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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Any advice for entering timecode AFTER importing footage to Avid?

Nigel Stanford

Nigel Stanford

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I'm writing a help file...

If someone imports Red Quicktimes into an Avid and not used metacheater or an ALE, the Avid files don't have timecode.

Has anyone had this happen to them? What did you do to fix it?

I'm assuming you manually enter timecode into each clip, but what's the best way of getting that timecode?
 
Yeah it's a big pain. The main issue is finding out what the timecode is for each clip. We had to do it once on a project where there was a digital slate with timecode on frame 1, so we could type it in from there. Lots of human error but it worked ok.
The question is, is there an automated way. Can you import the footage again (correctly) into the avid and somehow tell it to use the new footage? Like the reconnect media function in final cut? My gut says no.

At the very least, could you import the footage again into a different bin, and then have both bins on the screen and copy the timecode from on to the other?
 
If you transcode to DV100 (DVCPRO HD) you could WRAP it into an MXF - and that would drop right into Avid with TC if I am not mistaken.
 
Offhollywood said:
If you transcode to DV100 (DVCPRO HD) you could WRAP it into an MXF - and that would drop right into Avid with TC if I am not mistaken.
Click to expand...
Sounds interesting, but how do you wrap a file into an MXF ?
Is there a software that does that ?
Any chance we'll be able to do that in RedRushes one day ?
That would be cool even for DNxHD, when the new codec becomes available...
 
MXF carries the metadata wrapped around the essence (DVCOPRO, MPEG, DNxHD, etc.). Doing the ALE first then merging is essentially the same thing in the case that the metadata is carried in the ALE. The ALE can contain a LOT more information than what is defined in the MXF.

Although this behavior is being changed for a future release, there is not much you can do now other than entry on a per clip basis that I can think of...


Michael
 
Yes. Still working all the details as far as which timecode at what rate in which project type as well as defining a source ID, but at the very least a timecode.

Michael
 
Nigel_Monkey said:
If someone imports Red Quicktimes into an Avid and not used metacheater or an ALE, the Avid files don't have timecode.
Click to expand...

Am I being naive in pointing out that since Metacheater is free, and freely available, there is no reason to do this in the first place? Making an ALE using Metacheater takes about 15 seconds, and all of the available metadata is then available in Avid. Using batch import takes the same amount of time as using direct import. So why would one not do that?
 
Nigel_Monkey said:
At the very least, could you import the footage again into a different bin, and then have both bins on the screen and copy the timecode from on to the other?
Click to expand...

I think this is probably the fastest way to solve your problem. Re-import all the footage using the metacheater method, then replace every single shot. Of course, the re-import would take a while, but it's more or less unattended if its set up right. An experienced trailer or promo editor (or good assistant) is used to 'clean printing' and could do this pretty fast.

In theory, you could also copy (cmd/ctl D) the 'name' column into the reel number column, (not in front of a machine so I don't know if that will actually work) then take a print out of the metacheater ALE and hand-enter (or open in excell or a text editor then copy-and-paste) the start time into each clip. This would allow you to use the RED16 edl format, or you could simply hand-alter the reel number (the normal 'monkey' style) to represent just the camera - A001, etc., then carefully paste in the start times. Avid won't allow you to alter the start time without a reel number.

Can't Craig just whip out some code for this? Are you baiting us? 'Extract' is so useful I'm surprised you're even raising this concern!
 
Actually, it seems like a problem Craig COULD solve. It could be a mode in Extract. I'm no programmer, but it seems that all you have to do is use the red16 EDL, since that uses the EXACT file name of each file, instead of the short reel name, then generate a look up table of the original source quicktimes - metacheater, essentially, the create a bit of code that looks at each line of the EDL, calculates start time as an offset from 1 hour (all Avid quicktime imports, until Michael gets it fixed, start at 1 hour) and adds that to the actual start time of the same clip in the look up table (or rather, adds the start time to the offset, dropping that new value into the EDL.) Easier said than done, I'm certain, and difficult to make fool-proof, but seems doable. Seems a hell of a lot easier than writing monkey extract, but what do I know?
 
Greg, I believe you got it right. Avid import TC minus 1 hour = Red Edgecode.
 
mmost said:
Am I being naive in pointing out that since Metacheater is free, and freely available, there is no reason to do this in the first place? Making an ALE using Metacheater takes about 15 seconds, and all of the available metadata is then available in Avid. Using batch import takes the same amount of time as using direct import. So why would one not do that?
Click to expand...


Totally agree.

Metacheater is the way to go on this one. Generate the ALE and point it at the QT's on import.
Done.
Tested and it works.

David
 
MichaelP said:
Yes. Still working all the details as far as which timecode at what rate in which project type as well as defining a source ID, but at the very least a timecode.

Michael
Click to expand...

Praise be! Now the question is, which timecode... :) I'd vote edgecode but then I'm recording sound to the camera.
 
Are both timecodes in the QT? I just did a quick export from REDrushes and while I can choose to use TOD or edgecode, there only seems to be one or the other in the QT file itself. At least using REDrushes you can choose what the timecode should be beforehand -

Michael
 
I find a great deal of usefulness in the CSV export from REDline. I can't see a clear way to add TC to existing clips with it, but it'd give you all the information you need at the very least.
 
mmost said:
Am I being naive in pointing out that since Metacheater is free, and freely available, there is no reason to do this in the first place? Making an ALE using Metacheater takes about 15 seconds, and all of the available metadata is then available in Avid. Using batch import takes the same amount of time as using direct import. So why would one not do that?
Click to expand...

Yes, metacheater is the way, and what we do in our workflow. The question was, if someone has not used metacheater, and has already made a cut, what advice can we offer them...
 
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