-
Flattened Quicktime EDL “Notching” in Final Cut Pro
So I’ve been trying to manually “notch” a flattened uncompressed 1080i 29.97 quicktime in final cut pro in preperation for sending to DaVinci as an EDL to split the quicktime. I’m basically cutting up the edl in fcp (as well as adding dissolves at the appropriate places) and then sending the resulting EDL to DaVinci where I’m using it to conform and split the flattened quicktime.
The problem I’m having is that many of the cuts aren’t actually showing up in the resulting conform in DaVinci. About 90% of my EDL cuts are there, but the remaining 10% are mysteriously missing. I’m assuming this has something to do with the fact that a “notched” quicktime has continuous synchronous time code throughout the file and the EDL is somehow interepreting some of these “cuts” as continuous clips and ignoring the cut point. Has anyone else run into this issue or have some helpful thoughts? Could it be my EDL export settings from FCP maybe (I’m using CMX 3600, generic edits, on a single video track)? I’ve contemplated using Automatic Duck’s AAF Export to see if I can do any better, has anyone esle tried this approach?
Chris Hall
Colorist – Basher Films
Pasadena, CA -
8 Replies
-
Why don’t you try use the Scene Detection feature instead to split up the clips ?
Or you can always use the Split function in Resolve to manually cut up those missing cut points. Might save you some time than going back to fix the EDL.
-chrispy
-
The only problem with scene detection is that it doesn’t catch dissolves (unless I’ve overlooked something and have missed the boat on that one, someone please let me know if i have!). The dissolves are the big reason I’m “notching” the quicktime in final cut pro, because I really need them to come over on the EDL for the “baked” quicktime, as I haven’t figured out an effecient way to add them manually in resolve. (i know i can use the “mark” commands within a clip to keyframe my grades for dissolves within a shot, but this is extra time that adds up on on 90min features with lots of dissolves, and moreso its just hard to keep track of these and remembering where they are to key frame them). Having the dissolves already in place on the EDL leads to a lesser chance of errors in keyframing and more accurate timeline thumbnails to view in resolve when rifling through clips in the color timeline for quick grading.
Also with the split command, resolve is telling me that I have to split the clip in the master session to do this. If I’m working in another session (another EDL that is not the master session) then splitting the master session’s “split” quicktimes messes up the other EDL’s connected to those “split files”. (sorry if this is confusing, not sure of how better to word this). Is there a way of splitting the clip if you’re not working in the master session?
Chris Hall
Colorist – Basher Films
Pasadena, CA -
Did you tell Resolve to split segments when applying the edl?
I wonder if that doesn’t work, maybe duplicate the video file in FCP and add a different reel number, and use those two to overlap in the dissolves? -
I’ve been doing this for a while now without problem. For most of our clients projects are delivered as an FCP project with a cut up sequence with transitions duplicated.
From there you have the first part right simply export an EDL (generic edits) I’ve had best results with giving the flattened QT a reel name or number in FCP prior to exporting the EDL (doesn’t matter what it is). Then all you have to do is add the flattened QuickTime to the media pool and on the conform tab choose pre-conform and select the EDL you made from FCP. All your really using FCP for is to generate an EDL (you’d get a similar result with scene detector, but the dissolves can be an issue as you mention)
From there everything should be good. Couple things to be aware of on the config tab make sure you’ve set up the proper frame rate for the conform. Also if your program is drop frame you have to do one extra step in FCP as Resolve at the moment doesn’t support DF EDLs.
So, if you’re DF in FCP after you cut up everything go to Sequence > Settings > Timeline Options and make sure DF is not checked. THEN make the EDL. Now when using the pre-conform option your cuts should be in the right place.
Also with DF what I’ve been doing is rendering out one long QuickTime of the entire show. Then back in FCP I duplicate the original cut up sequence (I name it _Output) select all the clips on the duplicate timeline and choose to make independent and then force reconnect the clips on the duplicate timeline to the new rendered QT from Resolve (this works as its just using TC to reconnect properly). Finally I just switch the sequence back to Drop. From there I output to Tape or where ever
Unfortunately I haven’t been able to figure out creating a DF master direct from Resolve.
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
Arthur, Robbie, thanks for the helpful comments. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I’ve narrowed the problem down to how DaVinci is interpreting FCP’s generated EDL. Basically, long story short, it doesn’t like it for some reason and skips numerous cut points completely at random. So I figured out a workaround using Premiere Pro.
If I simply import the FCP project into Premiere Pro (via premiere pro’s xml or edl import), then re-export an EDL from Premiere and use that to conform the flattened quicktime in DaVinci, all works fine. Cuts and dissolves are in the proper places and no need to split the quicktime into seperate clips in the media pool or any of that. Go figure. Don’t know if its a bug, or just something weird with my system. If the FCP EDL’s are working for Robbie, then I’ll assume its something with my system (maybe you have a newer Beta of DaVinci robbie?).
Would love to know if anyone else runs into this! Can’t wait for XML support in future versions of DaVinci??? keeping my fingers crossed.
Chris Hall
Colorist – Basher Films
Pasadena, CA -
[Chris Hall] “f the FCP EDL’s are working for Robbie, then I’ll assume its something with my system (maybe you have a newer Beta of DaVinci robbie?).
“Well I do have a newer beta, but it was the same in the past. Are you using Preconform instead of conform in the Conform Tab?
I’ve delivered a ton of shows already with Resolve using the workflow I described above no problems
Robbie Carman
—————-
Colorist and Author
Check out my new Books:
Video Made on a Mac
Apple Pro Training Series DVDSP
From Still To Motion -
I’ve tried both “preconform” and “load aaf/edl” with both the fcp and premeire EDL’s. FCP EDL doesn’t include all the cut points and the premeire pro generated one does… every time… I dunno, go figure.
Just for my own reference, the manual’s a bit vague about how “preconform” and “load aaf/edl” actually differ in functionality. The only thing I can assume is that preconform is designed for flattened single clips while “load aaf/edl” is for “conforming” multiple media pool clips to their designated locations on a timeline within a session. Is that about right?
Regardless, both accomplish the same thing in this case for a single clip in the media pool. And in both cases the premeire pro edl works fine and the fcp one misses cuts at random places.
(I double checked the FCP generated EDL by importing it into premeire pro and checking the cut points, and indeed they are all there in the proper places, so the issue I’m having is occuring in Resolve, not at the FCP EDL generation)
Chris Hall
Colorist – Basher Films
Pasadena, CA -
I’m pretty certain that the issue with importing an EDL into FCP is that it is “bitchy” when it comes to handling M2 EDL events. These are varispeeded events. FCP performs some of the M2 events, while skipping and flagging errors on others, so I don’t know what the science (or lack thereof) is. Thanks for the Premiere suggestion…..we’ll give that a try. It’s way easier than editing slugs into FCP for all the missing FCP events!
By the way, for our friends at BlackMagic…….this wouldn’t be an issue if we didn’t have to jump through all these hoops just to be able to work on DROP FRAME shows! Which is, say 90% of the work we do.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up