In and Out of Sync

When you work in production or post-production, you spend a lot of time thinking about sync--sync of the video and audio being recorded, sync of the video and audio being edited, and sync of all the pieces and parts that have to happen at the same time in order for your production to work. It can make you crazy, because sometimes, sync--of any kind--is hard to find. And when things fall out of sync, the result can be chaos, whether it's a stunt that doesn't work, or a joke that falls flat, or simply people who look as though they are in a badly dubbed foreign movie.   So, how is it that you maintain sync, in production, in post, AND in life?   It's not easy. Despite all the technology in the world, there are a lot of moving parts in what you see on television. Making them run in sync requires not only the proper tools, but the right communication as well. Not so different from life, like when your child gets picked up from the right place on the right day at the right time, not because it just happens, but because of the series of calls or emails or systems worked out that make that happen (and sometimes the crisis management that happens when something goes wrong). In post, sync can be a constant challenge--video and audio not matched up to begin with certainly pose a problem, but a tiny cut, without attention paid to locking sync or making the cut on all tracks, can ruin you. Before you know it, your characters are speaking a "language" you've never heard before. Not so different from life, like when you work late and miss the first few parts of your kids' stories about their days, and end up woefully behind when they get to the end. The words and pictures might still be there, but the sync is most definitely gone.   How do you maintain sync, in work or in life, when there are so many constantly moving parts that it's nearly impossible to control their sync? Communication--so that you know when sync might be lost, and you take control of it before it's so far out that you'd might as well start all over. Stepping back once in a while--so you can really know where you stand. A little quiet--so you can see and hear when the sync of life is faltering. And willingness to shift things, even a few frames, to make the pieces align again.   It's hard to stay in sync, whether in TV or in life. It's not impossible, though, especially with the right tools and the right attention and persistence. And when everything is in sync, both TV and life can be a lot of fun to watch.