General Avid offline/online workflow question

[Nick Levanti]

Long time final cut user here, in the middle of migrating to avid and running into a bunch of workflow and program related issues.

I am cutting and color grading a project that was shot on the scarlet at 4k. My intention is to create proxy files for editing in avid using red cine, cut the film, re link to the r3d files for first light correction in red cine, then send to da vinci for the grade and then to premiere for 4k finishing.

So here's the problem i'm having- I've transcoded my footage in red cine to dnxhd mxf files and can not seem to figure out how to get avid to recognize them for what they are. If i try to import them avid tries to transcode them again, and I don't want to ama link to these files because if i understand correctly it will limit my options for a re connect. Avid media managment seems way different than final cuts method to me, and I think thats where a lot of my confusion is coming from with this.

How to I get these files into avid for native dnxhd .mxf editing without it trying to re transcode and create more files? After the offline edit in avid, whats the best way to re link in red cine? Is there a simpler means to my end than what my plan is?

Thanks in advance guys.

[Job ter Burg]

Drop them in the X:/Avid MediaFiles/MXF/n folder, where 'X' can be any suitable media drive and 'n' can be any number (1,2,3, etc.). After that, launch MC, which will then rebuild the media database for that folder. After that, either A) import the ALE you may have generated in RedCine-X into a bin or B) open the Media Tool and locate the clips, and drag them into a bin or C) drag the msm.db file (from the folder where you dropped the files) into a bin.

[MichaelP]

AS Job says, drag the MXF files to the Avid MediaFIles/MXF numbered folder structure. The easiest method is to then drag and drop the AAF files created by the same transcode process into a bin and they automatically link to the media. It is unfortunate that the Avid/Red landing page has not been updated, or at the very least have a pointer this video webinar that will take you through several ways to work with Avid and R3D media including double system audio sync:
http://tinyurl.com/29ue8mm

Just note that this video was done before Epic/Scarlet and release of MC v6. You will need the latest R3D AMA plug-in from avid.com/ama to work with EPic/Scarlet audio directly. I still need to test whether that plug-in works with v5.x and 5.5.x series of media composer.

Michael

[Martin Widerberg]

The Redcine-X I'm on generates XML, not ALE. Is there a way around that? Any XML-ALE converter?

Thank you
Martin

[Nick Levanti]

I could not the get ale method to work. Media would be offline when the ale was imported. Importing the aaf files did the trick however. My proxy footage is not in avid and I have begun cutting. So now when the cut is done I can easily relink in rcx correct? And then my plan is to grade in da Vinci and finish is premiere for 4k output and hd output

[MichaelP]

I could not the get ale method to work. Media would be offline when the ale was imported. Importing the aaf files did the trick however. My proxy footage is not in avid and I have begun cutting. So now when the cut is done I can easily relink in rcx correct? And then my plan is to grade in da Vinci and finish is premiere for 4k output and hd output

ALE involves an additional relink step and will not work for audio anyway. AAF import relinks automatically since it carries additional metadata that allows that compare to ALE. You can export an EDL or an AAF to go to DaVinci or Premiere Pro for conform.

Michael

[MichaelP]

The Redcine-X I'm on generates XML, not ALE. Is there a way around that? Any XML-ALE converter?

Selecting MXF/DNxHD as an output will always create the following in the directory of your choosing:

1. MXF (folder full of the actual picture and sound files as .mxf)
2. AAF (folder full of "pointers" as .aaf with metadata that link to the media. One for each clip VA clip trancoded)
3. One ALE file for the transcode that carries all the additional metadata not in the MXF wrapper or AAF file. This can be merged into the master clips created by the import or drag and drop of the AAF files.

Watch the video link posted previously.

Michael

[Martin Widerberg]

Exported DnxHD 185 from Redcine-x Pro and get mxf files for both video and audio. No AAF files. No ALE. Just mxf and a XML file.
How do I get AVID to see those files so I can work with them?
Migrated from FCP so have patience with me please.

Thank you
Martin

[Martin Widerberg]

Hi again
If I forget about the audio, I have it already from the previous Prores, how do I get Avid to see my DnXHD 185 video file?
I drop it in the Avid Media Files, MXF, 1.
How do I proceed? Any help appreciated.

Thank you
Martin

[MichaelP]

If it is an MXF file, then go to the MediaTool and drag to your bin, or go to the AvidMediafile/MXF/1 folder and import the msmMMOB.mdb into your bin. It will populate with master clips. Just as easy to drag and drop all the AAF files. See the video on www.avid.com/red for all the different ways to work with R3D and double system sound. A very worthwhile hour of your time.


Michael