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Resolve to Avid Issues
A couple of issues I ran into while trying to export RED HELIUM footage (20-day shoot) to Avid AAF.
First off, do not shut off the AUDIO option.
Even if you are not using it don’t!
You lose the “AAF” connect point, meaning it won’t make you one.
You will get a folder full of MXFs and I honestly don’t know how to bring that into Avid without having to try and re-import, I found this out doing a 92 clip export.
My fix was to select a dead clip, something I will not use but from the shoot and set an in/out.
Turn on the AUDIO option and export.
You will still need to move the MXF into the blessed folders for this to work.
Then you can Source Browse the AAF and you should see all the clips again.
I would do this with a new BIN.
Now, why choose a bad clip.
Well, I first tried this with a good clip and noticed that after I moved the file over it wrote over an existing clip (of course) and it turned it into an AMA Linked file instead.
I tried another export and this time it made the file go OFFLINE.
So don’t bother playing that awful export dance just make sure you have the AUDIO checked on.Now to the other issues.
Using the Audio Timecode sync, all the files are coming out corrupt once imported into Avid.
I tested with and without and def something is screwed using the audio sync option.
From day one of these HELIUM files I’ve had nothing but trouble getting it to play nice with Avid.
I haven’t tested ProRes from Resolve with the files, I’ve run out of time testing really need to get things transcoded. -
4 Replies
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I think for any project like this (particularly a 20-day shoot), you need to establish a solid workflow long before a single frame of footage is shot. Do tests and make sure the camera originals, the transcodes, and sound will work throughout the entire path, using all the software and workstations that will be employed during the project.
Me personally, I’d transcode everything to some lightweight format like DNxHD, use those for dailies and editing, sync in Avid, then create an XML at the end and bring that into Resolve and link back to the camera originals. And use Avid’s own export path for bringing sound files into Pro Tools. This is a pretty rock-solid workflow that is used all the time.
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Just like life, I thought I had it all under control.
This isn’t my first RED multi-day project.
Prev to this was MX and DRAGON files.
A ton of Son/Canon/BMD files as well.
This time around, we think its an issue with the RED HELIUM files.
Since we cant replicate the issue with MX/DRAGON files.
I have a decent working workflow now but need to be careful with all the new issues during each export.
To clarify, I cant use any files from MXF exports from Resolve when AutoSync is used.
I would have tested with ProRes but the host system will be mainly Windows based.
We used the DNxHD codec (lowest possible) and I have done round-trip tests with Resolve from Avid.
All good so far 🙂 -
Which version of Avid? What operating system? I think this can work, but there have been a lot of bug fixes between Avid 8.9.3 and also Resolve 14.1.1. The moving target of formats like Red Helium make post-production very trying and difficult.
It would not be unreasonable to use Redcine-X Pro to transcode all the files to DNxHD (or HR), edit the DNx files in Avid, then at the very end of the project, relink within Resolve to the R3D originals. I have done that with Red Helium 8K files and it can work. You need a beefy computer, heavy-duty CPUs, and big GPUs to handle it, but it can be done.
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Thanks, Marc.
I am so glad someone replied and approved the RED HELIUM format.Here are my specs:
HP Z840, Windows 10, NVIDIA K5000, 64GB RAM
RCX build 50, Resolve 12.5.4 and Avid MC 8.9.3 with latest AMA plugin.Mac Pro D700, OS X Sierra, 64GB RAM
RCX build 50, Resolve 12.5.4 and Avid MC 8.9.3 with latest AMA plugin.Tempting to move up to Resolve 14.x but I am okay with the current AAF/MXF export result.
I mean it’s not really working to my liking (read post) but it did give me an 80% proper export.
Better than what I really wanted which was an MXF export from RCX.
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