Renaming files on import Premiere

[Angelo Lorenzo]

XF is a metadata dependent format. You’d have to do some tests to see how sensitive various apps in your workflow are to renaming since XF also has spanned clips. Some are, some really really aren’t.

Thoughts:
1. Most XF cameras should allow you at least a camera abbreviation and a starting clip number. Make sure your shooters are setting it every morning. This may be an acceptable alternative if your workflow tests don’t favor renaming.

2. Bring MXF into Premiere in a new “simple” project with no bins. Import clips, select all clips, and go to file > Export > batch list. Open the CSV file in Excel (or similar) and assign new file names; Excel will figure it out if the name ends with a sequential number. Save batch list. In your editorial project go to file > import batch list and import/relink the files. This should quickly allow you to rename how these files appear in the media bin while still maintaining the folder structure and name of the original files.

3. Use intermediate files. Intermediate files should carry over a reel number/reel name so you can batch rename the resulting ProRes or DNxHD MXF without fear future uprezzing/conforming being totally broken.

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Angelo Lorenzo

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[Roddy Babb]

Thanks for the ideas. I will definitely have the photogs change the add the camera to the file names moving forward. Problem is we have shot 16 of 26 episodes. As far as bringing mxf files into a simple project, the Canon xf cameras create a folder structure that assigns a folder for each clip, which is 5 folders deep into the card folder. When I import the card folder, all the folders beneath it also import so I still have to click click click click to get to the clips. When using FCP7, it would bring up just the video clips inside the folders and allow me to set the custom names I wanted to use upon transferring. I am trying to find a solution that is somewhat similar to this process.

[Angelo Lorenzo]

Use the “media browser” panel in Premiere. This will actively recognize the folder structure for XF, P2, AVCHD, and so on so you import the clips with the proper name and spanned properly. From the sound of it, you’re importing straight by dragging folders/files in and this would be incorrect (or, less correct) way to do it.

I don’t know Prelude too well but it may allow similar custom naming on transfer/transcode but I can’t speak too much about it.

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Angelo Lorenzo

Need to encode ProRes on your Windows PC?
Introducing ProRes Helper, an awesome little app that makes it possible
Fallen Empire Digital Production Services – Los Angeles
RED transcoding, on-set DIT, and RED Epic rental services
Fallen Empire – The Blog
A blog dedicated to filmmaking, the RED workflow, and DIT tips and tricks
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[Tero Ahlfors]

[Angelo Lorenzo] “I don’t know Prelude too well but it may allow similar custom naming on transfer/transcode but I can’t speak too much about it.”

You can rename files on transfer/transcode with Prelude. I don’t know if it’ll do exactly what the OP wants but I’d check that out.

[Roddy Babb]

Thank you

[Paul Neumann]

Prelude is all you need. It can do all that in a snap.

[Roddy Babb]

In Prelude is there a setting that allows you to add a custom date or the day it was SHOT? When I choose “creation date” in my preset, it populates today’s date.

Thanks

[Paul Neumann]

Prelude creates an Ingest Date when you bring it in, but it should always show you a Created Date if that info is available. That’s almost always in the camera metadata.

You can always add a tag with whatever date/copy you want.

[Howard Jackson]

Hi, I’m just wondering how you sorted your renaming XF305 files. Did you go the Prelude option? I have the exact same problem and can’t find a definitive answer anywhere. Cheers, Howard

[Ann Bens]

You can also use the Canon XF utility app for renaming.

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