Re-naming / logging clips.

The production mixer didn't make notes but at least he labelled every clip. Pluraleyes has done a bang up job syncing this stuff. To bad it won't multi-clip it, or re-name it.

But I discover if I use the re-name from file name command I get lucky about 50% of the time. Anybody have a clue what state or access to a file controls this naming apparatus? Can I influence it?

I'll take any suggestions as to how to automate this process.

i'm a bit confused about what you are dong.

do you want to re-name the synced clips based on the name of the AUDIO FILE?
or maybe you want to revert the audio name to it's original so you can re-name the linked clips manually

i've been told that Pluraleyes can mess with your file's metadata.
maybe that's he start of the problem?

maybe you an re-linke to another set of the media that hasn't been though Pluraleyes,
and then they the re-naming thing


if you have matching TimeCode, Sync n Link WILL sync your clips, re-name based on audio file name,
AND make multiclips for you.

nick

Don't ever rename the FCP clips. In fact, right now I'm in editing hell because a previous editor on a short film renamed all the FCP clips "Sync 1", "Sync 2" -- but never bothered to rename the actual audio files so that you have duplicate file names on every single day, so that Day 4 audio is now relinking to Day 1 files, and so on. I'm having to rename those and then force a reconnect on every single audio clip. (Rename Clip to Match File won't help, because the files themselves are improperly named)

If you want to create a relationship between synced audio and video, create a special column of metadata. (For example, Audio REeel 001 4CH0001 would have a column called "MVI_0001" to signify that these two belong together) Use markers to identify sync points, and keep the sync timelines. Messing with the names is almost always a bad idea.


www.derekmok.com

I have re-named lots and lots and lots of clip names without problems. Because the original source files where named and managed correctly.

I always, always, always re-name my clips to reflect the slates. This show was transcoded by a DIT that knew his stuff. Because the file name is also the reel name. So it's never going to re-link to the wrong file. And if need be can be matched back to its source cameras file. So every camera and audio file has a unique name, and the metadata has been preserved.

Now I have seen problems with files with repeating names or timecode that always starts at 1 hour or something like that. But I have never had a problem with changing a clips name in FCP, and I have done this a lot. (probably just jinxed myself but I'm doing it anyway)

The production mixer, named each audio file by it's correct slate. "37A-0002," like that. Normally before or after synching to the second system sound we'd manually change the clip names. Some people refer to this as logging. To me logging is a much more intensive bit of data entering more comparable to creating the data you would find in a codebook in a film cutting room.

If I select, a bin of these clips that pluraleyes has created and use the re-name by file name I get about 50% of the clips use the audio file name. (yay) The other 50% use the picture file name. Leaving the later group named exactly as they where. (boo)

Before I experimented with this I was just using the reveal in finder command, and copy and pasting the audio file name. When I use the command, "reveal in finder," it opens a finder for both the audio file and mov file appropriate to that clip. 50% of the time the audio file folder window is on top and 50% it goes the other way.

After using the re-name by file name command method in a bin Ian's achieving a random success of 50% have used my origional, reveal in finder copy and paste the audio file name method to finish that bin. When doing this the audio file is always the top finder window. (slightly convenient)

Leading me to beleave the ones which ended up automatically getting named by audio file name would have been the ones where the audio file would have come up in the bottom finder window, beneath the finder window with the QuickTime file.

So I was curious if anyone had any idea of how this state of which finder window would come out on top could be affected. Perhaps affecting the state of these files to make it work would be more time consuming then just struggling through, but a fella can dream can't he?

If you have read this whole thing I am truly sorry and gratefull. It's a lot of reading for such an esoteric point about a piece of zombieware.

And Derek I am truly sorry about your editing hell. Next time I'll think of a more creative scheme then sync 1 and 2.

since i've been working with file based workflows, i have been regularly changing the FCP clip name to match the slate.

i really would not want to work in the timeline with the semi-random file names.

(actually , the last film i did that was shot on FILM, we captured whole lab-rolls,
and sub-cliped.
so the master clip had the lab roll name, but the subclip had the slate name.)

audio names match perfectly.
in fact part of our workflow is to check and correct audio file names.
we get the sound recordist to enter the slate name on set,
however, they can make mistakes, and we fix them.

as i say, we use Sync n Link to sync.
and Pluraleyes meses with your metadata, i have been told.
in fact i wave been advised against using it in this type of situation.


nick

I'm pretty sure that meta-data problem has been resolved. This is my third feature film I've used it on. One With Alexa footage and one shot with DSLR had no problems, related to lost meta-data.

But there's a lot of variation out there, so I can't speak to everyone's use.

The fact that the canon DSLRs record everything a frame out, and PE copy's that. Is infinitely more annoying.

It's a cool thing to be cutting something shot on film. Will There be a neg cut, or online to the scanned footage.

ah, ok , thanks for that.
i hadn't used PE myself, but was told that re the damaged metadata

surely there's an offset control in PE to deal with the 1-frame-out issue??

but seriously, if you are doing a lot of this get Sync n Link.


yeah, film is good, i miss it a bit

or rather WAS good.
they closed the last film lab here in Australia this year.
it went with a wimper rather than a bang.

the film i mentioned was made back in 2010 i think, called Sleeping Beauty (not the disney version!)
shot on 35mm,
telecine direct to to file for editing,
and yes, scanned to 4k from an EDL
finished digitally,
distribution (i'm guessing) was mainly print.

on that one i never really saw much of the raw film side, myself

i don't miss cutting on film,
and i don't miss neg cutting either.
not that i ever did that (the one time i tried, i messed up!)
but seeing the splices, not being able to re-use frames without opticals
etc, etc

i'm loving working in digital.
doing heaps of what used to be impractical things like re-framing, re-timing, simple composites, etc

but i do miss the look of film.
Alexa comes close, RED seems to be getting better.


sorry i cant help with your issue.


nick