TECHNES Encyclopedia Database

Time Coding: Uses and Discourses

From the point of view of Aaton’s communication strategy, its championing of clear marking shared with the double system a certain conception of film practice. Although Raymond Depardon tried out the Aaton code in 1983 when shooting Faits divers, and later championed the improvements brought by the system, film professionals, particularly in the field of documentary cinema, were often reticent. For in practice synchronization problems remained the focus of constant attention. Even after the appearance of time coding, the clapperboard remained in use to mitigate the system’s lack of reliability, and because it gave the signal to the scene being shot, this prop remained the guarantor of a sense of cohesion in the group’s work.