Avid media to FCP

I know there have been discussions on this, but, have been wondering if anyone has found anything new on this workflow.

Every so often I need to digitize material on Avid and bring into FCP. I don't need timeline or EDLs, just the material. Wes at Automatic Duck emailed that the only way is to convert to QT and that does not include TC, which is what I've found.

Anyone discover anything?

Thanks



Cameron Young

Not thus far. Wes is the man who is on top of it all, since he makes the conversion software. If he doesn't know about it, I don't know who would.

This one might do the trick:

[dharmafilm.com]

I haven't updated it for a while but it still wrks on my system.

All the best

Peter

Thanks, Peter,

I'll give it a shot.



Cameron Young

Here's how I have been moving media from AVID to FCP:

I'm working on a network series - we're cutting on AVID Meridian OS X. I have FCP 4.5 HD at home. When I want to work at home I do the following:

FIRST - copy the 3 AVID QuickTime Codec components from the AVID sytem to your FCP system (MAC HD->LIBRARY->QUICKTIME)

1] Export Dailies Clips from a scene bin in AVID - export as QT media - a very quick process

2] Export an ALE file

3] Use Sebsky Tools to stripe the QT files with the correct time code and reel numbers as per the ALE file - also a very quick process (choose 24 frames in preferences and select convert time code to 24fps)

4] Use Cinema Tools to batch conform the media clips to 23.98 fps - very quick process

5] Import media into FCP

You can play the media in the FCP viewer since QT knows how to use the AVID codec via the AVID QT codec componets, but you can't yet edit the media into a sequence because FCP does not support the AVID codec in a sequence setting. So I use media manager to recompress into a codec that FCP likes:

7] Select all media clips and use Media Manager to recompress media to NTSC-DV 23.98. This will take a while but better to do this on FCP then on AVID

8] Import new DV-NTSC clips into FCP

As fas as moving sequences back and forth, via EDL's - that's the next thing I'm tackling.

I'll post back.

Moving EDL's back and forth between AVID and FCP is working wonderfully well - 100% frame accurate.

If anyone wants to try this, email me and I send you a detailed workflow.

I'm currently working on getting this to function with Automatic Duck. It would be great to move 24fps sequences back and forth and have it link up to imported media. Who wants re recapture from dozens of source tapes when you can just export/import the media?!

Mitch is a GENIUS!!!

Mitch,

Have you, or anyone else here, tried this on FCP v5?



Cameron Young

Yes, works with FCP version 5 and AVID Meridian version 12.1.2 (OS X).

We've been ingesting on AVID and then exporting QT movies of all dailies. Recompressing in FCP to DV/NTSC codec.

We use Sebsky Tools and Cinema Tools to deal with time code/reel metadata conversion.

And we use the AVID EDL Tool to export and import EDL's from AVID.

24 frame EDL's now work flawlessly as we move sequences back and forth between AVID and FCP. No need to recapture tapes - just use the power of the computer to convert the media overnight.

EDL's are cuts only of course. Automatic Duck is a better option for f/x and audio levels and multiple tracks, but AD does not allow 24 frame export from FCP to AVID (but will allow 24 frame from AVID -> FCP). Also, AD expects you to recapture the material - not sure how it would behave with exported media.