Roundtripping vs. Conform

[Michael Phillips]

Other may have different opinions, but a roundtrip is pretty clear – it’s going out and coming back. Could be After Effects, Pro Tools, Resolve, etc.

A conform means that an offline edit, or edit done with proxies needs to be “conformed” back to camera originals or higher rez version. There would be a conform in Resolve and either finishing there, or possibly being sent back to Media Composer after the conform in Resolve.

A relink might be considered part of the conform process, etc.

Michael

[Shane Ross]

Yes, conform is taking the offline resolution cut and prepping it for online. BEFORE you go to Resolve. Dropping in masters of stock footage, relinking to camera masters or high res footage. Prepping for color.

Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Pat Horridge]

I’d agree. The conform is the offline edit preparation for finishing. Now if using resolve and a round trip you may choose to do some of the conform in Resolve. But Resolve isn’t as powerful or flexible at actual editing so its easier to just use it for the grade.
As an aside its amazing how many post houses now use a Resolve grade round trip producing results I know their Avid could have achieved in far less time and effort. Avids grading tools may be dated and clunky but they work as well as ever and can produce quality results. Coupled with Avid supporting UHD and 2K 4K many jobs just don’t need Resolve. Just because its free doesn’t mean it has to be used.

Pat Horridge
Broadcast & Post Consultant, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
Free online Tutorials at VET digital media academy online https://vimeo.com/channels/752951
pat@vet.co.uk

[Hector Berrebi]

not so long ago… before software communicated well via XML/AAF (rather well) bit before camera files became files and when metadata was TC and reel No… conforming used to be a potential small hell at the end of your project. especially in documentary type work and almost always in indy work…

Things have definitely evolved positively since 🙂

Here’s one good general tip for your new job from my experience.
Depending of course, on the length of what you are conforming, it is quite common that some clips just don’t reconnect right. I noticed people have a tendency to try and solve the problem, locate it in original timeline, MXF/AAF, in the files… then look online in forums and generally waste time.

As long as its manageable (few shots in short project, up to 50 or so in long) and you have an offline ref, just fix it manually.
Trying to solve post production gremlins is not the goal of good conforming… and what does not work easy, is often easier to fix manually.

good luck.

[Pat Horridge]

Hector you’ve not been on one of my Avid media management courses have you 🙂
That’s just what I teach.
You normally have the clip name the original file name and the clip start timecode an overcut from the high res source is quick and simple.
The key to a smooth conform is oversight from ingest onwards. Pre deal with sources that aren’t robust in post like gopro and dslr.
And if you can do a pre conform when offline is close to done.

Pat Horridge
Broadcast & Post Consultant, Trainer, Avid Certified Instructor
Free online Tutorials at VET digital media academy online https://vimeo.com/channels/752951
pat@vet.co.uk

[Glenn Sakatch]

Great advice. I see people on the forums all the time wasting days and weeks trying for the perfect fix, rather than manually cutting in 10 shots and moving on. We’d all like the perfect conform, but sometimes it just won’t happen.

I always tell the editors when i do an uprez and color…i don’t expect a perfect uprez, but if i can get 80 or 90 percent there than i consider it a success. With all the differnt cameras, codecs, frame rates and ramping going on in a project, i’m more than willing to fix that last 10 or 20 percent manually.

Glenn