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Music, art & photography · course 91 of 105

Frame-Perfect Timecode Maths

Convert timecode to frames and back at 24, 25 and 30 fps, time any clip from its in and out points, and read 29.97 drop-frame timecode without second-guessing.

4 modules

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Preview

What it teaches

The frame maths editors do every day: turning HH:MM:SS:FF timecode into frames and back at 24, 25 and 30 fps, timing a clip from its in and out points, and reading 29.97 drop-frame timecode (which labels it skips, and why an hour of 29.97 non-drop timecode runs 3.6 seconds longer than the clock). The AI asks 3 questions, places you, shows a short card per module, then gives you one problem at a time and checks your answer against the answer key (every frame count and timecode in it computed by script).

How long

32 items. About 20-50 rounds plus a 12-item final: 1-2 sessions (estimate, not timed with a real student). The tutor gives a one-line save code at the end of each session.

The modules

4 modules, drilled one item at a time.

  1. M0

    The words

    What the timecode words mean

  2. M1

    Timecode to frames

    Turn a timecode into a frame count

  3. M2

    Frames to timecode

    Turn a frame count into a timecode

  4. M3

    Durations and drop-frame

    Clip durations and drop-frame labels

Before it teaches, it asks

  1. 1
    What do you edit in, and at what frame rate do you usually work: 24, 25, 30 or 29.97?
  2. 2
    At 24 fps, how many frames is 00:00:01:12?
  3. 3
    At 24 fps, what timecode is frame count 90 (counting from 00:00:00:00)?

What’s exact, and what isn’t

Show

Straight from the course’s own notes.

Computed by script
Every frame count and timecode; the drop-frame converter reproduces both of Wikipedia’s worked examples (non-drop 01:00:00:00 = drop-frame 01:00:03;18). Every key was also written by hand first and had to match.
Sourced
Timecode format, frame rates and the drop-frame rule from Wikipedia’s SMPTE timecode and Frame rate articles, 11 short quotes matched word for word on 2026-10-11.
Not in it yet
23.976 and 59.94 drop rules, film feet+frames, software menus.