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merged clips/multiclip workflow advice needed
I am still working out a workflow. If anyone has some good workflow advice, It would be much appreciated. We have a three camera shoot. I need to sync it all up because of dual audio. Do I need to merge all three cameras: merge camera A to audio merge camera B and then merge camera C. Then I select the three clips and make a multiclip out of it. You see if I don’t merge all three, if I matchframe, it will matchframe back to the original clip with camera audio.
We have jammed timecode so I can merge to timecode. Which so far has been fairly accurate. I have heard some talk about bwfxml. Do I need to use this to convert my wav files prior to merging. If i have timecode on the dual audio then I should be okay? What about just selecting my three clips to multiclip and then select the audio. Then do my create multiclip sequence. Will this work instead? There are so many different ways to do this. I am totally confused. I need a workflow from some tried and tested methods. Pluraleyes will sync it all up for me and create a multiclip. This is one way. Drop everything into a timeline with the dual audio command l to link drag that to the browser. Can I then create a multiclip from that. So far what I have been doing is select cam A select dual audio, merge clip. Same for the other rolls. then select those three merged clips and multiclip. This has worked but is this a good workflow. Are there any downsides to this? I am lost. I have also found that when creating thismulticlip from the merged clips the timecode overlays match up all in sync but the sound from the original camera roll is not. Its off by 5 frames. We are using the log and transfer copy from the file folder. xdcam ex 35 mbs vbr.
Thanks,
Darryl
dedit
freelance editor
toronto -
9 Replies
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You have jammed tc on all three cameras plus the audio as well?
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yes. All jammed timecode.
dedit
freelance editor
toronto -
[Darryl David] “yes. All jammed timecode. “
Perfect. YOu should use an application called sequenceLiner from Spherico film tools.
Basically this: Make an FCP project and put it in the easy setup you need that matches the frame rate for both your footage and audio tc. Then quit FCP, then reopen FCP (I know, sounds crazy but it’s very very important). Import all of your media and audio and make a new empty sequence.
Then with nothing selected in your browser, choose File > Export > XML. Open sequenceLiner and import that XML. Choose lineup and save. It will ask which project you want it to go in. It will then put every camera on it’s own track and sync with the video. From there, you can export new self contained movies for your multi-cam. It’s very simple and super helpful. I presented on how to do this at NAB this past year. We had a native MXF workflow with this, but you can basically skip that part. The new timeline that is created will be all of your clips in sync with audio and the sequence tc will match your assets tc.
Watch this and write back with questions as I was so pressed for time, I couldn’t get all the little details I wanted to in the presentation.
https://www.macvideo.tv/editing/features/index.cfm?articleId=3200691
Jeremy
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Jeremy, Very cool presentation. So basically once everything is lined up in a sequence you export each individual track. Then reimport it. Select those new import clips and make a multiclip form those selected? Is this correct. What a great workflow. I guess due to us having timecode things should be bang on in terms of offset. We shot on ex3 editing native xdcam ex 35 mbs vbr. So we export reference movies of each track. Do these exports retain all the necessary metadata tape name timecode. Is the xdcam ex codec broadcast quality. Its a cooking show for food network? We also have 18 hours of footage. Will this take forever to export?
dedit
freelance editor
toronto -
[Darryl David] “So basically once everything is lined up in a sequence you export each individual track. Then reimport it. Select those new import clips and make a multi-clip form those selected?”
Exactly.
[Darryl David] “I guess due to us having time code things should be bang on in terms of offset. “
Should be, but you never know. You can double check everything in the timeline, then simply slide the whole track or clip those few frames right in the timeline, using the audio as the master.
[Darryl David] “So we export reference movies of each track.”
That’s one way to do it. I exported self contained movies and used those as the master.
[Darryl David] “Do these exports retain all the necessary metadata tape name timecode.”
Unfortunately, no.
[Darryl David] “We also have 18 hours of footage. Will this take forever to export? “
Yes, I would recommend transcoding everything you have to ProRes or ProRes LT (just use the raw files and bring those in to compressor, that will save the tc), then do the lining up and reexport after that. I know it’s a lot of prep, but with 18 hours of multi-cam footage, you want to make sure that you are going to be okay. Plus, I’d recommend keeping each export around 4 hours as FCP timelines freak out after 4 hours.
Jeremy
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Do you know of a way to merge (aka link) the audio and video of the tracks created from sequenceLiner?
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Export > Quicktime Movie … you can create a reference movie but a self contained movie would be safer
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you might be able to link the items in the timeline then from there drag them to your bin. It will merge them for you. Exporting self contained movies will work only if the media you are using is the highest quality. You are not able to reconform. It doesn’t maintain any metadata.
Darryl
dedit
freelance editor
toronto -
[Darryl David] “you might be able to link the items in the timeline then from there drag them to your bin.”
That would be the way. I export self contained movie for multi-cam work. Yes, it creates new media, but it does cut down on weird FCP errors. It worked for my workflow, but it might not work for yours depending on how you will online the project.
Jeremy
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