Is it possible to export an OMF from FCP7 to Pro Tools that KEEPS the panning?

[Shane Ross]

[Mattias Johansson] “Is it really not possible to include keyframes and levels for the panning you’ve made in a sequence in Final Cut Pro 7, when you open up the exported OMF in Pro Tools? “

It’s possible. I do it all the time. WHen you export the OMF, you get a pop-up window that gives options to keep LEVELS and PAN. Check off both, or just PAN (if the mixer wants to redo all the levels), and you are done.

[Mattias Johansson] “The option is there for you to check when you export from FCP (“include pans”) but they just doesn’t show up in PT.”

Ah…I see you did that. Then perhaps the issue is on the ProTools side? My mixer always gets the levels and pans.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
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[Mattias Johansson]

Thank you so much for the answer.

I suspected the error was on his side all the time, but he says he has tried every option there possibly is. Including opening the OMF in another program (can´t remember which one) with the same discouraging result.

His standardphrase is “too bad you can’t export an aaf, OMF:s always means trouble and never really works properly”, which really doesn’t help me… 🙁

Thanks a lot though! It helps to know that it works for others. Does your mixer get the panning keyframes as well, or just e general panning level as we got out of Automatic Duck?

/Mattias

[Shane Ross]

Depends on the mixer. Some want me to include all of my work…levels and pans. Others want to start from scratch. I did have one who did have issues with my OMFs, but he was using a VERY old version of ProTools. I used Automatic Duck and that cleared things up.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Mattias Johansson]

Thanks again. And just to be really, really sure, those mixers that wanted the pan information, they got the keyframes (i.e. the pen tool markers at the rubberband) as well and just not the level of the pan right?

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. Makes it a bit easier for me to handle this tomorrow. 🙂

/Mattias

[John Pale]

[Mattias Johansson] ” “too bad you can’t export an aaf, OMF:s always means trouble and never really works properly”, which really doesn’t help me… :(“

Actually, you can export an AAF. Send your Sequence to Soundtrack Pro (or just import the OMF you exported from FCP..would be a good way to see if the panning is there). Export an AAF from Soundtrack Pro, which has that capability

[Michael Gissing]

I can confirm that FCP OMFs do carry level and pan info into Fairlight so if they are not working in ProTools, then it is likely an older version of ProTools or driver error.

AAFs are not better than OMFs for the simple task of moving edited audio to sound post. I don’t want or need levels or panning from FCP as they are so rarely right for a complex bus based mix but I do encourage editors to include fades/dissolves as they often are useful or easy to alter.

[Mattias Johansson]

Thank you so much for your help guys.

Good tip about soundtrack. I imported my omf to soundtrack, but no, the panning wasn’t there either. Does that really work for you? Do Soundtrack recognize your pan levels?

I’ve also thrashed my preferences, tried different FCP-computers etc, but nothing seems to work…

[John Pale]

Yes. Soundtrack does retain the panning and levels, so if they are not there something is up with your sequence or the way it was exported.

[Mattias Johansson]

Strange. Have tried several sequences from several computers by now, and not a single one retains the panning information in Soundtrack… Volume changes are there, but no panning. :/

Thanks for your help though! Good to know.