Saturday, April 12, 2014

[Avid-L2] Re: Online MXF with handles Avid 6.5-7 Resolve 9-10 | Metadata

 

That's a lot of work.  Thanks for sharing.  How do things like timewarp speed ramps come through in the Resolve round trip?  I assume freeze frames would survive.  What genre of shows are you employing this workflow?  I know you work on some episodic shows.  In my world of nests and stacks I can see some hurdles from what you mention about nested effects.  It's very interesting that "including all audio tracks" has and effect on video segments with more than one effect.  Who'd have thought there would be such an interaction.  This whole process reminds me of that old line, "I remember my first beer."  but I have no idea why.  ;-)



---In Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com, <scott_freeman_avid@...> wrote :

Online with high quality MXF media files that the Avid created and color correct using Resolve. I am on the quest for the perfect frame and the perfect transfer. It is fun to have handles, they come in handy. Back in the day it was great practice to always use handles when editing in the Avid. I would Avoid using the first couple of frames and the last. This way I avoided P_GLUE and Bad_Magic errors. A consolidate command on a sequence to make the MXF media necessary to play the HD cut plus user defined handles. This workflow supports an Avid Sequence that has both dropframe and non-dropframe timecode. I invented the best workflow of my life and it comes with built-in batch modify to "Tape Name" metadata linking. This means that any "Source File" metadata from default AMA and File Imports is automatically sourced in one click.



In Avid Symphony Version 6.5-7.0.3

Step 1) Make a bin, title it "Sent_To_Resolve" and duplicate the Avid online formatted sequence into that bin.
Step 2) Select the sequence in the "Sent_To_Resolve" Avid Bin and export it as an AAF selecting the following:
- Activate "AAF Edit Protocol"
-"Include All Video/Data Tracks in Sequence"
-"Include All Audio Tracks in Sequence". In an Avid sequence if you have more than one effect on a video segment, the user must activate "Include All Audio Tracks In Sequence".
- Export Method select "Link to (Don't Export) Media".

In DaVinci Resolve Version 9-10

Step 3) Click the "Gear Icon" and select the following: - In Resolve I like to first set-up settings before I import an Avid AAF
- Click "Master Project Settings" Panel - Under "Conform Options" "Use Timecode:" Activate "Embedded in the source clip"
- Put a check mark activating "Assist using reel names from the:" 
- Activate "Embedding in source clip file". 
- In Resolve 9 for non-drop/drop frame timecode support, activate "Handle Mixed framerate material". Resolve 10 has default non-drop/drop frame timecode support for exports.
Step 4) Import AAF
- The default selections are great except Resolve 9 for non-drop/drop frame timecode support activate "Handle mixed framerate material". Resolve 10 has default non-drop/drop frame timecode support.
Step 5) Color all the cuts in the episode/movie.
Step 6) Resolve 9, I would render out the Master Timeline, this way I will have an exact metadata match including all handles. 
- Deliver using "Render to:" "MXF". Depending on interlaced or progressive source needs, select the proper MXF 1080 (i) or (p) Codec. 
- "Render timeline as" activate "Individual source clips" - this tells Resolve to render the native framerate of the original mxf media file. 
- For File Name, activate "Use source filename" 
- For Output options, activate "Render each clip with a unique filename" - this way Resolve will not delete individual files when rendering.

In Avid Symphony Version 6.5-7.0.3

Step 7) Make 3 new bins and title them "Resolve_Essence", "Tape", and "Source_File". For some camera types or situation I might need to make an additional 4th bin and title it "Name".
Step 8) In the "Sent_To_Resolve" bin make a custom bin display with the following headings/columns: "CFPS", "Offline, "Tracks", "Start", "End", "Duration", "Project", "Source File", "Tape", "Format", "Video", and make a custom column by clicking in a blank column area and title it "link". Save the custom bin display and title it "link". (By default the Avid Bin seems to have the icon and the "Name" heading/column visible.)
Step 9) In the "Sent_To_Resolve" bin go to Bin menu and choose "Set Bin Display" and Activate only: "Master Clips", "Show clips created by user", and "Show reference clips".
Step 10) Master Clips using "Tape" metadata, move those into the "Tape" bin.
Step 11) Master Clips using "Source File" metadata, move those into the "Source File" bin
******* For some Avid transcodes of C300/other file types/PDW-F800 masters to Avid mxf file AMA workflows, the metadata populated in the "Name" column is the match, move those into the "Name" bin.
Step 12) In the "Tape" bin, bring up the custom bin display titled "link" and click on the "Tape" heading. The entire column is selected. Use the duplicate command. The Avid "Select" window is revealed. Choose the column "link" and click on the OK button.
Step 13) In the "Source File" bin, bring up the custom bin display titled "link" and click on the "Source File" heading. The entire column is selected. Use the duplicate command. The Avid "Select" window is revealed. Choose the column "link" and click on the OK button.
******* For some Avid transcodes of C300/other file types/PDW-F800 masters to Avid mxf files AMA workflows, I have seen situations where I use the "Name" metadata. So for these I open up the "Name" bin and bring up the custom bin display titled "link". Click on the "Name" heading. The entire column is selected. Use the Avid duplicate command. The Avid "Select" window is revealed. Choose the column "link" and click on the OK button to close the "Select" window.
Step 14) In the "Sent_To_Resolve" bin, go to "Set Bin Display" and select only "Sequences" and "Show clips created by user".
Step 15) In the "Resolve_Essence" bin go to the file menu and choose "Import". Import the "msmMMOB.mdb" (msmMMOB.mdb is the Avid Media Database and this step creates links). 
****** The Resolve .mxf file renders need to live in an Avid activated folder where the Avid will create the Media Databases (Keep this to a limit of 1200 mxf media files per number folder for keeping the Avid running at maximum performance/speed). For local storage that folder would be a numbered folder that lives inside the MXF folder, and that MXF folder lives inside a folder that lives on the root directory of your media drive titled "Avid MediaFiles". 
Step 16) In the "Resolve_Essence" bin, bring up the custom bin display titled "link" and click on the "Tape" heading. The entire column is selected. Use the duplicate command. The Avid "Select" window is revealed. Choose the column "link" and click on the OK button.
Step 17) Duplicate your sequence from "Sent_To_Resolve" bin and move it to the "Resolve_Essence" bin.
Step 18) In the "Resolve_Essence" bin select all and go to the clip menu and choose "Relink" – The "Relink" window appears - In the "Relink" window, Activate "Selected items in ALL open items", "Allow relinking to offline items" and Under "Relink by: Original" choose "Timecode" "Start" and choose "Source Name" and choose the custom column "link", activate "Ignore extension", put a "." in "Ignore characters after last occurrence:" click enter.




If a metadata matching strategy is put in place, match to the camera masters and export a new deliverable instantly.

Issues Avid Symphony AAF / Resolve Roundtrip mxf with handles:
*Resolve Version 9-10 does not seem to export both progressive and interlaced codecs at the same time (At least as far as I can tell). Rendering progressive or interlaced mxf files must be done by sorting and done in 2 render passes in Resolve 9-10.
*An Avid collapsed effect - the video on the lowest number track will be pulled only.
*Some Avid Fast Import created .mxf files are not supported in Resolve.
*I recommend to stay away from using video mixdowns as sources for online conforms.
*Alpha Channel .mxf files
*C300 spanned files AMA transcoded to mxf media files still creates spanned mxf media files - for these I handle them by first prepping in the Avid by exporting a quicktime reference file naming the file the same name as the master clip's source found in "Bin Menu>Set Bin Display>Souces". I AMA these and transcode the quicktime reference file so I end up with a pretty exact file that will now link and playback in Resolve.
*Resolve version 9 - if a single frame was imported using file import in the Avid. The first frame of the Avid .mxf file is video and the rest is blank. In the Avid and Resolve version 10 seem to be filling in the blank and playing back these .mxf files as a still frame. Resolve version 9, only the first frame will have video when played back.
*Resolve version 9 timeline can have a clip that will not link to the "Media Pool" if in the Avid that master clip's "Source" name metadata found in the "Bin Menu>Set Bin Display...>Sources" is missing a suffix in the name and the media was offline at the time the Avid created the AAF file.
*In Resolve version 9 - If the user changes the name of an Avid created .mxf file on the media drive, Resolve 9 will not be able to find or see the .mxf file in the library. Resolve 10 can see and use renamed .mxf files.



It is common for there to be additions or edit changes that come to me on a new video track. These could be strung out at various parts of the sequence. If these edits do not effect the timing of the sequence meaning the duration of the sequence stays intact. My invented workflow supports these edit updates/creative changes. Export one EDL for the entire Video Track, no need for further editing (Current EDL Template File-32 supports up to 32 characters in a name). Resolve V9-10 has an EDL to new track command that imports the EDL to a new track. During this workflow Resolve tracks and edits in the timeline are a virtual match to the Avid Sequence.



Avid "Relink Selected" command might need to establish a link relationship of the Sequence and Master Clips before relinking using a custom column will work:

1) Duplicate the original Avid Online Sequence into the "Sent_To_Resolve" bin. - this would be the Avid sequence used to export the AAF.
2) Select the Avid Bin and go to the "Bin" menu and choose "Set Bin Display…"
- The Avid "Set Bin Display" window appears
3) Put a check mark next to "Master Clips", "Sequences", "Show clips created by user", and "Show reference clips".
4) Close the "Set Bin Display" window by clicking OK.
5) Select everything in the bin – Now you have all master clips and the sequence selected in the bin to clean-up links.
6) From the "Clip" menu choose "Relink".
- The "Relink" window appears
7) Under "Relink selected items to:" Activate "Selected items in ALL open bins" and put a check mark next to "Allow relinking to offline items"
8) Under "Relink by:
Original
"Timecode" - select "Start" 
"Source Name" - select "Tape Name or Source File ID"
and deselect "Match case when comparing source names".

If the Avid is crashing when exporting an AAF and you know you do not have any corruption in the sequence. A quick solution might be to quit the Avid and delete the Avid Settings: MCState, Site Settings, and Site_Attributes. After deletion of those settings the Avid was able to export the sequence as an AAF.





In the Avid Bin, if an Advanced Authoring Format File (Also known as an AAF Export) is imported that was created by DaVinci Resolve Version 10 and the original Online Avid Sequence Bin that contains the Avid sequence is open at the same time, an error can occur in the Avid Symphony causing for example, the video to play back with green and static hits and other splendors.
Is this an Avid media object conflict?

Quit the Avid and delete the corrupted media databases for the mxf files in question (Since ver 7 of Avid Symphony I have had to delete the AMA media databases if there was one of these master clips imported with the AAF). Avid creates new media databases next time it is launched. 

I made this workflow to avoid Avid media object conflicts (MOB conflicts) from importing a Resolve Version 10 AAF into an Avid Bin.

step 1) Close all bins
step 2) Quit the Avid
step 3) Launch the Avid
step 4) Make a new bin
step 5) Select the new Avid bin and import the DaVinci Resolve version 10 AAF

I made this workflow to avoid Avid media object conflicts (MOB conflicts) from importing a Resolve Version 9 AAF into an Avid Bin.

step 1) Load the original Avid sequence into the Avid Record Monitor
step 2) Import the Resolve version 9 AAF into an Avid Bin


Importing a Resolve Version 9-10 Generated AAF into an Avid Bin issues:
- I can technically modify a Avid Video Mixdown's "Start Timecode" and "Tape Name" metadata. This AAF import is so powerful that it can now allow me to do what I call "Source". After sourcing I consolidate the video mixdown media file to bake-in/embed the metadata to allow less confusion down the line. Even thou I can make this happen I am staying away for my online conforms.
– Non-drop timecode metadata support only.
– All drop frame timecode metadata master clips will by batch modified to non-drop frame timecode metadata upon import. 
- Non-standard metadata batch renaming of "Source" metadata for every master clip. The Avid user can end up with source metadata that has been renamed only an exact metadata match to the name of the AAF that was the import plus a number appended to the name.
– All master clips might become batch modified to "Tape Name" metadata linking instantly.
- May not be able to use the Decompose command on the AAF imported sequence. 
- Some master clips used in the AAF imported sequence have locked side-car metadata. 

Importing a Resolve version 9 Generated AAF into an Avid Bin issues:
– The source (found in set bin display) if it is not populated with start timecode metadata of 00:00:00:00, those master clips will have their start timecode metadata modified to 00:00:00:00 instantly. (For most master clip's source start timecode metadata these days if the Avid User uses the File Menu > File Import command the Avid assigns this metadata the same metadata found in the Start Timecode of the Master Clip. AMA for the most part will give the "Source" Start Timecode metadata of 00:00:00:00 just like "Tape Name" metadata "Sources")


For HD the mxf file is the only video file that I know of that the Avid can read the embedded "Tape Name" metadata. Embedded "Tape Name", start timecode, and duration metadata is what is allowing these links to be the most solid links I can come up with. If in the Avid Bin there is "Source File" metadata for a master clip, the Avid will not display the populated "Tape Name" metadata embedded in the Avid mxf media file. All Avid created mxf media files have embedded "Tape Name" metadata that is an exact metadata match to the master clip's "Source" by default. Embedded "Tape Name" metadata in an Avid mxf media file can be an exact metadata match populated in the following columns in the Avid Bin: "Tape Name", "Source File"(Except most default AMA imports will be missing the suffix. For some cameras could be missing the spanned numbering. If an AMA clip was transcoded and an Avid framerate conversion command happened the Avid will give the "Source" name a suffix. If the Avid "file>import" command was used to import a clip in the Avid the "Source" name will have a suffix, except for some "Avid Fast Imports".), or "Name" column in the Avid Bin. Avid embeds metadata into a mxf media file when Avid creates the mxf file only. All other edits/changes to metadata after the Avid mxf media files was created is just saved as side-car metadata. The metadata changes are not embedded into the mxf file unless you have the Avid create new mxf files. The side-car matadata changes/edits are saved in the Avid Bin and the Avid Media Databases to name a few places. For Resolve the metadata populated in the "Reel Name" column gets embedded as "Tape Name" metadata in the delivered mxf files. 

If the Resolve User creates mxf files that are missing "Reel Names" when delivering mxf files a blank is in the embedded "Tape Name" metadata. The resulting mxf files if using an Avid Media Database as the import method in the Avid bin the "Tape Name" metadata can be the name of the media database plus a numbered appended at the end of the name. If the Avid user used the "MediaTool" to create the links a "Blank" "Tape Name" is revealed. If the Avid user imports an AAF from Resolve to establish links the "Tape Name" metadata can be the name of the Resolve AAF that established the links in the bin.

I analyze online edit mxf file sources, a perfect media file match to the originals with all fields, frames, and pixels being a high quality duplicate or uncompressed duplicate that can continue to (re)link for changes or other reasons. Plus, I continue to be on the cadence and metadata path.

http://editorslounge.com/2013.09-avid-resolve/sep2013-freeman.html
Scott Freeman

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