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Import of XMP metadata from sidecar files
Hi,
I’m experimenting with XMP metadata and had expected to be able to add xmp metadata to clips using sidecar files but that did not work when trying this with mov. Can someone point out the limitations of Premiere’s XMP import capabilities? Are sidecar files generally ignored or only for files that also support embedded XMP like mov?
Are there any other alternatives to feed Premiere XMP data from a non-Adobe source (e.g. generated by a DAM)?
Thanks in advance,
Robert
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13 Replies
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You can add external metadata to clips inside Prelude. Use Unassociated Metadata.
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If you are using .mov is there a reason you want to use sidecars?
Mov is a container that will support XMP embedding.
Just curious about your workflow intentions…
Thanks….
Alex Udell
Editing, Motion Graphics, and Visual FX -
this thread a from a few months back might be useful….
https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/3/954622#954622
Alex Udell
Editing, Motion Graphics, and Visual FX -
So far, Prelude is not part of the workflow I am working on, so I was not planning on adding it just to associate existing metadata with the clips (that step will be automated in the DAM export). Right now I am trying to find out the limitations of Premiere to make an informed decision how to get this done in the simplest way possible.
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I know that mov supports embedded XMP. Let me explain why I am looking at the sidecar option first:
The workflow will be this: Files have already been enriched with metadata that is structurally compatible with XMP in an external DAM that stores the metadata in a database. I am working on an export function for that DAM to prepare clips for import in Premiere. This step has to work without Premiere being installed on the local computer because the roles/responsibilities are like this:
– Production partner using DAM prepares disk and sends it to client
– Client imports data from that disk into Premiere and needs to have XMP metadata available thereI could use embedded XMP metadata using Adobe’s SDK but
– Mov files would typically have to be rewritten, if not enough free space has been allocated in them when they were created and I have no control over that process and it hurts to write gigabytes of data just to add a few bytes of e.g. location, creator information
– I would have to do the additional step of SDK integration. The sidecar option I already have working
– The sidecar workflow works without modifying files and in some environments people used MD5 hashes to check data integrity which and changing the original file content would complicate all that -
Thanks, I did not know that Bridge does support arbitrary metadata in a way. Not relevant for my current workflow as I am happy with the predefined schemas but valuable information indeed.
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I can’t confirm this with 100% certainty.
However my initial research seems to indicate that sidecar workflows are not based on preference, but hard wired to whether the media container supports embedding or not.If it can support embedding, than I don’t see a way of associating the external file.
Have you tried pairing a source and a sidecar, and simply setting the source media as READ ONLY at the OS level?
I don’t have any sidecars to try.
I did test setting some file types that support embedding as read only into PPro. Unfortunately, all that seemed to result in is custom schemas that were ghosted for the locked items.
really seems strange to me that this can’t be done.
Alex Udell
Editing, Motion Graphics, and Visual FX -
Thanks for looking into this.
I was afraid this was the case. Setting files to read-only is not a general option for my workflow but out of curiosity I will try.
Are Adobe people following this forum? Maybe I should post this (after a little more research) in their forums.
Cheers,
Robert
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They do monitor the forum here….
but interaction is hit and miss….
Adobe forums will get love for sure.
Todd Kopriva is a good guy to ask…
whatever you find….I’d appreciate an update here….as Id like to know…
thanks!
Alex Udell
Editing, Motion Graphics, and Visual FX -
Robert, did you ever come up with a solution to this? Or has anything relevant changed in Adobe Premiere in the time since this discussion? I have almost exactly the same use case as you.
In order of preference:
- I want to provide XMP sidecar files for video files (even ones which support XMP) so I don’t have to rewrite the source video files while they’re in storage in the cloud, and then when imported to Premiere the metadata will be found in the sidecar. I don’t care if at that point it’s then embedded in the video source file. I’d rather not have to instruct the user on making the video files read-only, but can do that if it’s necessary.
- I want to provide metadata to some import function which already exists in Premiere. I can provide whatever format it wants.
- I want some existing plugin/panel for Premiere which can take a metadata file (XMP or whatever; I can produce something else) and have it import the details into the corresponding video (whether by matching filename, or to one chosen interactively by the user, or some other way).
- I could write something like option 3 above if it’s feasible in a sane amount of time.
- I could give up and write XMP to the files in the cloud with a worker script which downloads them, writes metadata to them, then reuploads them. Some of these files will be huge so I’d really rather avoid all this data transfer. Plus this would be necessary either every time a user edits the metadata in my database, or right before they decide they want to download the video file from storage (which would incur an annoying delay).
Did you learn anything which might be of help?
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