r3d avid media composer 5.5 best work flow help

[Suresh Kara]

i've searched but i can't find the best work flow

I have a project on thursday and the client wants to cut in avid media composer 5.5, he wants me to transcode to avid dnx HD 185 10bit as an offline ( i know its a high quality offline its more just incase he can't do the conform in redcine x)

will he be able to relink to the rmd's in redcine x if he exports an edl or xml from the avid? has anyone had any problems with this workflow

another questions

is it better to do quicktime dnxhd files or the avid aaf and mxf folder structure he's on a pc. I just need to give him the easiest workflow - if only he used CS6


many thanks

suresh

 

[Jason Honeycutt]

I'm an Avid editor by trade (14 years now) so hopefully I can help a little. If he wants to finish in 1080p, then it's easy... and you don't have to do any transcoding on your end. If he had Avid MC4, then, yeah, you would. The R3D workflow for that was brutal. Anyway... if you give him the raw files, they AMA link and play natively within the project... has nothing to do with PC or Mac. If his computer is too slow and it chugs, then yeah, he'd transcode those files within the bin to DNxHD36... edit with the the new clips. When it's time to online... you put the "online" sequence into a bin by itself... close all the other bins except for the original AMA-linked clips. (If they are offline, just reimport them all via AMA, don't individually 'relink' them, as it's a colossal waste of time.)

So... with those two bins open (the bin with the sequence, the bin with the AMA files linking to the source R3D footage). He highlights all of the AMA footage. Then he goes to the sequence bin, he right-clicks the sequence. Select "relink"The KEY to this is, at the top of that pop-up menu, he selected "Selected items in ALL open bins" (not the usual "Media on drive"). Then, in that middle panel, select "Allow relink of Imported/AMA clips by Source File name". He can also select "Match case when comparing tape and source file names" but it makes it more restrictive so, if this doesn't work, deselect that. Then, "OK." Bam, within a second or two, his sequence is now relinked to the R3D footage.

Now... his sequence might chug again. If that's the case, he'd strip the video layers(or all of the audio too), consolidate those layers to whatever online resolution he wants, pop that back into the sequence. At that point, the sequence plays using new/created clips that are in the DNxHD codec. It's been a while but if I remember right, the R3D files should be playing natively though, shouldn't chug.

It's a super easy process.

 

[Richard Harrison]

I've used AfterEffects quite a bit with an Avid MC editor. Automatic Duck to bring the Avid timeline in to AfterEffects or Premiere then relink to the original R3Ds there.

 

[thierry pinoni]

hi
jason have reason i do like this for editing ,but check in your ama setting the quality of the debayerisation sometime you drop the quality for editing ,like this you can edit easily ,don't forget some video card mac/pc offers the cuda engine this come in help to.
see you

 

[Suresh Kara]

Thanks so much Jason we are going to try that workflow tonight !!!

 

[BRANDON JAMESON]

Does anyone know if Automatic DUck will be updated for MC6?

 

[Michael Dalton]

Does anyone know if Automatic DUck will be updated for MC6?

I think the guys who founded automated duck have moved on to other things. So no.

@ Jason, thanks very much for this. is there anyway to alter the source setting, so you can go back in Redcine and adjust your setting and colour and have Avid read those current changes???

Can anyone with a current MAC get near realtime playback with 1/8 or 1/4 debayer?

 

[Jason Honeycutt]

I think the guys who founded automated duck have moved on to other things. So no.

@ Jason, thanks very much for this. is there anyway to alter the source setting, so you can go back in Redcine and adjust your setting and colour and have Avid read those current changes???

No problem. I know it was a pain at first since that workflow is still almost impossible to find via Avid but it's key for this new tapeless age. It's scary at first but it's so fast and efficient.

Can anyone with a current MAC get near realtime playback with 1/8 or 1/4 debayer?

Yeah man, you can. It's been a while since I've done it with R3D but I know for sure I can do it with Alexa's footage on MC6 and their footage isn't as "friendly" with Avid. My Scarlet will be up and running soon so I can give a step by step in a day or so.

So try this for now... go to your AMA-linked R3D clip, right-click. Select "Set Source Settings," then a new window pops up and you can adjust from there.

 

[Michael Dalton]

A huge thanks Jason, I ran through your set today, and it is much better then what I was using. The only thing I don't think that was covered, is NOT to edit with the new clips in the transcode, you need to re-link the original clips to the new transcoded media. I guess this preserves the link to the original clips. One thing I noticed, transcoding in Avid is much quicker!

I also found the setting for adjusting the colour setup. It is indeed "Set source settings"

 

[Jason Honeycutt]

A huge thanks Jason, I ran through your set today, and it is much better then what I was using.

Glad to help. I'm such a noob with my Scarlet right now so it's the only way I can contribute around here for a while

The only thing I don't think that was covered, is NOT to edit with the new clips in the transcode, you need to re-link the original clips to the new transcoded media. I guess this preserves the link to the original clips. One thing I noticed, transcoding in Avid is much quicker!

I also found the setting for adjusting the colour setup. It is indeed "Set source settings"

Actually... you can edit with either the transcoded clips or the AMA ones, as long as the AMA files remain linked. AMA-clips can come offline kinda easily and if that happens, you have to relink one by one... which takes forever. If you can edit with the AMA clips, then there's no need to even transcode. But, if you transcode, yeah, edit with those actually. You just 'stick' your sequence to the bin of media, either transcoded or AMA and you can go back and forty easily by that workflow above. The clips retain all of the original source TC and everything, just now playing with a DNxHD codec instead of R3D.

It's hairy at first, the offline/online process and nerve-wracking but once you do a bunch of tests, you'll be super comfortable with going back and forth, no problem. When we started going tapeless at my network, the other editors were in the dark about the workflow and kinda hesitant to stop direct-importing clips but I got them up to speed and they love it now. It's awesome not having to online for two hours with tapes when you can do it in literally two seconds.

 

[Michael Dalton]

It's nerve racking going from program to program. I've been on file based workflows for about 4 years now and like them. I've had a bunch of errors going FCP-COLOUR-FCP, and then again with Avid-Resolve-Avid. This puts another layer or two, and a greater margin of error, but it seems solid. I had put off running tests for a while, and this thread came on a day when I needed to figure it out. I'm just not sure if I can movie my .r3d's around after the AMA.

 

[Hector Berrebi]

It's nerve racking going from program to program. I've been on file based workflows for about 4 years now and like them. I've had a bunch of errors going FCP-COLOUR-FCP, and then again with Avid-Resolve-Avid. This puts another layer or two, and a greater margin of error, but it seems solid. I had put off running tests for a while, and this thread came on a day when I needed to figure it out. I'm just not sure if I can movie my .r3d's around after the AMA.

Michael,
the workflow Jason suggested is very solid. don't worry about moving your R3Ds around after AMA transcode, and its even recommended (Avid's media management is very robust when used properly)

once you AMA your files I would suggest not to work native
the delays and lagging, lack of decent scrub and slow response from the system can be nerve wrecking, even on a strong station

transcode to DNXHD 36. tell your client he has nothing to worry about in the re-link stage
once you have transcoded you may and should put away the original files,
you can also rename your clips as desired, link will be maintained.

the best part is,
once you are done cutting, export an AAF file from your sequence (the offline, renamed, DNX 36 sequence)
AAFs are Avid's version of XML and virtually the same in what they can do and how they are used.

if you import that AAF to Resolve Lite and just point it to the original R3Ds
it will automatically (and quickly) conform your sequence to originals.

if you do want to online inside AVID for any reason (Baselight for media composer is a good one)
then relink to originals using Jason's workflow

your client should mind this however.

as of MC6 Avid introduced DNXHD 444. its the highest and most fitting for R3D media version of DNX yet.
this is because it has no chroma sub-sampling (DNX185X is 4:2:2 and throws away color data)
it is worth looking into if the project is important enough,

remember this option (along with ProRes 4x4 on macs) is only available when opening a project in RGB (not Y'cbcr) and on MC6 and higher

I think the guys who founded automated duck have moved on to other things. So no.

@ Jason, thanks very much for this. is there anyway to alter the source setting, so you can go back in Redcine and adjust your setting and colour and have Avid read those current changes???

Can anyone with a current MAC get near realtime playback with 1/8 or 1/4 debayer?

yes, you can right click one or multiple clips in a bin and select "source settings" you will have access to most RAW settings and the option to import a look setting from REDCINEX