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Exporting OMF’s for ProTools…levels?
I’ve been meaning to post this for a while.
When exporting OMF files for use in ProTools, my level information on the clips seems to be missing. Everything is coming into PT at full level, even though I’ve adjusted the levels in FCP. The other information, cross fades, handles and so on are transferring just fine. Only having problems with levels.
Is this the way it’s supposed to be, or am I (r Carl, our sound guy) missing something obvious here?
Thanks in advance.
Tom -
6 Replies
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Rule #1 of FCP OMF exports – don’t expect much.
Just be happy the media and its I/O are correct. Anything more than that is icing on the cake.
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Level information set in Final Cut is not transferred with the audio OMF files. There are a couple products which do retain this information that I know of, but I haven’t used either.
One is from Gallery Software, called XMLPro.
The other is from Automatic Duck and is called Pro Export FCP 3.0
https://www.automaticduck.com/products/pro_export_fcp/index-v3.php
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I use this all the time and it works great. Export both omf AND xml. And use some of the plugins already mentioned. Works flawlessly
Anders
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As an audio studio (that doesn’t use Protools), I have the option to import an OMFI with or without clip levels. I have never imported an OMFI with clip levels as set in the picture edit.
I know editors can go to a lot of trouble but clip levels are not that important when it comes to sound post. Dynamic level changes and EQ may translate from system to system but frankly, I haven’t the time to undo the relatively clumsy mix attempts that I hear from picture edit suites. No offence but they are ususally a mess with fx, dialog and music clips all mixed up.
So rather than buy software that might make it possible, ask your sound post people if they want this or can even read an XML or Automatic Duck file.
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Couldn’t agree more. Let the sound experts do their job create a mix from untouched audio files. Otherwise just stay in FCP and do your mix.
Peter McAuley
Axyz Edit
Toronto
G5 dual 2.0
4 gigs ram
10.3.8
FCP 4.5 HD
QT 6.5.2
Kona 2 v1.0.5 with K Box
4 X 250 gig external F800 Lacie firewire drive
2 X 23″ Apple cinema display -
I agree. That’s why we sweeten all our productions and have a separate audio studio. The sequence in queston had some scratch music tracks on it in addition to the dialog/sync sound tracks. I did a rough mix on the music tracks at the beginning of the program. I had a fairly complicated open that involved ducking the music at various places and bring up dialog and sync audio. I wanted to give Carl, the sound guy, a rough idea of what I was looking for and then let him work his magic. I also exported a reference QT movie with a mixed stereo track that he used as a reference for the mix, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. I was just wondering if there was something I was missing when exporting the OMF’s that prevented the level info from transferring over.
Just a small issue that I always forget to ask about on the COW. Still it beats exporting MANY seperate tracks as .aif’s and syncing them up later.in audio post.
Thanks for the quick responses guys!
Tom
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