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RED AVID Offline, FCP / COLOR / AE Online
A production company is going to edit a 60s commercial in AVID shot on RED that we plan to online in FCP / COLOR / After Effects. My question is if anyone has a solid workflow / tutorial for how this is done best?
I believe the production company has used MetaFuce to convert R3D-files to MFX-media. On my FCP system I’ve got both the original R3D-files and ProRes QT-media created in the FCP log and transfer tool. Since it’s quite a short spot, we can get by with out of the box or more manual techniques, but we somehow need a frame-accurate edit pref. in ProRes 422 HQ 1080i50 or 2K resolution.
I’ve searched a bit on the above topic but basically found the answer “stick to one system”. That’s all good in theory but often one is forced to jump between them. Is the above impossible or just impractical? Is it better to skip FCP and grade directly in Color from an AVID EDL or will that fail us also?
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Erik Lindahl
Freecloud Post Production Services
http://www.freecloud.se -
4 Replies
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HOW TO EDIT IN AVID AND GRADE IN COLOR
A super easy workflow from Media Composer to Apple Color via an EDL.
Tested with Color 1.5. (This is an EDL workflow so obviously it’s for cuts and dissolves only).1. Preparation.
– Use your favorite metadata rich workflow for dailies.
– MetaFuze (MXF), RocketCine-X (MXF), Redcine (ALE), MetaCheater (ALE), RedRushes (ALE)
– As long as you track the R3D filename and the TOD timecode it works.2. Edit
– Cut the show in Media Composer.
– Impress the client.
– Lock the cut.3. Prepare for EDL Export (This is the key step in the workflow)
– Make a copy of the sequence and put it in a new bin.
– Set Bin Display > Show Reference Clips
– Duplicate the R3D filename from column Tape to column Name.
– If you used MetaFuze v2 for step 1 then duplicate column Camroll to column Name4. Export EDL
– Make sure that you have installed EDL Manager.
– In Media Composer choose Output>EDL or launch EDL Manager
– In EDL Manager choose the regular CMX 3600 as the EDL template.
– In the Comments tab select Clip Name. (Color ignores if Reel is wrong and uses Comment instead)
– Update.
– Save the EDL.5. Import EDL and RED Media in Color
– In Color choose File > Import > EDL…
– Navigate to the EDL and open it.
– In the dialog box choose the proper framerates and frame size for your project.
– For Source Directory navigate to the root folder of your R3D files.
– Click Import.Done.
When you have finished colorgrading use File > Send to > Final Cut Pro and take it from there
MORE INFO
– One thing i’ve been doing is adding _F.mov/_M.mov etc to the clip names in the edl with a text editor, importing the edl into FCP and reconnecting to the QT proxys.– In Media Composer I had used Scene/Take and other useful information (like CU, MS, Steadi and so on) in the Name column. While I was experimenting I actually copied Name to a backup column as you suggested above, just to be on the safe side.
– https://avidscreencast.com/2010/02/15-red-workflow-iv-conform-from-avid-to-apples-color/
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I personally haven’t tested the above though so can’t say if it works, any quirks or issue. But sounds fairly straight-forward even when doing the above you do lose some meta-data (i.e clip names).
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Erik Lindahl
Freecloud Post Production Services
http://www.freecloud.se -
Erik,
very comprehensive, thanks.Non-linear: all the time and nothing but.
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Perhaps I was hoping for a bit to much. Got the EDL today and the TC in my RED and ProRes files were totally off compared to what showed in the EDL.. Sigh.. I thought if anything the TC would be consistant?
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Erik Lindahl
Freecloud Post Production Services
http://www.freecloud.se -
It’s probably worth going back to figure out where the error is happening, at least to figure out an offset. Look for frame code method flags. Make sure the time code method is consisten, drop, non-drop, whatever.
Non-linear: all the time and nothing but.
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