Michael Hancock
Forum Replies Created
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[Chris Vassaux] “We are an AVID house, but are receiving more and more requests to convert a client’s Final Cut show out to video, in this case Digital Betacam”
Like was mentioned the thread below about taking FCP DVCProHD to an Avid, have anyone who wants to send you a file from FCP export to an Avid codec. The codecs are free, easily downloaded, are available for PC and Mac, and will give you a fast import into your Avid.
If the FCP people want to give you DV50 files, have them use the Avid DV codec and check the DV50 option, interlaced or progressive. If they have DVCProHD have them export to DV100 or the flavor of DNxHD you guys prefer. If it’s standard DV material, have them export to the AvidDV codec and choose the DV25 option (or DV50 to save their graphics undue compression).
Otherwise, like David said, have them export to ProRes, but be sure to allow enough time for the long import as Avid converts it to MXF/OMF. Hence my suggestion to use Avid codecs–much faster import on your end.
Michael
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If you have everything at DVCProHD right now, DV100 should be fine. It should basically rewrap your file in a DVCProHD codec the Avid can read.
Otherwise, Shane’s right. DNxHD can offer less compression (but can’t improve beyond what you have now). If you go to DNxHD and you have a lot of graphics go to a DNxHD with an x after it (like DNxHD220x). The ‘x’ denotes 10-bit and will help with any complicated graphics you may have.
Michael
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Download the Avid codecs and export to Avid’s DV100 (their DVCProHD codec), or a flavor of DNxHD.
Avid Codecs at bottom of page.
Michael
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Do you have a flip effect or any other effects on top of the Subcap effect? Even on a higher layer? If we can get a screenshot of your timeline, or at least a few clips this is happening on, we may see something out of the ordinary.
Michael
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Completely compatible. Since you’re going from version 3.0 to 3.0, there isn’t even a reason to make a new project. Just take the Mac project to the PC and vice versa.
Michael
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There are 3 types of settings. Site settings (global), User (always set for that user), and Project (applies to that project only).
Now, if you’re on Media Composer you can make User and Project settings Site Settings very easily. Go to the menu bar (File, Edit, etc…) and choose Special. Click on Site Settings and a box will pop up. From your Settings tab of your Project window just grab any User or Project settings that you want to make Global and drag them into the Site Settings box.
Now, whenever you make a new project, any project settings that are listed in the Site Settings box will be set like the original project you pulled those settings from. So set your Media Creation settings how you want, drag them to the Site Settings box, and all new projects will adopt those original Project Settings.
Michael
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[Todd Terry] “Even our dubs have a tiny fine print line on the label that says “This videotape remains property of Fantastic Plastic and must be returned upon request,” just to make it clear we were not selling the videotape (and invoices list it as dubbing service rather than just “dubs”).”
Very, very smart. In some (maybe all?) states the dub is a tangible and if you haven’t been charging, and are lacking Todd’s fine print, the IRS can destroy you with back taxes. It happened to an ad agency in our town that was pulled for an audit and owed thousands because they never charged for dubs but didn’t retain ownership either. If they had simply made a note on the dubs that they retained property and not the client they would have been fine.
We’ve always “owned” beta dubs, but since that agency got whacked we don’t even list them on our invoices anymore. Instead it’s added directly into the edit time, and when we do send dubs (it’s mostly digital delivery now) we make a note to the stations that we own them. And we occassionally get boxes of Betas from the TV stations because of it.
As for how we do invoices–when we quote a job we break it down into rough hours – X hours to shoot, Y to edit, plus “free” DVD at the end and spot delivery (dubs). When we bill we just send them a total number. It always matches the quote (or comes under if we grossly overestimated the hours), so we don’t break it down twice.
Michael
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In front of the filename. For example, if your media file is normally called:
V01.488A3D9F_488A3D488A3D9F.omf
It would looking something like:
+V01.488A3D9F_488A3D488A3D9F.omf
Michael
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If you want the Up and Down arrows to zoom in and out like Xpress Pro, map More Detail and Less Detail to your keyboard. These are menu commands found in the timeline Fast Menu (bottom left of your timeline).
Michael
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[Eric Nicastro] “How do I change the color of the drop shadows so its not just black?”
Do you have Boris plugins? If you do, drop their Drop Shadow effect onto your clip. It’s a better drop shadow than Avid’s and you can change the color to whatever you want.
To outline your logos, use the Boris Glow effect and set it to affect the alpha. Adjust to taste and you can get it to look like a colored outline/border.
If you have Media Composer, you should have the Boris plugins (unless you have the academic version of MC).
Michael
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