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Conform problems: FCP XML, EDL, etc
Every once in a while someone on the forum pops up with an XML/FCP issue, and I haven’t been able to find a good thread where users would share some good tips on how to deal with the problems of XML/EDL/AAF conform in Resolve.
I just recently switched to Resolve from Color, read the manual diligently, followed all installation guidelines, etc. Currently on v. 8.1.
Here is the problem I am having:
I have a feature film which was edited in FCP with Prores Proxy 1080 Quicktimes and I have conformed it in FCP to 2K Prores 4444 files, generated by Red Cine-X from R3D files. I should also say that I rendered full takes of all shots used in the timeline. That’s my failsafe of dealing with FCP reconnect problems. IF timecode fails, the frame count will work as a backup.So now I have exported the XML (v5) from FCP and trying to conform it in Resolve. Well, only about half of the clips reconnected in Resolve… Some say “missing reel number”, some say “timecode could not be…” blah blah blah.
I tried tracing the problem down to every step of the process, but to no much success.
I’ve imported the same XML into Apple Color – everything reconnects perfectly. Tried importing into Premiere Pro – everything works fine. I tried re-exporting the XML from Premiere – same problem with Resolve. I tried “cleaning” the XML through Color, Clipfinder, and roundtripping through Resolve….
Same problems occur once I conform in Resolve.
I am aware that CONFIG tab has options for “extracting reel numbers from EDL”, and even ‘Using frame count”… If I check any of those – ALL MY CLIPS appear offline.
I am probably not the only one with this problem.
Let’s discuss it!The thing is, whenever I do a small “test” timeline, everything conforms fine. But as soon as I come back to this feature film, it’s a mess….
I tried things like separating into reels (>20min)…. No worky.
Finally, I rendered a “flattened media file”, i.e. the whole film as a single Prores 4444 file, and tried “Preconform” option, which is designed specifically for diving a flattened file into cuts using an EDL. What could be simpler, using EDL as a cut list, no need to bother with timecodes, great!
Guess what? It divided the file completely randomly, nothing like the actual edit.
Would love your input.
If you are still reading this, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!Cheers.
P.S. I realize that the only choice left is Scene Detection…. That’s what I am doing now… But I would really love to understand what could be done to do the “proper” conform”…
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4 Replies
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When XML first was supported, I made new projects with my default project settings. This made the XML import go nuts and give me all sorts of problems like you’re experiencing.
You know what? The problem was my settings. Don’t use ‘extracting reel numbers from EDL’ and all that. It will only confuse Resolve. It only does what you’re telling the software to do.
Try removing all sorts of things like that, and then have a go.
Go to the Conform page, Load XML, and let Resolve setup the project settings and import source media.
It might open a file browser for you to guide Resolve to the correct folder where the media is saved.
As for pre-conform, did the timeline in FCP have multi tracks? Was the video spread all over those tracks? Because then that’s the problem. Flatten the sequence to one track and export only this track to the EDL. The pre-conform should be no problem then.
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Thank Ola.
Yes of course, the first option I tried was without any “Extract Reels from EDL”.
And my timelines are always carefully prepared for migration. All video on on track, very tight.
I did everything you are describing here, and exhausted ways of trying different things…..
No luck.Must be something with the original timeline…. The robots messed it up.
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So if you check the media in FCP, they all have different timecode and reel names?
Check the new 8.1 and see if there might be some improvements there on this workflow. -
I did also have some trouble with XML and EDL export / import process …
Since Automatic duck is now free, have you check it out?
It worked for me…(see the thread here: https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/277/12365)
Good luck!
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