Ascending TC EDL from FCP?

[Michael]

Scott:

I feel your pain. I need these lists for telecine too. I asked the same question on this forum a few weeks ago and didn’t get a reply, so I’ll help as much as I can.

Theoretically, you should be able to make a C-mode list (ascending source order) by choosing “Source, audio merged” from the sorting option menu in the EDL export dialog. In reality, in my experience, this produces a list from another planet. No logic to it that I could tell. It just doesn’t work, unless I’m missing something.

My workaround is to export a regular A-mode list and import that list into an Avid. I then change the sorting to C-mode and export. It works. If you have access to an Avid, that is.

I’m afraid this area is a real FCP weakness. Our assistants complain about it constantly.

Michael Heldman
Spot Welders

[Scott Witthaus]

Hey Michael –

Yeah, a REAL weakness for FCP and spot editorial which is what I do. We did a similar workaround. Next time we do a ‘dailies-edit-selects transfer’ gig it will to to Avid. Shame.

sw

Scott Witthaus
Senior Editor/Post Production Supervisor
1708 Inc./Editorial
Richmond, VA USA

[Michael]

A lot of the spot houses in NY and LA are changing to FCP. So this problem is a pain, but not an insurmountable one. Perhaps there’s a way to export a edl or batchlist and resort it in a spreadsheet program.

Let’s hope the next generation of FCP addresses these and other mundane, un-sexy, but vital features that Avid has had right for 15 years.

[Scott Witthaus]

Ca we run it thru Duck to get it to where it needs to be?

Maybe Steve Bayes will help getting some of these seldom used but when needed really important features into FCP.

Scott Witthaus
Senior Editor/Post Production Supervisor
1708 Inc./Editorial
Richmond, VA USA

[Michael]

Duck could get a detailed sequence into Avid from which you could make a c-mode edl, but that’s overkill if you just want to re-sort a list. Just sending an EDL to Avid would work.

I was thinking the same thing about Bayes. Let’s hope.

[Bob Flood]

Welder and Scott

here is a workaround i have found useful:

I take my finished spots and select all the video clips, and drag them to a bin i call “transfer list” i open any nests and do the same, dragging those clips to the same bin

then i first sort by reel, which brings all the non tc sources (transitions, nests, etc) to the top of the bin . i then delete all those non tc sources.

i now sort by “in” select all those clips, and drag them to the video track of a new sequence. i now can export an edl of that sequence and it will be in ascending timecode order.

i print the edl and i go through my spots and check off all the clips on the list. this way i can find a shot or scene i might have missed

you can also compare the total duration of your edl sequence with the cumulative duration of your spots ie 4 spots of material @ 30 seconds each should net you a 2 minute edl sequence

hope this helps

bee eph

[Michael]

Thank you bee eph. That’s a good technique. I’ll try it.

Too bad we need a workaround for such a simple need

[Bob Flood]

you are most welcome

All the NLE manufacturers are trying to get away from EDLs as an edit data exchange medium. FCP in particular is leaning heavily on the XML wrapper to give you more “oomph” in moving sequences and select shot info.

HOWEVER

Apple is not actually developing any of the apps necessary to take advantage of this, such as some sort of XML to EDL converter, or an XML media management utility, relying instead on third party developers, which are slow to meet the challenge

That being Said

look at http://www.spherico.com at a utility called XML2TXT. or see waht apple has as far as third party developers for FCP and XML.

hope this helps

bee eph

[Scott Witthaus]

thanks for the tip. I will look into that.

Scott Witthaus
Senior Editor/Post Production Supervisor
1708 Inc./Editorial
Richmond, VA USA