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Media Management
I am new to Avid xpress (use FCP) and the documentary I am working with would like to have a system using Avid Xpress Pro where we have 3 complete sets of media at 3 different sites (Editor, Director, Assistant Editor) so that the Editor can work on sequences while the director is pulling selects and the Assistant Editor is adding new media and we can all update the project as we do our work. While I know how I would do it on FCP I would like some suggestions on how to set something like this up with Avid Xpress Pro.
Thanks
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8 Replies
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Are you talking shared storage amongst a crew in close proximity, or seperated by miles?
Avid Unity is definitely set up to handle this scenario, although within a closer proximity (and not having hands-on experience, it just might be capable of long distance sharing). Another shared storage option is a company called EditShare. It’s the only other product ‘blessed’ by Avid. Again, I don’t have hands on with the product – it too might be cable of long distance connections…
Jon
“The Almighty tells me He can get me out of this mess. But He’s pretty sure you’re F%$#*D!”
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We are going to be seperated by miles, 3000 of ’em probably.
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I would like to know how you do it on FCP!? Perhaps that’s the way you’ll have to do it on Avid as well (without the use of a Unity or other media sharing network). You’ll have to have 3 sets of drives with all the media and project files. Have the AE capture to one drive and then copy to 2 others, and then send them to the editor and director. Your going to need some way to work together across country, like an FTP site to upload and download files to view and share work. If the AE adds more media, hopefully not too much, that would be a way to get it to everyone. Oh, just remembered, there is a service, I forget the name, haven’t used it, that is for sending huge amounts of data, like video, easier and faster that FTP site. Sorry, can’t think of name right now but that would be the way to send stuff to each other across country. Anybody out there know the name of this (Jon?)? That’s the best I can come up with at this time.
Chaz S.
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Telestreams’ FlipFactory (https://www.telestream.net/products/flipfactory.htm) is the product you’re thinking of Chaz. I know Armed Forces Radio & Television Service uses it, as well as lots of companies doing exactly what your doing.
Thanks for the memory jog, Chaz!
Jon
“The Almighty tells me He can get me out of this mess. But He’s pretty sure you’re F%$#*D!”
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I don’t know if you really meant it when you asked the question but the scenario for Final Cut Pro(FCP) would be pretty similar to the scenario you suggested for Avid. I would get three sets of drives, and have everything originate from the AE. In FCP I know I can have multiple projects open so I can simply drag clips from one project to another. In FCP the media file has the same name as the clip (unless you change it manually) So relinking media is easy to do. The only Avid Experience I have is limited to some logging and pulling select reels with a version of Media composer which I believe is at least ten years old. In that version it seems like I can only have one project at a time open (I could be wrong here) and that the media file is a numerical file name. So adding a new clip to another persons copy of the project and linking it to a media file that has been digitized by some one else seems like a potentially convoluted process (in my reptilian FCP brain).
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Thanks for the heads up on Telestream- we had been talking about sending drives back and forth, but this could be a much better solution.
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I think Avid’s vaunted media management would really screw this workflow up – it would be constantly update the media database and eventually, all the machines would slow to a crawl. As I understand it, Unity and Edit share have a ‘traffic cop’ type of software to handle this issue.
Jon
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[Wabigroove] “t seems like I can only have one project at a time open (I could be wrong here) and that the media file is a numerical file name. So adding a new clip to another persons copy of the project and linking it to a media file that has been digitized by some one else seems like a potentially convoluted process (in my reptilian FCP brain).”
It’s still the same, can only open one project at a time in Avid. Kind of makes it a little more difficult to screw yourself up going back and forth between projects, whereas with FCP’s open structure, you really have to be careful because you could really screw things up much more easily. The file names are part of that same issue of having files linked to specific projects. However, of course, there is a way, even two, to bring files and media into a project from another. I like the idiot proof-ness of the Avid’s structure, but I can see how it would seem restrictive coming from FCP. I think we Avidites have the reptilian brain.
Chaz S.
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