QuickTime (.mov) files are fundamentally time-based, not frame-based, and so don’t have a built-in, uniform “first frame/last frame” field you can set as numeric frame IDs. Instead, tools like Shotgun Create rely on the timecode track and the movie’s duration to infer frame numbers. If you want Shotgun to pick up a non-default frame range (e.g. start at 1001, end at 1064), you must bake in an SMPTE timecode that corresponds to your desired start frame, and ensure the movie’s duration matches your clip length.

How Shotgun Reads Frame Ranges

• Default start frame is 1. If no timecode metadata is present, Shotgun assumes the movie begins at frame 1.
• Timecode ⇒ frame number. Shotgun Create “honors the timecodes of media sources,” mapping the embedded TC to frame IDs. For example, a 24 fps QuickTime tagged with a start timecode of 00:00:41:17 will be interpreted as beginning on frame 1001 (1001 ÷ 24 fps ≈ 41.71 s).

Embedding a Start Timecode

QuickTime uses a tmcd (timecode) track. You can bake in an SMPTE track via FFmpeg’s -timecode flag or via Compressor/encoder settings:

1. Compute your start TC.
   • Desired start frame = 1001
   • Frame 1001 at 24 fps ⇒ 1001 ÷ 24 ≈ 41.708 s ⇒ TC 00:00:41:17
2. FFmpeg example:

ffmpeg -i input.mov \
  -c copy \
  -timecode 00:00:41:17 \
  output.mov

This adds a timecode track beginning at 00:00:41:17, which Shotgun maps to frame 1001.

Ensuring the Correct End Frame

Shotgun infers the last frame from the movie’s duration. To end on frame 1064:

• Frame count = 1064 – 1001 + 1 = 64 frames
• Duration = 64 ÷ 24 fps ≈ 2.667 s

FFmpeg trim example:

ffmpeg -i input.mov \
  -c copy \
  -timecode 00:00:41:17 \
  -t 00:00:02.667 \
  output_trimmed.mov

This results in a 64-frame clip (1001→1064) at 24 fps.

Sourcetree and GitHub Desktop are both free, GUI-based Git clients aimed at simplifying version control for developers. While they share the same core purpose—making Git more accessible—they differ in features, UI design, integration options, and target audiences.

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Installation & Setup

• Sourcetree
  • Download: https://www.sourcetreeapp.com/
  • Supported OS: Windows 10+, macOS 10.13+
  • Prerequisites: Comes bundled with its own Git, or can be pointed to a system Git install.
  • Initial Setup: Wizard guides SSH key generation, authentication with Bitbucket/GitHub/GitLab.
• GitHub Desktop
  • Download: https://desktop.github.com/
  • Supported OS: Windows 10+, macOS 10.15+
  • Prerequisites: Bundled Git; seamless login with GitHub.com or GitHub Enterprise.
  • Initial Setup: One-click sign-in with GitHub; auto-syncs repositories from your GitHub account.

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Feature Comparison

Feature	Sourcetree	GitHub Desktop
Branch Visualization	Detailed graph view with drag-and-drop for rebasing/merging	Linear graph, simpler but less configurable
Staging & Commit	File-by-file staging, inline diff view	All-or-nothing staging, side-by-side diff
Interactive Rebase	Full support via UI	Basic support via command line only
Conflict Resolution	Built-in merge tool integration (DiffMerge, Beyond Compare)	Contextual conflict editor with choice panels
Submodule Management	Native submodule support	Limited; requires CLI
Custom Actions / Hooks	Define custom actions (e.g., launch scripts)	No UI for custom Git hooks
Git Flow / Hg Flow	Built-in support	None
Performance	Can lag on very large repos	Generally snappier on medium-sized repos
Memory Footprint	Higher RAM usage	Lightweight
Platform Integration	Atlassian Bitbucket, Jira	Deep GitHub.com / Enterprise integration
Learning Curve	Steeper for beginners	Beginner-friendly

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