Michael Hancock
Forum Replies Created
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You can always check the Avid forums for these things. They’re usually stickied at the top of the corresponding software/Mac/PC forum.
https://community.avid.com/forums/t/99769.aspx
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
Don’t drag from the source monitor to the timeline – Avid doesn’t work like FCP. Instead, patch your source tracks to the record tracks and cut your footage in using Insert or Overwrite edit.
If you want video to go to V1, patch the V1 on the left to the V1 on the right. Make sure both are clicked (they’ll turn purple or something). Now drag A1 down to A3 and A2 down to A4. Make sure both are clicked (again, they’ll be purple or something depending on your interface settings). Now Insert (V on the keyboard) or Overwrite (B on the keyboard). Insert will move stuff down on your selected record tracks and put your audio and video in place, overwrite will overwrite whatever is on your selected audio and video tracks.
Have you gone to the Avid site and watched the tutorials posted there? There are hundreds that cover this kind of stuff.
Also, go into your settings (I think it’s the Timeline settings) and turn on Auto Patching. Then all you have to do is click A3 on your record side and A1 will automatically patch to it. Click A4 next and A2 will automatically patch to it. Saves time.
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
[Andy Neil] “Secondly, as far as sync errors go, don’t you run the same risk in a track based environment?”
There are sync markers that tell you when you’re out of sync in other NLEs. In FCPX, there aren’t. Your audio and video go out of sync, there’s no visual cue in the timeline.
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
Then something is wrong. You can add a dissolve to any audio or video track. Do you have the audio tracks activated in your track panel? The shortcut key is the Backslash on your keyboard. It’s directly above your Return key. It should open up the Quick Transition window – you can choose Dissolve, set the duration, and where it starts and ends on your piece of media (you probably want it to end on cut).
If it’s beeping, them you may not have any tracks selected. Make sure those are turned on in your patch panel.
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
Activate the audio tracks you want to fade out – use the Quick Transition window ( on your keyboard) and add a dissolve. Fade out complete.
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
[Andrew Richards] “3-5) This where metadata shines. Your track assignments in a fixed track timeline are immutable. With roles assigned as metadata for each audio clip, you get to assign output based on role and not have to put any effort into maneuvering your clips into different tracks to meet an output requirement. At least that’s how Apple stated it would work in their FAQ. Further, you can quickly select and disable audio channels by searching the timeline using the same metadata. “
You don’t have to put output into patching your audio to the proper tracks, no, but now all of your effort goes into properly tagging your audio so you can use the metadata accurately. Seems like it’s just trading one load of work and necessity for detail for another.
I wonder, too, what happens when you have a piece of audio that can be categorized as both Music and SFX, or VO and NatSound? Do you do a general assignment, then go through the timeline and change the metadata on a clip by clip basis? Is this even allowed? With tracks, you just put it on the right one to assume that “role” in your sequence.
Here’s what I would rather see – tracks + metadata with track patching based on that metadata. So you can assign Tracks 1 – 4 as Dialogue. If you choose, you patch manually. Or, you assign your audio with Dialogue to auto-patch to 1-4. Now you can cut freely and your audio will automatically patch. If you need to use part of that dialogue as a sound effect you can simply hardpatch it or move it down to the SFX track. The metadata auto-updates. This way you can still search your sequence but have a visual, easily read timeline of what exactly is VO, NatSound, SFX, Music, etc… The best of both worlds, and it makes editorial faster because you aren’t messing around with patching tracks – you assign it via metadata. But it still keeps things organized and fits current workflows.
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
Can you further explain or post a video of what’s happening? What steps are you taking to do the trim, what happens when you try to trim (do you get an error message? Dinging sound? Just nothing happening?). Provide as much detail as possible. Are you using the new Smart Tools to trim or Avid’s classic trimming model?
Do you have Sync Lock on?
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
[Shane Ross] “[Nigel Thompson] “Does the DNX codec have a 444 version like prores that can handle alphas ?”
That is coming with Media Composer 6.
“To be clear, the 444 is supposed to be coming with 6. All DNxHD codecs currently support alphas, unlike ProRes (which only supports alpha with 4444).
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
You will. It just takes time and patience. Take full advantage of the Avid forum here on the COW and check out Avid’s forums too. There are about 200 tutorials posted there for new users.
Keep at it. Once you get familiar with the interface and the Avid way of doing things you’ll play it like a finely tuned instrument. Learn the keyboard too, and map everything you can to it.
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Michael Hancock
Editor -
What Shane said. You can try to make this work and buy a bunch of 3rd party stuff to do it, or they can spend $1,000 on the Media Composer crossgrade offer, you can send them a drive with your media and original project, then you email bins back and forth and everything automatically relinks. Fast, easy, pretty much bulletproof (just don’t edit via AMA – it’s not bulletproof yet).
Why should you waste your time rebuilding their edit because they want to use different software? Make it easy on yourself – require they use Avid.
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Michael Hancock
Editor