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Strategy for Syncing for Feature in X
Just wondering what your strategy is for hundreds of clips a la feature film sync and prep. Been used to doing it in 7 with plural eyes. For this new feature I am posting I plan to organize each scene into separate folders. Label each vid clip with corresponding matching sound clip(s) – our sound guy did not label anything on his recorder so – fun times there… Then sync in plural eyes – export XML for X. Open XML in X and check sync in timeline – shut off all video scratch audio tracks – trim to action in timeline and finally create compound clips of each take. Then reorganize bins in X and create new project with only the new compound clips for each respective scene and then add take metadata to prep for edit.
Is there a better way? What is your strategy for this process.
-DM
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18 Replies
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You might want to look at Sync-N-Link X from Intelligent Assistance. However it requires common TC.
Sam Mestman’s workflow article is also a good read:
https://www.moviemaker.com/diy/movies-better-fcp-x-red-feature-film-workflow-part-1/
Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Yes – there is no common TC here.
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What about just using the built in synching in X?
Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Yeah I may just do that. Organize everything in scene folders and sync in X.
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I found x does a good job. I’d try it first and only consider something else if it falls short.
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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Yeah – I’ll give X a go – I’m still organizing all of the sound files and setting up the folder structures etc… I was just wondering what other people are doing for syncing on feature length stuff with lots of footage and no TC but this seems to be the way to go.
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Please post your experience. I am in early stages of a longer format film using one of three cams for sound and will need to sync TB’s of footage. No given run will last more than 70 min but I have no experience with this amount of media.
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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[David McClellan] “I was just wondering what other people are doing for syncing on feature length stuff with lots of footage and no TC”
I had tried an alternate method on a short. There I used the “open in timeline” function to embed audio into each master clip – synced by slate. I would not recommend this. It worked fine during the edit, but I had all sorts of trouble when passing audio over to my sound designer/mixer.
FWIW, PluralEyes also has the capability to generate new media files with the picture and clean audio merged into new clips.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Yeah I tried that export new media in PE and on certain clips I noticed some color shifts in the skin tones on the exported files. I’ll test it further just to be sure but this would be the simplest way for sure. Synch in PE then export a new file with audio replaced.
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David,
It sounds overly complicated to me. X’s synchronized clip workflow is pretty darn accurate if you have a decent scratch track on you’re camera files that allow X to match the second system audio. For me the key is that as soon as you get each synchronized clip created, Immediately reject both the original video and audio source files and work with “Hide Rejected” enabled. That should yeild exactly what it appears you want (hide all but one clip of each take with good audio) without all the export/import hassle. It’s certainly worth a test, anyway. As to the missing audio clip labels, dig into the sound clip metadata in the inspector by trying one of the more comprehensive views that go beyond the General view – and you might find a sort field that can order your sound takes to match the video. If so, use the X custom file renaming functions to match them to the video file names. it’s will make syncing stuff a whole lot easier.
X has really good tools in both these areas.
Finally, if you run into serious problems, let me know. I’m sure Sam Mestman or Mike Matzdorff in LA would be happy to trade an email or two with you to get you past any serious hurdles. Happy editing.
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