Why log on set
An interview of 90 minutes has maybe six moments you’ll use. If nobody writes them down, someone scrubs through the whole thing later. With a log, the editor opens the timeline and the best answers, the bad takes and the client’s favourite line are already marked, in colour, at the right frame.
Questions
How do the timestamps line up with my footage?
Pick a clock before you start. Time of day works when your cameras are set to time-of-day timecode. Camera timecode lets you type what the camera shows and press Sync, so the notes follow the camera even if its clock is off. Recording time counts from the moment you press Start, which works best when you also record audio here or start the camera at the same moment.
Why are button markers placed 2 seconds early?
Because we always react a little after the moment happens. The default is 2 seconds and you can set it from 0 to 10 in Settings. Typed notes are stamped at the moment you started typing, not when you press Enter.
Can I record audio at the same time?
Yes. Turn on Record audio in Settings and pick a microphone or an audio interface. The audio is saved in your browser every few seconds and downloads as a WAV with timecode in it, so Resolve and Premiere can sync it to your camera clips by timecode.
What happens if I close the tab by mistake?
Your notes stay. Open the page again and the session is still running. The audio recorded up to that moment is kept, and you can resume recording as a new part.
How do I get the notes into DaVinci Resolve or Premiere?
Press Stop, choose your editing software and download the markers. In Resolve, right-click your timeline in the Media Pool and choose Timelines › Import › Timeline Markers from EDL. In Premiere, import the .xml.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The buttons are big enough to use one-handed, and the screen stays on while a session is running. On iPhone, recording audio stops if the screen locks or you switch apps, so keep Live Notes in front while you record.