MultiCam - three cameras, 2 separate dual sync sound

I'm doing some pre production on a project that will be multicam with three cameras, and two separate 8 channel audio mixers. I remember reading some workflow issues when using dual sync sound with multiple sound sources. The shoot will be TC sync with Tentacle.

My first thought would be to combined the two audio sources into a 16 track poly source, and then use that to sync to the multicam footage. Anyone have experience with this type of workflow that could advise?

I recommend keeping usable audio out of the Multicam.

1. Create the Multicam using only camera media
2. Add the Multicam to a timeline.
3. Add the audio you want to hear under the multicam, and sync it up.
4. Disable the audio track of the Multicam.

This makes mixing in Fairlight later on much easier.

Thanks for the idea Jim, I understand a lot of the usage of multicam is for long take performance type projects. And your approach would certainly work for that type of project.

This isn't a long take "performance". It's a multi-take scripted project with 9 actors, running 16 channels of audio.

I'm not apposed to doing my rough-cut with a mix down initially, but I'm not sure how I'd conform back to the 16 channels of audio after the edit is done.

For situations like that, maybe traditional methods are more appropriate, rather than Multicam?

Sync the appropriate audio file to the relevant video clip, review and edit in Source Viewer.

Hi Ryan
I didn't want to chime in here early as I haven't done two dual-system audio sources before. I've had success using Resolve 18 syncing a whole feature with a single dual-system audio source. Your idea of combining the two sound sources sounds... sound to me.

Here's my workflow for dual-system in Resolve:

I'm doing some pre production on a project that will be multicam with three cameras, and two separate 8 channel audio mixers. I remember reading some workflow issues when using dual sync sound with multiple sound sources. The shoot will be TC sync with Tentacle.

If this is still in pre-production and you're still working on it, I would ask what specific cameras are being used? Can they handle an embedded timecode channel with Genlock sync? Without that, the frames can drift over time.

Also, what specific audio recorders are being used? You'll need to slave one of them to the wordclock out of the other so that they're precisely in sync with each other, and run off the exact same timecode.

This is more complicated than you might think -- multicamera projects are tough. I've done many projects with 24+ tracks of audio, but only on a single recorder, so there's no complications with sync. I've seen 2 hour concerts stay in sync 100% of the time, even when cameras stopped and re-started, so it can be done if you use really good cameras, all connected in the same way. I think the record for me was a 22-camera concert back in 2008, which took three people working almost 4 months just to sync up all the material... but that was film, done with no timecode on the picture (per se).

I would say a timecode slate on set will be mandatory, since that way everybody can check timecode at any moment.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I've done the multicam workflow many times with a single dual sync sound set up and the tentacle syncs. So far I 've had great success with this workflow, both with syncing, logging and editing. The new challenge is the second 8 tracks of audio. I'm hoping I can get the audio recorders ahead of the shoot to test my theory. One recorder is the Zoom F8 and the other is the Zoom F8NPro.

If I'm able to combined both audio sources into one 16channel audio file, I should be able to work with my previous multicam workflow. If I'm not, I'm really not sure what I'm goin to do. But I guess testing is one of the only ways to know for sure.