Hi Everyone!!!!

I am finally getting back on-line after my volcano fun in the US.  I spent a total of 12 days in Vegas (had a brain meltdown) and 2 days in LA which brought my sanity back.  I also had some great visits with Dreamworks, Disney and Universal.  

Meanwhile after launching the 2011 Creative Finishing Products at NAB 2010, I started getting loads of requests to start showing the new features because everyone wants to use them.  So I have had to divert the focus of the blog for a little bit of time to focus on these features in greater detail.  I still have my ongoing list of requests which will be addressed!

On with the show!!!!

2011 Workflows:
Conforming XMLs & QuickTimes!

With the launch of 2011 we have redesigned the way media is imported into the applications.  This should make life easier with drag and drop options as well as setting preferences/rules for file-formats.

This video blog is going to concentrate on conforming timelines from Final Cut Pro using QuickTime media (this could be any of the supported QT formats such as ProRes, H264 and uncompressed to name a few.)

Just a short reminder, the applications still have the legacy import tools which have been moved into a menu called I/O in the clip library and you can still use the old methods to conform while you get used to the new and easier conforming tools!  Enjoy!

This video blog is best watched at 1:1 with the full screen setting.

The features shown are current to the 2011 version of Flame and Smoke (Mac & Linux)
 

NOTE:  Please be advised that Apple ProRes in only natively supported in the Smoke for Mac Software.

I spoke about the steps you should follow in performing the XML conform..

1. Export the XML from FCP

I used XML interchange format version 5 with no problems but you can use version 2 which is the qualified version

2. Setting up the media in comprehensive directory (SAN, NAS or local storage)

I recommended placing the XML near the media. If this is not the case than you can still link to the media if the system you are using can see the media in the gateway where ever it is located and you might have to relink to the wiretap gateway.  

In the video blog, the xml was in the root directory where all my media was in sub-folders. When I performed the drag and drop conform, smoke will search recursively through the sub-folders and find the media.

However, if the XML is in its own subdirectory you can tell the software to search a level up so that when the search takes place, Smoke/Flame will start searching from the root directory and it should find the media.

3. Connecting Smoke/Flame to the directory location containing the media/xml

Remember that you can set up multiple Selection Sets (or bookmarks) so that you only need to see the directories important to the job. As I said, once you have set up your selection sets this step is so quick to do.

4. Setting the rules and import settings for your media.

In the case of the QuickTime media, Smoke does read the data from the header of the file including the timecode. The only tweakable options is tape name and clip name

A general note about importing media.... By default, whatever media you import via the gateway is pointing to the original source. There is a button to store the media locally which will essentially make an uncompressed copy on your local storage. This could be for performance reasons or you just want to have a local copy if the media is deleted off the network.

Once media is imported (drag and dropped into the library), you can still adjust the metadata and storage settings of the clip. Simply double-click on the clip in the library and at the bottom UI the "import history" will appear. You can simply view or modify the import history. This is especially useful for changing metadata of a clip. So for example, you can tweak any red clips that may have already been imported. You can also choose to store the media locally or use the original source... The point here is you can still change your mind at any time!!!

5. Setting the XML settings via the FCP XML/AAF

This includes the XML timeline resolution in the metadata options.

In the Media Options is where you designate the criteria for finding and linking to the media. As I mentioned in step 2, where ever you place the XML will determine how you set the search criteria "Max Up 0 Level". So if you have your XML in a sub-directory next to other sub-directories containing your media, then you would set the Search Criteria to "Max Up 1 Level". (i.e. Go up one directory level and recursively search all subdirectories from this point)

6. Drag and Drop XML into the Clip Library

Always use a dual view for the drag and drop operation. This will automatically kick off the searching, importing and relinking process.

If you have a clip with "UNLINKED MEDIA", then you can relink from the gateway. As an example, if your media is scattered in all differently locations  (hopefully not too often), than you can select your unlinked clip and relink through the gateway. You can do this multiple times until all your media has been linked.

As for the rules of conforming, potential issues and troubleshooting regarding metadata and media, please click here and hopefully this information can help you.

Please remember there is still the old way of conforming and relinking AAF/XMFs. If you want to know how to conform pre-2011 then please go to this blog by clicking this link.

Special thanks to DJ and Martin C for helping out!!!

Well that is it from me for now!!!!  I will be back soon with some more workflows, features, tips, tricks and your requests!

Take care where ever you are!

Signing off

Grant