Joe Versus The Volcano - need help with LD audio sync and original logos

[applesandrice]

For years, I've been hoping to get my all-time favorite film, "Joe Versus the Volcano" on Blu-ray. 10 years into the format, however, that doesn't seem very likely to happen. With that in mind, and inspired by the many fantastic projects both here and at OriginalTrilogy, I thought I might try and create my own.

Some years ago, I obtained a 720p copy of the film from an HD broadcast. Hoping to pair this with a lossless (original stereo) soundtrack, I ripped my laserdisc, and then set about trying to sync that with the HD video. Lacking knowledge, experience, and time, however, I eventually gave up. I was also dissatisfied with having only highly-compressed 720p video. Never one to throw anything out, the project has been on my harddrive ever since, calling to me every now and then to give it another shot. Furthermore, after years of searching, last week I discovered a relatively good quality 1080p rip of the film!

That being said, at this moment, my plan is to construct a Blu-ray of "Joe Versus The Volcano", with the original lossless stereo track (as well as the DVD's DD 5.1 track), and an assortment of special features. Once completed, I'd like to share it with the Spleen community, and anyone else who's interested.

As a rank amateur, I would GREATLY appreciate any help that could be provided with the syncing process! If someone experienced would be willing to take over, I'd be thrilled to pieces, but I'd be glad for any help at all. I'm also hoping to obtain the original 1990-era WB logos (opening and closing) for the film. Does anyone here have access to these, or know of an existing Blu-ray source?

Thanks, and best wishes!

[PDB]

Well applesandrice, I wish you good luck on your first project. I will definitely want to watch it when you are done.

I can't claim to be a syncing expert, in fact I'm mired in nothing but syncing issues right now. But I can offer some advice. There are two ways to sync an audio file that I know of, via sound or video. With sound you just lay the two tracks down (the sync track and the new track) and just listen to when it goes out of sync or gets echo-y (best heard on the dialogue parts). Then cut the new track till the waveform peaks match as close as possible and use a little crossfade to cover the cut. The other way is to ivtc your ld cap's video (assuming its in sync with the audio) and then match them on a timeline in Premiere or what ever NLE you use. This way is better since you get better sync for quiet sections but it also requires a lot more pre-work.

[applesandrice]

Thanks, PDB! Up 'til now, I've been trying to sync using just the audio, but haven't had much luck. The LD track seems to drift all over the place, as I'll get one area synced up, and a minute later, it's back out again. I do have Premiere, so using the video, too might be the way to go. When I captured the audio, I neglected to save the video, though, so it's gonna require another recording session! Oh, well. Of all of the tasks necessary to finish this, recapturing the A/V will probably take the least amount of time.

[jerryshadoe]

If your audio is going out of sync that often, assuming that there is no "extra" footage on either source, then it sounds like you are trying to sync NTSC to PAL (or vice versa) which means a speed (and possibly pitch) correction is needed. The value is different depending on which one you are trying to sync to which one. If you are trying to sync PAL to NTSC then a speed correction of -4.096% is required, however if going from NTSC to PAL, then a correction of +4.271% is needed...

The math behind the numbers is explained in an old post here: http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/30987...ost1911215

[TServo2049]

Hmmm, I wonder what 2.35:1 films have been made available in HD and kept the Time Warner (not Entertainment) version of the WB logo that was on this and other 1990-92 films.

I think both the opening and closing logos (if this film used the full logo and didn't put it in th credits scroll) are kept intact on a Blu-Ray of Ricochet - it may be the German one, is there any other BD of that film?

[PDB]

In theory a LD of a movie should match up to its DVD or BD counterpart pretty simply. But in reality, I have never seen one match anywhere close. If I remember correctly I got lucky with Batman and that took only 20 edits. Something like Temple of Doom took 120 edits (I was full OCD on that one). So the problems you are having seem with in the normal realm to me.

[applesandrice]

Yeah, it's nothing as blatant as a PAL/NTSC mismatch, but that's probably what makes it so aggravating! There are so many subtle differences: the LD track will creep ahead slightly, then fall behind, then go back ahead again, and on and on and on ...

TServo2049 -- I checked blu-ray.com for info on "Ricochet". There was only one entry there for a US release, which apparently never came out.

[bendermac]

I think both the opening and closing logos (if this film used the full logo and didn't put it in th credits scroll) are kept intact on a Blu-Ray of Ricochet - it may be the German one, is there any other BD of that film?

There is no Blu-ray for Ricochet from 1991 anywhere on the world at this point. Unless you mean the 2011 movie with the same title

[applesandrice]

Based on TServo2049's suggestion about the proper WB logos appearing on the film "Ricochet", I did find a 1080i copy online, and it does, in fact, include both! I think we're in business!

[TServo2049]

That was surprisingly easy, I was worried that there wouldn't be HD versions of the 'scope logos out there! (The flat 1.85:1 opening logo from that era is, I think, intact on the Goodfellas BD, but not sure if that film had the standalone closing logo.)