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Ensure the Red Camera Proxy in Avid Workflow
Hello everyone,
I have an easy question for all you Avid Users out ther (or so I hope).
In a month we start shooting a new project and our editor wants to cut in Avid. I have experience with Adobe Premiere in a previous project, but want to avoid all the problems that came up. So here’s what I’m planning to do.
On set I’ll save all the media along with our proxy files (DNxHD115), which will be created in the camera itself for time purposes. After ensuring, that the naming convention is exactly the same as the R3D files I’ll copy the files in the Avid Media Files Folder, where I can sync it with the incoming audio files at the end of the day. My folder is linked via a cloud system with the editors computer, so he can start working with the files, after I sended him the Script with the synced Clips.
When the editor is finished, I take the proxies offline and link them with AMA to the original footage, so I can export the edl, aaf, or whatever is needed to the next posthouse, hopefully doing fine.
So here are my questions:
1. Do I miss something? Will I end up in some troubles with this workflow?
2. Can I create multiple folders in the Avid Media files to preserve the camera folder structure?
3. Do you suggest better ways?4. (optional) Can I see my waveform for the audio in the source monitor like in Premiere?
I really appreciate your help. Thank you.
Best,
Niclas -
23 Replies
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Your plan looks pretty good. I don’t know off the top of my head if the dnx media created by the camera can simply drop into an avid folder, or if you will have to wash it. That should be a pretty easy test however.
Yes you can keep your Avid MediaFiles folder nicely organized. Put the current footage into a folder called 1.
Launch Avid, let it build its database. Once done, go back and rename “1” to what ever you want.
Create a bin in Avid called Day “###”, and import the database file from your newly named Avid MediaFiles folder.You should now have media for that day online.
You can’t see audio waveforms in the viewer window if that is what you are thinking… at least i don’t think you can… but you can certainly see them on the timeline, in either source or record mode. Are you thinking that is how you are going to sync the audio?
Hopefully your audio has matching timecode, and you can let Avid AutoSync the sound and picture.
Avid can do its own waveform analysis, but only on a single clip by clip basis…you can only select 1 audio and video source at at time.Glenn
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Few points for clarity:
1. While you can sync 1 take at a time with waveforms, you will be getting a group clip, not a .sync clip. Each take is multiple steps to get to a .sync clip as I blogged here: https://24p.com/wordpress/?p=280
It will be a slow and frustrating experience.2. You don’t need to AMA link to RED masters to create an AAF for a conform elsewhere. Just export an AAF from your proxy offline and the relink/conform occurs elsewhere.
And something to consider – the RED AMA plug-in has been updated to support the MXF proxy so you may just want to link to the MXF and consolidate giving you a bit more control as to which bins you want to manage the media.
Michael
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[Niclas Werres] “On set I’ll save all the media along with our proxy files (DNxHD115), which will be created in the camera itself for time purposes. After ensuring, that the naming convention is exactly the same as the R3D files I’ll copy the files in the Avid Media Files Folder, where I can sync it with the incoming audio files at the end of the day.”
The DNxHD 115 files that the Red Camera creates will be .mov files and not the .mxf OP-Atom Files that Avid requires in the numbered folders to build the Database Files. In that case you need to with AMA Link them or Transcode them with Resolve. If you are going to Transcode then I would use the original Red Media and make sure that your “Reel Column” is populated by using the Embedded Reel Metadata.
[Niclas Werres] “4. (optional) Can I see my waveform for the audio in the source monitor like in Premiere?”
Yes, but not in the viewer window like in Premiere. They will show up in the Timeline Window when you switch between Source/Timeline Viewer mode. In the attached screen shot click on the third Icon from the left and that will switch from the Timeline View to the Source View. You can also setup a shortcut key for this if you like. These Icons are in the bottom left corner of the Timeline Window.
\”MY MEDIA/PROJECT MOTO: If you think three copies of your media or project are enough.
Take a moment to place a value on them and then maybe add two more.
Hard Drives are now stupidly cheap. A RE-SHOOT AND YOUR TIME AREN\’T.\” -
Brent: The DNxHD 115 files that the Red Camera creates will be .mov files and not the .mxf OP-Atom Files that Avid requires in the numbered folders to build the Database Files. In that case you need to with AMA Link them or Transcode them with Resolve. If you are going to Transcode then I would use the original Red Media and make sure that your “Reel Column” is populated by using the Embedded Reel Metadata.
This is not true. The RED camera records native MXF OPAtom files as DNxHD or DNxHR depending on settings. All metadata is already part of the file. No need to re-transcode or use Resolve.
Michael
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Thank you so far. I’m glad, that this should work properly. The proxy files are easy to test, since we have some here to throw in the pipeline. Just waiting to get the Avid Media License in our company and I will update you on that.
Since you need to trim down the clips anyway to the slate, I’m a fan in doing this in the timeline and then group the two to a new clip with SceneTakeName. (Functions in PremiereCC) Is it possible to do it this way in Avid? This timeline is rightaway my Daily Export for everyone else on set. Couldn’t find a tutorial, which is working this way.
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Cool, thanks for that info.
I didn’t know that about the RED Camera and I guess none of the DOP’s or Camera Assistants that I’ve worked with know that either.One would still have to Re-Transcode if there’s any LUT or Colour applied to the Clips in Resolve that must be part of the dailies though.
Good to know and I will now research this for future projects.
Thanks
\”MY MEDIA/PROJECT MOTO: If you think three copies of your media or project are enough.
Take a moment to place a value on them and then maybe add two more.
Hard Drives are now stupidly cheap. A RE-SHOOT AND YOUR TIME AREN\’T.\” -
Regarding the described workflow in this post: have the quality issues of RED generated DNxHD LB Proxies been fixed (they are supposed to be on par with DNxHD 36 quality wise) or are they still basically unusable?
Sharing any experience on this would be greatly appreciated. -
I have not seen any of the more recent in-camera proxies created to know. Things may have changed since they switched to no longer creating spanned files.
Michael
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Well, I’m working with the RED Proxies right now. We use the SQ format, but I can see pretty strong artifacts in many areas. Good enough to work with, though. So my guess is that the LB quality is not the one to go for.
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Well, that is unfortunate – the whole idea of SQ and higher as an option to shooting R3D and only use DNxHR for productions that want quick and easy turnaround. Do you get same artifacts when only shooting DNxHR SQ and not as an additional proxy? And are you getting same XY image size?
Michael
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