Trouble using Merged clips when exporting to Protools?

[Nick Meyers]

they way you’ve been doing it is the correct way,

using nests is the WRONG way,
That’s the way you lose the original TC
another way to lose original TC is to export the merged clips as new files.
maybe he thinks you are doing that?

a simple test should sort things out

nick

[Matt Lyon]

I agree with Nick, using nests is definitely a bad idea. The merged clip workflow is standard practice. If your sound guy is trying to re-conform the session to the original audio files, he should be able to do so based on reel names and timecode of the audio files (assuming they are present).

If you enable overlays in your viewer window, and turn on timecode overlays, you can see the timecode for all audio clips for wherever you park your playhead. Then you can match frame back on a few of your audio clips and compare the timecode of the original file to the timecode in the merged clip and make sure they match.

The main “issue” with the merged clip workflow is that it renames all your clips to match the video clips. Perhaps that is what is tripping up your sound person? It will be easier for your post sound people if your OMF uses the names of the source audio files. I posted a while back about a technique for renaming your final timeline audio back to the original source files:

https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/8/1156962

HTH,
Matt

Matt Lyon
Editor
Toronto

[Rachel Pearl]

Thanks Guys.

He is getting tripped up trying to match back to the original external audio files and I can see where that might be an issue, especially on this production since the sound recordist didn’t label much and when he did it was wrong.

A question though, how can he link back to the original audio files using this workflow without my having to do a deep dive for him?

Thanks for the link to your tutorial. I’m sure this will help me in the future.

Rachel

[Nick Meyers]

it might be too late for this but…

i always set up a naming convention with the sound recordist that mirrors exactly how i will label my clips.
if they cant to it for some reason, then i adjust the audio file names.
while we sync, we cross check the audio file names, and correct any errors.

this way any used clips appear in the OMF with exactly the same name as the audio file,
and it’s easy to find that file if more extensions are needed.

are you able to perhaps make OMFs of your rushes?
then he’ll have full-length versions of the sound files that match the clip names.

another approach would be to look into AAF rather than OMF
is is possible to get it to reference entire original files.
(at least one editor and assistant team told me that, although they;d forgotten how they;d done it!)

nick

[Nick Meyers]

or do as matt suggests, and revert all the audio clips names to the originals prior to making the OMFs.

i also have a method for this that, and it doesn’t involve copying the media.
only thing is.. i’ve forgotten it!
i’ve got it written down somewhere, i’ll see if i can find it.

nick

[Nick Meyers]

here it is:
(almost identical to Matt’s)

=============================================

copy the sequence/s into a new project.
delete all video tracks:

lock all audio tracks (shift F5)
select all (Apple A)
delete.

select the sequences in the browser, and run Media Manager.
– create offline
– dont delete unused

this gives you a new project WITH all the audio files.
MM wont trim them, or make them offline (my audio files were BWF files, don’t now how yours will behave)

the audio only files still have the names of the video clips.
(i tried using “base media file names on existing file names” in Media Manager but got the same result)

select them all in the browser, and Modify Menu > Rename > Clips to match File,
and they revert to their orignal names.

=============================================

HOWEVER
if, as you say, the sound guy didn’t label things well,
maybe my idea of creating OMFs of the rushes could be a good one,
(Unless your sound post has started?)

nick

[Eric Santiago]

Has anyone managed to get out of Premiere using AAF and Merged Clips?
I really need to get this into Pro Tools asap.

Thanks!