What is a timed copy?
 

I feel this is a stupid question with an obvious answer but not being sure, I'll ask anyway.

I have a client who asked me if I could give him a rough cost on running timed copies of the tapes (24h total) from their project (not shot by me).

I'm assuming this is just a tape dub or DVD transfer of the original tapes with burned in timecode. Am I way off?

That's what I would think. It's so they can do some pre-edit timing and not burn up expensive suite time looking through tape for the right cuts

Yes that's what I thought but I replied with a pricing on 24h of DVD tranfers of the tapes with burned in timecode and he Emailed me once again asking for the cost of timed copies of the tapes. So then I got confused.

Maybe he didn't see my previous Email but if it's not the case I'm hesitant to go ask what exactly he means by timed copies, that would make me look at bit incompetent if it was an obvious editing term that somehow I am not aware of.

I think you are right. It sounds like he wants it on tape instead of DVD?

There is also timed footage / color timing, which is better known as color
correction. I doubt he meant that. Timed copy should be timecode burned
into the footage to help someone select shots to use etc.

p.s. I've moved your thread to our general forum, that way more people
should see it (it's not limited to just PC editing as well)!

ok thanks. Yeah I felt like an idiot there for a few seconds when I read his Email. Maybe I didn't explain it clearly enough to him (he might not know what burned in timecode means). I'm going to Email him back and let him know.

Thanks for the quick replies guys.

Seems like this is one of those cases where one phone call is worth a thousand emails.

True, and I eventually called him to clear this up. Turned out he wanted the copies on VHS.