Burnt in timecode for FCP

Excellent delivery guidelines from the folks at Broompole

We also have some on our free help guides page. One for Avid and one for FCP editors

Then I came across another FCP thread this time about volume data in the OMF export. The original question was about using the “convert clip based gain to automation’ option in the Pro Tools OMF import window. However the thread goes on to discuss how to make sure the FCVP editor includes the volume dat in the OMF export.
Also remember earlier versions of FCP don’t export volume data at all. I think this was picked up in FCP v6.

Next we have a thread about how to use iZotope RX Declicker better. The concensus seems to be that is a weak area in an otherwise excellent set of tools. However here is some excellent advice on which plug-ins to use and how to use iZotope better.
Then two threads that cover the area of which plug-in to use to create LtRt mixes.
LtRt weirdness or not?
Which Dolby Surround plug-in?

Next there is a thread about  “reconforming production sound to avid aaf using match function”. There is some excellent advice form Frank Kruse on this.

Finally another OMF Import question about whether file names come across or not, it seems things are improving and some discussion as to whether things have got better with Pro Tools v8.1

Last month, Avid finally introduced the updated line of interfaces for Pro Tools HD systems. While they may not appear to be revolutionary in the manner that it seems many people were hoping for I think that they are a solid base to move forward from. Let’s look at them a little closer.

Go to his blog to read the rest of his comments. He has written a simple clear description of each of them and stayed away from specs. Thank you Ceri.

Looking to purchase one that works well with both Avid and FCP. Any input would be appreciated.

‘zoundsabar’ was first to respond….

Depends on what you want to do. VK is specialized for conforming PT sessions after picture changes, TITAN specializes in autoconforming from EDLs and fixing sync, as well as deaing with pix changes. I believe that TITAN can’t read Avid or FCP change notes, but VK can. Both can create conform notes from two EDLs. Everything else TITAN does is not available in VK. From the Synchro Arts web site:

Cut and Move Mode (Re-cut)

This addition to Flash Cutter allows user-selected tracks in a Pro Tools Session to be Cut into sections defined by EDL events source In/Out times which can be moved to new positions with starting points defined by each EDL events’ record (or destination) In time. This allows blocks of audio to be repositioned instantly and automatically.

• Each Cut (and move) event in the EDL can operate on multiple regions, fades and tracks at the same time.

• Given the original EDL used to confrom a session and a new EDL from the video editor Titan can calculate the re-cut and a re-confrom EDLs.

‘DarthFader777′ replied…..

I appreciate your input. I work on material that will be for packaged and for broadcast. The broadcast stuff requires quick turn around. Typically a one hour program has about a two week turn around from aquisition to layback. Many chages occur during this period due to the process, which I hope to change. Audio post is new here so there isn’t and understanding of this workflow.
If you have expereince with these applications or know anyone who does I would appreciate that input as well.

‘JKD99′ added…

As Doug says, the applications do different things, and the confusion arises in the dual-use of the word “conform”. Titan handles the conforming (also known as “assembly”) of production source audio to match the Avid/FCP audio. Virtual Katy, Change Note Assistant, etc conform sessions from one picture version to another (also known as “doing the changes”)

‘DarthFader777′ posted…

Hey Thanks John. Does that mean I need both applications to completely conform sessions accurately..e.g. Titan assembling material and VK doing the actual adjusting of the material to fit within timcode boundries?

‘breaktheory’ asked…

I’d like to know the answer to this as well

‘Frank Kruse’ responded with…

The answer was given two posts above yours 4 years ago. It depends on what you mean by the word “conform” in your question. Conform sessions to picture changes or conform original audio files to EDLs from the editor.

‘C’ chipped in with…

Written a blog post with reference to the first meaning (assembly) part two will cover the second meaning (reconform).

I posted about Ceri’s articles on this here. ‘jahtao’ commented….

We went with VK and are loving it. VK AAF function doesn’t work and won’t ever work

‘C’ added…

Part two: Reconform I know people will disagree with my view on conformalizer but it is just my opinion always liked the concept of the application but the lack of project wide features always made me return to VK.

‘jahtao’ added..

FYI VK doesn’t work with AAFs instead of EDLs despite what you might read

‘tonepad’ posted…

Further comments on terminology, workflow and available software: We’ve always used Titan to “auto conform”, the legacy term used here in Hollywood, but I now use the term “Sound Online” or “SOL” for our workflow, which I feel is a term more in sync with the Picture dept who refer to a picture “Online” process. This is done with the turnover cut EDL and picture, from Final Cut Pro in our case. From that point on we “conform” to new picture versions as needed using the old fashioned manual way in Pro Tools which we now do with the Time Operations function. Since our show is cut with FCP we have to use workarounds to even get the first cut EDL to work with Titan. For this process I use the software EdiLoad. Mark’s helper app let’s me get Sound Roll numbers in the proper position of the 3600 format to be used in the “SOL”. We have not come up with a satisfactory way to create a “change list” in FCP, hence the choice to manually conform. However I have come up with a way to create a marker directory as a byproduct of Time Operations in Pro Tools that works as a “change list” for my editors if I can stay ahead of where they are in the flow…otherwise it’s everyman for himself.

The new Titan upgrade (V4, intel mac only) is a fantastic step forward after many years of being behind the Pro Tools and OS curve (think a dual boot OS 10.4/10.5, PT5-6/PT8 rig and you may catch my drift)…it is now a much more powerful, streamlined and faster program…in my early tests with it I’ve estimated that it now takes 2-3 hours less time to complete a “Sound Online”, including sync and selecting preferred tracks from the de-multed multi track production sound in the created Pro Tools session. This certainly adds up in the positive column over the course of a TV season.

The VK route is probably great for Avid centric projects (they still don’t seem to address FCP work last time I checked) for “conforming” after a “SOL”, but again it would be imperative that the Picture dept assistants be on their A game in creating a “change list” EDL.

Hope this helps and good luck fine tuning your workflow, since every project is different and requires “special” care.

‘Frank Kruse’ added…

Conformalizer directly reads XML files from FCP just fine (and does lots of other things that VK doesn´t, especially when it comes to working around tricky EDLs and VFX naming methods).

‘tonepad’ responded…

Frank. While this may be true, and Justin has communicated this to me, I can’t seem to get our PixDept assistants to puke a decent list out, XML or otherwise. The tests I’ve run with their XML, have way too much info…VFX, dissolves, color correction notes etc. I don’t know how to train them to eliminate unnecessary for sound info…and in fact after a year they are just beginning to understand what a “change list” is. I’m in the school of thought that believes a change list can and should be conveyed as simply as possible and in plain english ie. @ xx:xx:xx we added or subtracted time or replaced a take or an entire scene.
I will still try to solve this problem, but there does remain the issue that I have 4 editors who have to do conforms on their individual sessions…DX/ADR/FX/Foley…and to complicate things we work remotely from each other and not under one roof, AND we only have 5 days (not counting weekends) an episode…ah modern workflow. My simple but effective solution of manual conforming and creating a Marker list in PT allows me to do a screen grab of the list and attach it to an email. My editors go to each event and follow the listed action, either adding or cutting time, using the Time Operations function. If I could achieve the same thing faster with any soft out there considering the built in limits of our situation, I would do it.
Apologies to the OP if this is starting to be a hijack but it is certainly a part of the process that the original question inquired about.

‘Frank Kruse’ replied…

The XML always contains all the info about a sequence incl. every edit and info. That´s the whole point about it. Conformalizer reads up to v3.0 XMLs. Have you tried that version XML? I think problems can occur when editors use diferent frame-rates in a sequence but other than that XMLs have always worked fine for me. If all fails you could fall back to EDLs but it´s more work-intense because less and less editor actually know how to output an EDL. Some don´t even know what an EDL is
In those cases I just ask for an XML and let conformalizer grab the necessary info from that.

‘tonepad’ came back…

Frank, Understood, and it’s now on the list of things to research/demo this season. Thanks for the comments.

‘LucidMJW’ posted…

I have VK conform/compare v2.5 on my PTHD v7.3.1 rig. Did a test of a trailer w/ cutdowns 90, 60, 30. The EDL generated by FCP had errors so once I conformed the 90 AAF to the 60, there were holes w/ no media. I noticed that there was usually some kind of video filter or VFX. Couldn’t figure out how to fix this issue, so I’ve just been manually adjusting my PT session for new edits. Probably not the fastest way, but I know it’ll be correct when I’m done.

‘maggot’ posted…

to clarify: conformalizer officially supports version 2 of the FCP XML format but it seems to work fine with more recent versions as far as I can tell. If you can get the message thru, ask for v2 XML – otherwise, don’t sweat it.

‘MIKEROPHONICS’ added…

My thumbs up for Conformalizer too (after Frank’s previous recommendations)
I had an editor give me two XML files for different versions and Conformalizer came up trumps. I like the video compare thing too. If I get more of this work, I will vote with my wallet!

‘Noiz2′ posted…

I would also point out that you can have Conformalizer out put a change note, something you can’t otherwise get with FCP. Just in case you want to go old school. I’ve used Conformalizer on a ton of shorts and features and it’s saved weeks of time. The biggest thing for me (other than the time savings) is that it catches all the swaps and moves that can be easy to miss (or hard to figure out) when you doing it by hand with no change note.

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It has a fine dining room and a celebrated collection of canine art. It has a charitable trust and organises the greatest dog show on earth. That doesn’t stop Quentin Letts asking, “What’s the point of the Kennel club?” The kennel club was founded in 1873 by twelve Victorian gentlemen who liked dogs and dinners in equal measure, and wanted to bring some discipline into the world of dog breeding and showing. It’s struggling to do that today. Some breeders and showers are in open revolt against Kennel Club health regulations. Others from the welfare lobby say the Kennel club hasn’t been doing enough to tackle the suffering caused to dogs by generations of inbreeding. Quentin enjoys the sunshine, spectacle and order of a dog show in Worcestershire, goes for a walk with a breathless dog suffering a range of genetic disorders, and enters the hallowed halls of the Kennel club Clarges street as he considers whether this British institution still has the teeth needed to improve the lot of dogs in this country.

There are some strange ‘goings on’ in the doggie world and it appears OK to show dogs with major health issues but not OK to breed from them. But how do you get the next generation of dogs to show if you don’t breed from them? Tune in or use the iPlayer to hear for yourself.

This brings to a close the third series of What’s The Point Of.  Rosie Dawson, the producer and I have worked on all 3 series and it never ceases to amaze me how my clients, like Rosie for WTPO and Dawn Bryan for The Choice  keep coming up with new ideas to better the previous series, much respect and thanks.

In 2006, Radio 4 was given access to a ground breaking education scheme in East Lancashire which aimed to improve GCSE results and break down divisions in an area where white and Asian families live separate, parallel lives.  Following the disturbances in Burnley in the summer of 2001, schools were identified as having a crucial role in promoting community cohesion. Lancashire County Council was given the go ahead to close 11 schools and reopen them as 8 new community colleges each with the aim of being a hub for the neighbourhood, where Asian and white families would come together and get to know each other. The last of those £25 million buildings are due to open in September.
Marsden Heights Community College in Nelson moved into its new facilities after Easter. Head teacher Mike Tull is excited by the opportunities that the building brings and hopes it will help engage parents in the area. But what are the challenges he faces in breaking down cultural barriers in the former mill towns of Brierfield and Nelson?  Since the scheme began his school has gone from being 60% Asian students to nearly 80% and he says many white parents choose other schools for their children because of prejudice not standards of education. Locals already describe Marsden Heights as “the Asian school”. And now a charity is looking to open an Islamic girls school nearby which many say threatens to further segregate young people. Can these new “superschools” make a difference or are racial divisions becoming more entrenched?

Some interesting quotes from the programme, one teacher saying “she grew up in a council house with no phone and no car”. In one generation a mobile phone is now considered a necessity, not a luxury. Also the stories of bullying are horrific.  This is well worth a listen.

On The Choice this week Michael Buerk talks to Frank Evans, a butchers boy from Salford who dreamt of becoming a bullfighter after a holiday in Spain. The decision to become a matador meant he had to fight his way into the most dangerous and controversial sports in the world. It brought him ridicule and condemnation along with injuries in the ring and death threats out of it. But it was a choice he kept making despite a fearful wife and family and eventually despite ailing health.

A very interesting story about a guy determined to follow his dream.

Sound post production is a confusing field at the best of times with the pull-up and pull-downs, sample and frame rates and all other sort of things that have their own names. Then over the years someone decided that calling two entirely different processes by the same name was the best idea since the NLE. So what do these two terms mean and what tools are around to help with these processes?

Well to get the answer go on over to Ceri’s blog. He covers this issue in two parts. Part 1 – Assembly and part 2 – Reconform.

The first programme went out on 12th August whilst I was away so I am afraid it isn’t available on iPlayer anymore Michael talked to Heather Pratten about her decisions to help her terminally ill sons in very different ways. This was an emotional programme to make and to listen to were a mother had to decide how to help her terminally ill sons die.

Programe 2 went out on August 19th so you can listen to it on iPlayer for another 3 days.

On The Choice this week, Micahel Buerk talks to Romy Tiongco. He spent a lifetime fighting poverty – first as a Catholic priest, then as a Christian Aid worker. Where he comes from – the Philippines – poverty is made worse by violence and corruption. He’d taken it on as a young man, before moving to this country with his wife. When he decided to return to the Philippines he did not realise it would draw him back into a dangerous and murky world and present him with the most difficult choice of his life. After his best friend was killed, the people called on him to challenge corruption by standing for political office – a choice that would put his own life on the line.

A excellent story of a ‘little guy’ standing up to strongholds at great personal cost.

Programme 3 goes out on this Thursday at 9am and again at 9:30pm

On The Choice this week Michael Buerk talk to Elissa Wall who was born into the strange, narrow world of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints – an American sect that had broken away from the Mormon church. It was a group that believed in religious devotion, hard work, female subservience, the virtues and the clothes of the prairie puritans – and polygamy. Elissa was married off at 14 to a 19-year-old cousin – a relationship she hated. After several miscarriages, and a stillbirth, she faced the toughest choice of her young life – to stay with the community and the church, which was all she knew, or to leave. That would mean, not only separation from her mother and sisters, maybe for ever, but taking on the man who had ruled her life, the cult leader Warren Jeffs.

This is a story of power and control as well as abuse that you wouldn’t expect to hear about in western culture.

Programme 4 is the final one in the current series but the BBC have not released any information about it. When they do I will post it here.

Quentin Letts returns with another series offering a witty and thought-provoking look at some of Britain’s cherished insitutions. Over the next four weeks he casts a quizzical eye over Marylebone cricket club, the public library, the Kennel Club – and the RAF.

Programme 1 on the RAF went out last week and so you have only a few hours to listen to it on iPlayer.

All over the country, events are being held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, when the bravery of the Few saved these islands from a Nazi invasion. Even if some historians have had the temerity to suggest it was actually the navy wot done it, it’s an opportune moment for the RAF to remind us of their historic contribution, and why we need them in the future. Which is why exactly?
Britain was the first country in the world to have an independent air force. To get rid of it is unthinkable, isn’t it? Defence secretary Liam Fox has promised that the Governments strategic defence review will be ruthless and unsentimental – will he listen to the RAF’s critics? They claim that a bloated higher command structure in Whitehall argues for fast jets we cant afford for a war we wont be fighting. Oh – and its uniforms are horrible and they can’t march properly. Historian Max Hastings, War correspondent Sam Kiley, former defence secretary Geoff Hoon and retired Colonel Tim Collins are among those who join Quentin to ask the question, What is the point of the RAF?

In the current climate of cuts and savings this is a very timely look at what the RAF actually does for us.
Programme 2 is on the MCC – Marylebone Cricket Club and goes out today at 9am and tonight at 9:30pm

The celebrated historian George Trevelyan once wrote that if the French nobility had only played cricket with their servants they wouldn’t have had their chateaux burnt. Today, with the revolution taking place within the game itself, Quentin Letts casts a quizzical eye over Marylebone cricket club, the English institution responsible for maintaining its laws and upholding its spirit. It’s not easy for MCC to shake off the weight of history. It resisted the demands of sexual equality almost into the present century, and it is still berated for its exclusiveness. The programme hears from Rachael Heyhoe-Flint who captained the first English women’s team allowed onto the Lord’s pitch, and to another former Captain, Mike Gatting, who berates MCC members for a display of very ungentlemanly manners to fellow cricketer, Ian Botham. The powerhouse of cricket is now in India, the governing body is in Dubai and the focus of the game is shifting from test match to twenty-twenty But this private members club, the owner of the most famous sports ground in the world , still seeks a place at the table. Quentin talks to MCC chief executive Keith Bradshaw about what it’s doing there – resisting the economic and global forces of modernity or leading the charge of change?

Cricket fans watch out!!

Programme 3 on Public Libraries goes out next Tuesday August 31st

Question: Where can you go to reduce your fear of crime, have a massage, ring a church bell, get some information about council tax, and engage in some heavy petting without being told off? Quentin Letts is surprised and sometimes disheartened by the answer; a library. Of course, you can borrow a book as well, but campaigners argue that – with some authorities spending less than ten per cent of their library budgets on books -something has gone very wrong with the way the service is being managed. Public Libraries have come a long way since Manchester opened the first in the 1850s. But where is the service going? Gleaming new buildings have opened in Newcastle, Whitechapel and Brighton – but more than 80 other libraries have been closed in the last five years; an age of public spending cuts surely means more. Former poet laureate Sir Andrew Motion, campaigner Tim Coates and Arts minister Edward Vaizey join Quentin Letts as he asks, what’s the point of the public library?

If you heard the debate on Today on Radio 4 today you will want to listen to this programme.

The final programme in the series is scheduled to go out on Tuesday 7th September and is on The Kennel Club and I finish working on it on Thursday. Once there is some more info on it I will let you know.