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Activity Forums Media 100 Audio Post Production (Media 100i to ProTools)

  • Audio Post Production (Media 100i to ProTools)

    Posted by J K creative cow on May 7, 2005 at 9:49 am

    Hi, hopefully I’m addressing an issue of concern or interest to many Media100 users…

    As we know, M100 is wonderful for editing picture. However, audio is at least half of a movie, and M100 is hardly suited for audio work compared to programs like ProTools or Nuendo.

    I was told by M100/Optibase that their OMF option would not be compatible between the latest versions of M100i (8.2.2) and ProTools LE (6.7/9). Since ProTools 5 (the last supported option) requires reverting all the way back to OS 9, it’s not even an option.

    Unfortunately, Automatic Duck does not address this common scenario. I have, however, managed to EDL export into ProTools via FCP, but no EQ or Volume info remains intact.

    On a 2 hour project, this can mean weeks worth of additional work.

    Has anyone had any luck simply exporting their mixed audio tracks from M100 into ProTools for final mastering (without, of course, simply exporting pre-mixed .wav’s)?

    I KNOW there is a way to do this using XML. I’m not expert enough at programming XML or I would write the script myself and provide it to others in need.

    Thanks for your input, ideas, solutions, etc with this one.
    (Media100, AutomaticDuck, savy programmers, are you listening?) 🙂

    Specs:
    Dual 1.8 G5, OS X 10.3.3
    Media100i 8.2.2
    ProTools LE 6.7
    FCP HD

    J K creative cow replied 19 years, 9 months ago 6 Members · 8 Replies
  • 8 Replies
  • Thomas

    May 7, 2005 at 12:02 pm

    We never used the OMF option anyway. The simpliest way for us is to export all audio tracks seperately using the solo mode before exporting from edit suite (we put a sync beep on each track 50 frames before the first image of the program). In Protools we import each tracks and then recreate all the regions putting away all the empty area). And then you can mix. It supposes that you prepare very well the audio editing before you go to Protools because you can not access the source audio file (as you can with OMF export), but it definitevely works very well (above all for mixing process). At the end of your work in protools, you bounce everything in stereo an then import it into M100 for mastering to tape.

  • Michael J c

    May 7, 2005 at 2:59 pm

    Yeah we do something similar… I don’t know a better solution either (XML? Maybe?)

    -First we make a copy of our program, then we remove all the audio levels and extend handles to all the audio clips.
    -Then we export each track solo with a “sync pop” on each track at 00:59:58:00
    -Bring into Pro Tools for a full mix from scratch

    That’s the best we can figure…

  • Michael Slowe

    May 7, 2005 at 8:15 pm

    I am afraid I must sound very stupid but why can’t you mix your audio in Media 100 by adjusting the volume (and any EQ required) for each of your tracks on the timeline? It was different with film because we had to take all our tracks plus picture reels into a dubbing studio for mixing but surely it is easier with computers. I blend all my tracks (sometimes up to eight) right here in Media 100, what am I missing?

    Michael Slowe

  • J K creative cow

    May 7, 2005 at 10:18 pm

    Thanks for the posts. 🙂

    I’m sure every M100 owner could benefit from an OMF or XML option that solves this scenario.

    Actually, I’ve mixed and EQ’d two hours of audio (with all 8 tracks packed to the hilt) on M100. The reasons for exporting to an audio program for finishing are many: more tracks available, better organization, ability to work with real waveforms, and (perhaps most important) ability to utilize multitudes of plugins of all kinds not available on M100.

    I’ve had very limited success transferring audio information to ProTools (thru FCP) using XML. Transferring to ProTools via EDL is a piece of cake but audio-level info doesn’t remain in tact. I guess this means weeks worth of work down the drain without reconforming all those audio levels. Thanks again for the comments. An OMF to ProTools option could really put M100 back in the race.

  • John Buck

    May 7, 2005 at 10:37 pm

    try the OMF option and see if the audio post house can use –

    we have had nothing but success with OMF export or if you want send me some small files and
    i can do for you if you dont want to pay first

    john
    velocite.net

  • Michael J c

    May 8, 2005 at 5:46 am

    Basically it is for getting more advanced… you can make more precise audio edits in Pro Tools and there are a host of features and plugs ins that you just won’t find in the M100.

    Also, we usually have a sound designer do much, much more… They add effects, fix problem issues and generally improve the overal sound design.

    But yeah… Absolutely you can do all the basic mixing and EQing in the M100.

  • Dan Geller

    May 9, 2005 at 12:19 am

    The OMF exporter (extra bucks to purchase) worked OK for me when getting a show out for mixing elsewhere. 2 hours is probably too long to run out at once – we broke the show into 6 timelines (reels). The audio nodes should come across. ProTools is all over the place as far as compatibility and versions. The mixer who did our job tranalated our OMFs into the Sadie audio system using some tool box OMF utility that allowed him to adjust for versions and the like. We re-imported the mix as AIF file stems (dialogue, narration, music, sfx) with a sync pop – his audio processing and plug-ins would never have flown back into M100i or 844x. As I recall, the OMF exporter has some compability settings to play with – run some tests of different settings and see what moves over to ProTools most seamlessly.

  • J K creative cow

    May 11, 2005 at 8:56 pm

    With very kind support from velocite (thanks John!) we were able to verify that OMF export does in fact work between Media100i 8.2.2 and current versions of ProTools LE on OS X. (Media 100 didn’t recommend this) Pan info does not translate but clip and audio level info does. No idea on crossfades. Best of luck. 🙂

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