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LEGACY: Avid AAF and Apple Final Cut Pro XML - How do I conform these things?

Posted: Oct 04, 2009
Category: Autodesk Flame, Autodesk Smoke, Tips and Tricks

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Hi Everyone

I hope that you all are doing well. Today is a little bit miserable in London, the summer weather has definitely departed and the cloudy rain has returned.

Never mind! I hope to show you something that will help you on your way to conforming bliss!

AAF & XML Conforming in Smoke & Flame

As of the current versions of Smoke and Flame (2010 ext1), we can conform a Final Cut Pro XML with media as well as an Avid AAF with media to do a conform.

I have recorded presentations of both types of conforms. They are both concise from beginning to end so you d not have to watch both if you are only doing one particular type of conform.

Each one of the methods have their own particular mini-quirks, nothing major, and they demonstrate the most common example of conform using compressed media.

Let's get cracking!!!

AAF conforming!

It's worth mentioning that Smoke and Flame only support DNxHD media and not the other Avid legacy formats. I get asked this question all the time so it is worth mentioning that now.

For the optimum viewing experience, set the view to 1:1 and watch it full screen

Flame or Smoke 2010 ext1

XML Conforming!

Only the codecs which Smoke and Flame support will be successful in conforming the same media as Final Cut Pro.

TIP: How do you know what codec support the software has? Well there are two ways to look
1. The manual - Who has time???
2. In the clip library, select a clip and go to export image. Choose the QuickTime option and then you can browse the codec list. Cool!

For the optimum viewing experience, set the view to 1:1 and watch it full screen
Flame or Smoke 2010 ext1

Just the Facts!

Now I know that I make everything look very easy but I follow some simple facts which help tremendously when doing the conform and you should follow them too.

Troubleshooting!

If the conform still fails then I have this trouble shoot guide which could also get you out of a heap of stress.

I hope that you will find this information valuable!

Please keep the feedback coming and let me know your experiences, tips and tracks so that I can continue to help out.

Keep well where ever you are!

Grant

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Newest users comments View All 21 Comments

Posted by Ultimate_Smoker* on Jan 28, 2011 at 06:16 AM

Hi Mor Komuves

If the media already exists in the clip library on the framestore than it is definitely possible to relink an XML timeline to the existing media. In the FCP XML/AAF - Media Options, turn off "Search & Import Files" This will bring in an unlinked timeline. In order for this work you need to ensure that the metadata contained in the off-line clips matchthe online. For example you could relink with tapename and timecode. Or you could link to filenames provided the filenames are exactly the same. This would be done through the tools menu and relink options. You can relink from an existing reel containing your media or you can search the open clip library.

Hope this helps! Regards Grant

	Posted by Mor Komuves on Jan 27, 2011 at 12:40 PM
Hi Grant, In case of XML importing can we simply relink the imported timeline with existing media on the framestore? After capturing from tape I want to export the clips in DV QiuckTime for offline editing in Final Cut Pro, and when the editing is ready simply link the XML to previously captured media without recapturing it. Thanks!

Posted by Ultimate_Smoker* on Oct 14, 2010 at 09:09 AM

Hi, When conforming file-based media, it is almost a case of relinking the footage to the timeline.

With tape-based capture you need to approach the situation differently. Since the XML/AAF has all the information regarding the original source media, it has become common for the software to want to capture an entire source instead of just a portion of the media. To fix this, this requires consolidation prior to capturing your material.

An easy way to do this is to import your XML/AAF as if you were about to capture from tape. Don't capture, just exit the module. Go to your tools menu and choose consolidate. Set the method to ALL TRACKS and set your handles. Select the UNLINKED clip and consolidate it. This creates a clip which is only looking for the material required to assemble the timeline and not anything else. Select the UNLINKED clip again and switch to the I/O menu. Press the RECAPTURE button. Once inside the module you can start capturing your media and the system will only capture what is required. Thanks.... Grant

	Posted by banpero on Oct 13, 2010 at 01:52 PM
Grant Long time viewer, thanks for the time and effort put into your work. We do many conforms from SR, how does one avoid long inputs from tape, using XML. Maybe i missed something in your presentation. Thanks Paul

	Posted by themacdaddy on Mar 19, 2010 at 10:51 PM
Grant Great stuff here. What about importing graphic files like tifs and jpgs and the such through XML? I noticed there's no selection available for these. Does Smoke consider these to be Quicktime? Also, is it possible that Smoke doesn't like the .tif extension but rather .tiff? Thanks again. Philip