Film workflow, retrieving orginal sound file names?

Sunk production audio (file named by take) with video file.

Merged the clip and the audio file now takes on the video file name.

Edited the film.

Now the Post house, needs the original audio file names for all the audio files used in the edit.

Is there any way to get the audio used in the edit to revert back to its original name?Maybe there's some 3rd party program that can help with this?

hi joe.
yes, there is a way.


i had to figure this out when i was doing a music show, and cutting with the multitrack recordings.
all the tracks had been carefully labeled after the instrument, such as kick, snare, etc,
and i though it would be handy not to lose that info.

there could be other approaches, but this is what i came up with:


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copy the sequence/s into a new project.
delete all video tracks:

lock all audio tracks (shift F5)
select all (Apple A)
delete.

select the sequences in the browser, and run Media Manager.
- create offline
- dont delete unused

this gives you a new project WITH all the audio files.
MM wont trim them, or make them offline (my audio files were BWF files, don't now how yours will behave)

the audio only files still have the names of the video clips.
(i tried using "base media file names on existing file names" in Media Manager but got the same result)

select them all in the browser, and Modify Menu > Rename > Clips to match File,
and they revert to their orignal names.

=============================================

as i say there could be other approaches, maybe involving AAFs, which i haven't used yet.


cheers,
nick

also, for what it's worth, these days i get the audio files to have the appropriate and correct name before i sync them,

i use SyncNLink to sync, (very fast), and there is an option for the synced clips to take the name of the audio files.

so much better.


nick

Thanks Nick, worked like a charm.

The audio files actually had the correct name at the start but when I merged the clips they took on the video file name. If there's a way to retain the audio file names but still merge/link the clips (without having to rename the video file) and bring them into the browser (for organizational purposes) I'd like to know.

Sync n Link has that (clip names follow audio file names) as an option.

save heaps of time.

the process starts by establishing a naming convention with the sound recordist.
generally they can do what you need.
sometimes they are stubborn or don't know how their gear works,
but sitting down with them and talking it through helps.

if they really can't come to the party, then that's what re-naming apps are for!

so first thing after getting the sound files is to give them a quick once-over for naming,
and sort out any issues.

after syncing, we check each slate to make sure the sound file and the slate match,
then we fix any residual errors:
if the sound file is wrong, we re-name the sound file, re-connect, and re-name the synced clip
(actually i think we rename in FCP, and use the match file name to clip name, but you have to remove the .WAV in FCP)
if the slate is wrong we indicate that on the clip name. this could be overkill, but it's a hangover from my film days.
if the call is wrong, i guess we'd indicate that on the sound file, too, because down the track, when a sound editor is listening, it held to avoid confusion


if i have to go back to not using sync n link, then my process involves syncing in the timeline,
then linking and subcliping (to trim exces audio and create new master clips)

i've got Quickeys macros for all those things, (of course!),
and i've also got one that will copy the audio clip name into the video clip, which would happen prior to linking.


nick

Looking forward to giving sync n link a go at some point. Their tutorial video, could use an update, looks like it's from the 80s.

Obviously Sync n Link has more features but what are your thoughts on Pluraleyes?

pluraleyes does what it says it does,
so it does work.

BUT, it does something bad with clip's master / affiliate relationship back in FCP.
it's not obvious. but it's definitely real.
for instance, clips returned from PE might be coloured something in the browser, but that colour doesn't carry though to the timeline,
and eventually, the master / affiliate relationship is lost totally.

so after getting the synced clips in FCP from PE,
first thing is to go thru and look for and fix errors & omissions, (clips it can't sync and clips it has synced wrongly)
then, RE-BUILD that timeline with totally fresh maser clips.
we've got Quickeys macros for this.


other things about PE are:

you have to have audio on the video clip for it to sync any other audio.
the audio on the video has to be be sync

i believe that both FCPX and Premiere now have the ability to sync via waveform.



nick

Interesting, wasn't aware of some of PE pitfalls.

Quote
i believe that both FCPX and Premiere now have the ability to sync via waveform.

Not very well, unfortunately.