Replacing audio, will this work?

Inherited a project with a number of glitches. Here's the deal:

We got 3 x 20sec commercials to finish up by next week, all shot and edited in DVCProHD 1080i50 from 2 tapes worth of masterclips. The masterclips were imported via log and capture and then busted up into subclips. Edits were created from the subclips. So far, more or less standard procedure.

Thing is, there is dialog involved, and the masterclips (thus also the subclips) contain camera audio only. The "real" audio, recorded using boom and wireless mics to a separate device and not timecode synched (sigh) arrived today, after the rough cuts were completed by the director, who was in a hurry to get the job done (sigh).

So, I'm thinking of backing up each masterclip, then bringing each one into a new timeline, synching up the audio (fortunately there are good slates) and sending each masterclip back out again to a separate drive while using the original filenames. Then, swap out the drives, restart the project, re-link the media, and all the subclips will update with the new audio.

Right?

Or not? I can think of a number of reasons why not. Is there a better way?

Btw, the video will be scaled down to SD for delivery. Working in FCP 6.

Thanks,
Clay

6.0.3? There was a sync issue with the reconnection of multi cam clips in 6.0.2 and 6.0.1.

Try in small chunks? I've converted sample rates and relinked them, and it hasn't failed on me yet. Not on subclips, though.. Derek mentioned that reconnection of audio sometimes doesn't work for him. 50i? You're in PAL. Might be easier on the sync.



www.strypesinpost.com

if the new files have the same name, reel# timecode and duration, all should be ok.

if you do your exporting from a sequence, then you'll have to manualy add a reel# & corrrect TC to the exported clip.

you probably intend to sync in a timeline, & link pic & new audio.
possible problem if the audio is longer then the video: the new exports could be a different duration.
to tell the truth this probalby isnt a real problem, but it just might be.

way to do this:
first remove all in/outs from hte clips in the browser.
edit to the TL & sync
link,
open linked clips in viewer
SUBCLIP.
this will trim the audio to the duration of the video.

then you are ready for batch export.

this is how i synced rushes on a feature a while back,
we used a keyboard macro app to automate the repetitive steps.



all of this implies you are not going back to the original audio for sound post, as you will lose the audio TC.
an OMF workflow will be required, but that works fine.

Thanks for the tips guys, gonna be at this tomorrow (Monday), one way or another.

Meantime, thought of a different approach:

What if I synch up the audio to the masterclips, then export a .wav (bwf multitrack), then quit FCP and just using QT player's edit functions, delete the old camera audio from the masterclips, and edit>add the new?

Restart FCP and the masterclips and the subclips should update (I hope). Could it be that simple?

I'll let you know, might be of use for someone else in the future.

Clay

definitely try this on one clip only to start with.
and make a back up of it before you do, too.

it could very easily be that FCP will sense the new audio track, and the files will come up as off-line,
i'd say that a for sure, especially if you are replacing 2tk audio with multi track audio

but what you really want to avoid is if the files require manual reconnecting.
so give it a go and see what happens.

however, manually adding audio to all those quicktime does seem pretty labour intensive to me.
more than a batch export from FCP.


nick

Nick,

Well, it works. We had to export the tracks individually, (not sure why, tried everything), but it saved a ton of time anyway.

So, for the record here,

1. just synch the audio in a new timeline and export the audio tracks individually. Make sure durations are the same.

2. then open the masterclips in QT Player, strip off the old audio, and in QT Player edit>add the new tracks (making sure the QT Player playhead is at the head of the movie).

3. Reopen FCP, relink the new masterclips, and all the subclips update automatically.

Fine Print, Legal Disclaimer, Disclaimer of Disclaimer etc.: test first on backup copies and a backup project file.



Clay