clean sound. Sources are checked for sample rate (48 kHz vs 44.1 kHz) and frame rate before alignment so audio does not drift over a long take.
At a glance
| Service | Frame-accurate picture-to-sound sync |
| Sync methods | Timecode, waveform, or clap/flash markers |
| Multicam | Multi-camera and clapperless takes grouped and re-aligned |
| Deliverables | Synced sequences per scene or song, clearly labelled |
| Exports | XML/AAF for other teams |
| Checks | Source formats, frame rate, and sample rate (48 kHz vs 44.1 kHz) verified to prevent drift |
| Where | Remote worldwide and on-site in Paris |
| Dual-system sound | Separate recorder synced to picture, in-camera reference disabled once locked |
| Tools | DaVinci Resolve and Fusion for sync; Pro Tools and iZotope RX for audio clean-up |
Sync methods and when each is used
| Method | When it is used |
|---|---|
| Timecode | When timecode is available on the sources |
| Waveform | When timecode is not available, aligned to the frame and checked in real time for drift |
| Clap / flash markers | When timecode is not available, using on-set clap or flash references; clapperless shoots recovered with on-set references |
hanna-eng.com picture-to-sound sync page (FAQ and overview)
Sync Workflow
Frame-accurate alignment tuned for fast edits
Review
Check source formats, frame rates, and timecode integrity, and flag the mismatches that cause drift: 44.1 kHz audio against a 48 kHz timeline, a drop-frame versus non-drop-frame discrepancy, or a separate recorder clocked slightly off the camera.
Alignment
Align every take to the frame in DaVinci Resolve, by timecode where it exists and waveform-accurate alignment where it does not, then build synced clips and group multicam angles. On dual-system sound the camera reference track is disabled once your separate recorder is locked in, so the edit carries the clean source.
Validation
Spot-check in real time across the length of each clip and note any drift risks, so a take that locks at the head still holds at the tail. Where audio needs a clean-up pass before handoff I work in Pro Tools and iZotope RX.
Keep the edit in rhythm
I'll secure the sync so you can focus on performance and pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you sync audio and video?
By timecode when it's available, or by waveform and clap / flash markers when it isn't, aligned to the frame and checked in real time for drift.
Can you sync multicam footage?
Yes, multi-camera shoots and clapperless takes are grouped and re-aligned using on-set references, ready for editing.
What do you deliver?
Synced sequences per scene or track, clearly labelled, with XML/AAF exports for other teams.
Why does my audio drift out of sync over a long take?
Drift is almost always a format mismatch, not a mistake in the cut. The most common causes are audio recorded at 44.1 kHz placed on a 48 kHz timeline, a frame rate or drop-frame versus non-drop-frame discrepancy between camera and recorder, and a separate recorder running on a slightly different clock from the camera, which all push sound progressively ahead of or behind picture across a long take. I check sample rate and frame rate before aligning, then validate across the full length of each clip so it holds at the tail as well as the head.
Do you handle multicam and dual-system sound?
Yes. Multi-camera shoots are grouped and re-aligned, and on dual-system sound the clean audio from a separate recorder is synced to picture in DaVinci Resolve, waveform-accurate or by timecode where it exists. Once the recorder is locked in, the in-camera reference track is disabled so the synced clips carry the clean source. This is the usual setup for podcast video, multi-camera interviews and live capture.
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