A possible work around

[Codec Moment]

I'm dealing with some concepts I've not 100% wrapped my head around, so I'm throwing this out to the guys here to see how plausible it is.

A master clip contains all meta data associated with the clip. Batch importing of a quicktime or other video file will keep this metadata and use it rather than that of the source file.

So my thought is this. Somehow generate an ALE containing all relevant metadata from the source files. Import this into Avid to make the offline master clips. Batch import the DNxHD transcodes of the original RED files to the appropriate master clip. If everything goes the way I'm thinking, you'll have your HD downconverts as well as all the source timecodes and information without manually changing any information in Avid (like most of the hypothetical workflows I've been seeing).

The only part I'm unsure of is making the ALEs. The rest should work. I've tried the batch importing using the log tool to make clips with time code I made up, then batch importing an irrelevant QT file to that clip. As long as the duration matched, there were no problems. If the duration was too long or too short, the video was sped up or slowed down to match. If the meta data is coming from the right clips, this won't be an issue anyway.


It's obviously not as good as importing the Red RAWs right in, but we work with what we're given. Let me know what you think.

[MichaelP]

This is the method that will be outlined in the whitepaper once the metadata is easily retrievable from either RedAlert! or RedCine. I outlined similar steps in a previous posting. There is a tool that a friend I know has developed that is being tweaked at the moment that will help in the ALE creation. He mentioned posting to this forum once he had something that met the basic needs of the RED camera.

The process is something that he and I call "MetaCheat" which cheats the metadata into these file formats and works for any type of movie or graphic file format. I often use it for sequential TIFF or JPEG proxy of DPX files, etc.

The ease of doing this is waiting on either application to generate metadata in ALE format or any format that can be processed via ALE to make this process smoother. The manufacturers of these applications are aware of the need and I have provided them with a full mapping of metadata to Avid metadata logging to ensure the tracking. So hopefully there will be something soon. Although not as efficient as having access to the native RAW file (.r3d), it does provide for a solution on which to build offline and online workflows.

Michael

[Jabez Olssen]

I Batch import the DNxHD transcodes of the original RED files to the appropriate master clip.

Actually, if you have a Mac Avid, then you don't need to transcode the RED files to DNxHD. You can just batch import into the Avid the Quicktime wrapped files from RedAlert (which of course are created instantly).

On a MacBook Pro the import time from Quicktime Wrapped R3D files into the Avid (at DNxHD 36) was about 6 to 1. I'm sure this would be quicker on an 8 processor Mac Pro.

This only works for Mac Avid's at this time because the Red Quicktime component is Mac only.

You are of course absolutely right about building an ALE of the metadata needed in order to get it into the Avid clips.

I have an application (that Michael mentioned) that does this. The main thing delaying me posting it here is that it's bigger than the max file size for an attachment. Can anyone suggest a good site for hosting it for downloads?

cheers

-Jabez

[Codec Moment]

Actually, if you have a Mac Avid, then you don't need to transcode the RED files to DNxHD. You can just batch import into the Avid the Quicktime wrapped files from RedAlert (which of course are created instantly).

Is that only if you have a version of Final Cut which can import Red material (FCP installs the codec, then theoretically any other program can use it), or does it come with any new mac quicktime?

[Jabez Olssen]

You have to download the Red Quicktime component from red.com, but you don't need to have FCP. The Red Quicktime component allows any application that is Quicktime compatible to view Red Quicktimes.

Is that only if you have a version of Final Cut which can import Red material (FCP installs the codec, then theoretically any other program can use it), or does it come with any new mac quicktime?

[Terry Wester]

Actually, if you have a Mac Avid, then you don't need to transcode the RED files to DNxHD. You can just batch import into the Avid the Quicktime wrapped files from RedAlert (which of course are created instantly).

On a MacBook Pro the import time from Quicktime Wrapped R3D files into the Avid (at DNxHD 36) was about 6 to 1. I'm sure this would be quicker on an 8 processor Mac Pro.

This only works for Mac Avid's at this time because the Red Quicktime component is Mac only.

You are of course absolutely right about building an ALE of the metadata needed in order to get it into the Avid clips.

I have an application (that Michael mentioned) that does this. The main thing delaying me posting it here is that it's bigger than the max file size for an attachment. Can anyone suggest a good site for hosting it for downloads?

cheers

-Jabez

Yes, please post.

You can use this site: http://www.mediafire.com/

I have used it for a while and it works well. It's free with 100 MB file size limit

Thanks

[Jabez Olssen]

Ok, I've started a new thread about the utility, MetaCheater.

cheers