[Jeff Markgraf]

Seems fairly straightforward.

Did you start out with an actual script before the improvising?

If so, was the script broken down into the standard scene format (Scene 101, Scene 102, etc)?
Were standard format script notes and logging used (102A take 1…102F take 4, etc.) with circled takes and proper notes?

If yes, then there’s your organization. Smart collections and/or keyword collections based on the metadata.

Was the audio recorded to the cameras or to an external recorder? Matching timecode? A proper audio log? If yes, then synching cameras and audio and making multi can clips is a cinch. If not, your AE has his work cut out for him/her.

Assuming your show follows conventional structure, I’d make each act its own project. That way each sequence is limited to no more than 6 – 10 minutes. Comp them all into a final sequence (with or without commercial blacks) and see where you are.

The beauty of X is that all the audio channels can come along with the edit, and you can turn on or off and cut up and delete unneeded audio as you wish.

Make sure you assign roles and subroles upon import. (Dialogue-Bob’s lav, Dialogue-Sam’s lav, Dialogue-boom, SFX-room tone, etc.)

[Jeff Markgraf]

[TImothy Auld] “If you do delivery work for broadcast”

I do.

[TImothy Auld] “you don’t want to go to FCPX at this point.”

I do. And I have. So have many others.

But one must be ready and willing to understand and use X on its terms. It’s not Avid or Premiere or anything else. To try to replicate those workflows on X is doomed to frustration and failure.

[Jeff Markgraf]

Eric-

Pretty much what I’ve been doing. No joy for me, so I”m looking at alternatives.

[Jeff Markgraf]

Oliver,

Just to clarify, the consolidating was just getting the files out of the Avid onto a drive to work with in FCP and Resolve. I could have pulled them directly from the media tool, I suppose.

Also, the dragging the database into the bin first was recommended in several articles about the Resolve to Avid workflow. And note that the AAF populated the bin with the renamed audio files that are offline. I still don’t know what this is about.

I have to reluctantly agree with you and Sam that avoiding audio through Resolve is in order. I had already successfully made a roles-based QT out of FCP and imported and cut it up in the Avid sequence. No problems there. And yes, breaking apart the audio was necessary.

So I guess I have my answer. In the end, i will probably use this method, then overwrite the audio clips with the Avid-based music and effects as time permits.

[Jeff Markgraf]

I guess in the end I’m not surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. Unfortunately, I need to figure out some method of getting the project onto Avid in order to satisfy the execs. I really don’t want to have to recreate the whole thing manually…

Perhaps Resolve for the video and X2Pro for the video is best.

I’m also considering spending the money for EDL-X. I Avid can make a sequence from the EDL and then batch import the files.

I also plan to send these projects to AE via Clip Exporter. I wonder if AE to PPro to Avid works any better?

Thanks to all for advice. Feel free to continue weigh in on this.

[Jeff Markgraf]

Sorry. Here’s a link.

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/344/35664

[Jeff Markgraf]

Hi Oliver. Thanks for replying. Apologies in advance for my long response.

I’ve mostly been using Avid clips consolidated onto an external drive (FCP and Resolve are on one computer, Avid is on a different computer & ISIS). These clips are imported and left in place. In FCP, the mxf clips show up as separate audio and video, so I’ve been making synchronized clips for the SOTs. One possibly important note: some of these original Avid clips came from tape & have a reel name. Others are imported and have no reel name.

Edit fine in FCP. Export FCPXML. Import XML into Resolve.

I was having an issue where Resolve didn’t put the audio in the timeline. The clips in the media pool were fine. Saw a Sam Mestman post about synchronized clips not working in round-tripping. Tried again with SOTs broken apart and detached audio in FCP. Import worked. Oddly, Resolve says it can’t find one or more files, but everything shows up.

Decompose in place to get rid of compound clips and transforms. Deliver to a new folder with Avid AAF preset. Copy files into Avid MediaFiles->MXF->1. Launch Avid. Avid scans the folder and makes the .pmr and .mdb files. Drag .mdb into bin. Bin populates with clips. Clips play fine. Drag AAF into bin.

Now it gets goofy.

Sequence shows up in bin along with the audio files that are renamed with “%20” where the spaces should be. So “CM 4.mov.PV01.D0F1A54CC62EF.mxf” (the mxf clip with the video ID name) shows up as “CM%204” with the other characters truncated and no extension. The number of characters in the name varies and sometimes includes part of the V01 string, but always with the %20 in place of the spaces. These renamed files are offline. (Note that they only show up in the bin when the AAF is imported.)

The sequence places the clips correctly. The video is online. Some clips show the non-%20 filenames, others show the %20 filenames. Audio is offline. Clicking in the sequence throws up an Avid error about referencing a nonexistent track in the clip (shows the %20 version of the clip name with a missing A1 track). Match framing to the video allows me to replace the audio.

The music and sfx files (.aif files) don’t come across at all, and don’t even show up in the folder of Resolve renders.

Selecting “Render unique filenames” in the Resolve render settings (on by default with the Avid AAF preset) forces either a unique prefix or unique suffix, which seems to prevent any clip from getting exported unscathed.

I am truly stymied. I can’t find any info online dealing with these issues. The vast majority of posts and tutorials are for Resolve 9, which is rather different from 11. Additionally, while I’m fine with the usual Avid consolidate and relink process, I’ve never understood the intricacies of relinking in Avid well enough to figure how to relink to the correct files (or pieces of files, in this case) in this kind of situation.

Any help appreciated. I’ll buy you drinks at NAB if you’re going this year!

[Jeff Markgraf]

I tried making an edl for the avid, but edl manager wouldn’t recognize it. Nor did it work as an ale file.

I guess what I really need is an experienced resolve user to weigh in on this. Resolve 11, not 9 or 10. Oliver? Anyone?

[Jeff Markgraf]

Well, yes, that’s preferred. I will in fact be finishing in x. (Actually, sending cut from x to ae via clip exporter and bringing the finished graphics back in x. )

The transfer to Avid is a security blanket for the VP. This is an Avid shop. These projects are frequently changed and cut down and repurposed weeks and months after they are finished. I’m a freelancer (for now), and there’s the chance someone else will do the cut downs. So they want a rough cut sequence in the avid in order to make the changes if I’m not available. Hence my desire to find a relatively painless conversion.

I’ve convinced the creative director (my immediate boss) that I can cut these faster and better in x. He needs to manage this process upward in order to make it happen. So the burden is on me to show them it won’t cause any problems for their admittedly outdated workflow.

[Jeff Markgraf]

Thread Hijack…

How are you finding the workflow now that you’ve gone back to Avid? Anything you especially miss from FCP7? Anything you’re really glad to have with Avid (I know, shared project workflow is the bomb on Avid)?