How to Sync Multiple Video and Audio Tracks: Multiple Cameras, Angles & Tracks!

Syncing up multiple video and audio streams CAN be incredibly painful... but with the right tools it's easy! Here's how.
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How to Sync Video and Audio: Multiple Cameras and Tracks

When I first started out in video production, on my first multi-camera shoot I had no idea how to sync video tracks from multiple sources. I sat there for hours trying to manually sync up all the video and audio tracks for editing (If you've ever tried this you know how painful it can be!) It didn’t take long for me to discover there was a much quicker way...

You’ve probably seen a clapper board many times before, but not known exactly what it’s for… Well, it's a tool filmmakers use to simplify the process of syncing up their footage across multiple cameras and microphones. The way it works is incredibly simple: The board provides both a visual and audio marker at a specific moment in time that filmmakers can use in post-production to sync up each camera/microphone.

You can easily use the same method to sync up your audio and video sources, even without a clapper board - and that’s what we’re running through in this video!

Hope this saves you some serious time too!

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[decemberset]

I can't believe for all these years I haven't realised the purpose of a clapper board!

[Kairosmusic]

Wow so simple but a huge time saver!! Thank you! Can't believe I never realised why they use clapper boards haha

[kevincowan]

Great video. I used to do live multi camera weddings, events, bands and the like. I would start all my ( sometimes 4) cameras rolling and then I would pop off a flash from still camera. There was my perfect sync point because the flash took only 1 frame of video so I would just jog them all to that point in multiple vcrs then hit the pause on the remote and all the cameras were playing together in sync into my video mixing board. That was back in the day there is probably tons of new equipment now to do this.

[Dixiedasher]

Thank you.I Never realized the use of the clapper board, and the video tip was short and straight to the point.

[Firecam]

Most helpful thing I have seen on this topic so far.

[brianbaugusmusic]

Wow, so simple...didn't realize this is all I needed. Thanks for the great video!

[DavidLopez-bryn]

Exactly what I was looking for, a trick like that. Now, the next stage is: how to find a way for sound channels to sync automatically to such signal. You mention pluraleyes, by now. This step is going to be a delicate zone.

[JenricAquino]

Thanks for this video! I'm currently working on multiple projects that involve syncing and this was really helpful! Again, thanks!

[Saladcreamboi]

2 years of content creating and a lifetime movie lover and I never knew thats what the clapper was for. Cheers Justin!

My question is are there any mobile apps you can recommend for audio sync?

[RodneyJonesTeachings]

thank you this was very helpful, especially about the board, wow never knew that.

[lizpackwoodphotographyandv]

Thank you yes, this is a great reminder 🙏

[ProducerGio]

Also make sure your using a editor where you can view audio waveforms

[thenewcanvas]

Thanks, Justin, I am going to check out Pluraleyes! fingers crossed

[LunerversalFilmTV]

But can you do that with the "RED CAMERA" How do you Sync Multiple Red Cameras and Audio? Plural Eyes do not work with Red Footage.

[minhduongthuong]

Video files should store recorded time data acurately to miliseconds (10:07:21:0015, Sunday, 12 May 2019), so we can sync two ( or more) videos with this data.

[HeathifyMyLife]

Hi Justin thank you for your helpful sharing: that is for a more advanced stadium for me ;) but certainly useful. I just uploaded a video and I choose a track from youtube of a 6 minute length: the thing is the video is of 14 minutes length. Do you know how to apply the same track (from youtube) for a longer periode so that it matches your video length and does not stop at minute 6; that is rather frustating

[CarTribu]

thank you for this video! wish i watched before i shot my 4 camera video :)

[JamesVibe]

be careful in my experience the audio is always a frame or two off from the video. So on a clapper - in post... I say the visual of the stick hitting is my sync "point in" regardless of the audio....which is never right on the mark. Then i line the audio up on the visual clap

[SandeepAcharya]

Thank you, it was very good explanation Justin. Would appreciate if you can share some tips on editing multi camera footage and same audio in iMovie

[ian.bravo]

I do this clapper trick but for some reason When I sync up in the early minutes. Its sways out of sync in a few minutes into the recording. Even though it was synced up when I did the clap trick. And its really painful to edit.
Set up is 2 camera 3 lavalier microphones recorded on phone using voice recorder app.