Multicam clips do not show custom clip names when cut into timeline

[SoundW0rm93]

Hello,

I am encountering a bug with Multicam source clips when they are cut into a timeline. I've attached three screenshots to illustrate my issue. 

I have synced multiple camera angles to create multicam source clips, and given them custom names according to the scene and take (image 1). However, once these clips are cut into my timeline, the custom names disappear, and the only name that is displayed is the filename from the source (image 2)

It seems that there is an option in the wrench menu of the timeline to "Show source clip name and label" (image 3), however even when this option is unchecked, Premiere Pro still does not display the custom multicam clip name in the timeline. This is an beyond frustrating- editors need to be able to look at the clips in their timeline and know exactly which scene and take they are looking at.

A note to Adobe's engineers: please do not suggest some convoluted work around- this is clearly a bug and should be very simple. It does not make sense why the "show source clip name" option doesn't work for multicam clips. FIX THIS PROBLEM.

[Ben Insler]

Thanks for writing @SoundW0rm93!

I hear ya on this one.  Not that it helps, but we're aware of this.  It is currently designed this way on purpose:

once these [multi-cam] clips are cut into my timeline, the custom names disappear, and the only name that is displayed is the filename from the source

Multi-cams are designed to not show their source name in the timeline.  They show the source name of their selected angle.  That way, editors can see the name of the angle that is currently in use at that moment in the timeline, rather than the multi-cam name which may not be as descriptive.  If you make a series of cuts - Acam | Bcam | Acam | Ccam | Acam - each adjacent clip here will display as the same name if showing the multi-cam source name.  Showing the clip name of the selected angle displays a clear reference of what actual media is being used, and the name will change per clip in the timeline to reflect this in the same example above, even though each clip references the same multi-cam.

All things being equal, I woudln't fault you for then saying, "I can already see which angle is in use with the [MCX] tag on the multi-cam itself before the clip name.  I want to see my scene/take information that I painstakingly labeled." There's a perfectly valid counter argument that the name of the multi-cam isn't as helpful or descriptive as the name of the media that you're actually loooking at when you press play, and the [MCX] tag is not indicative of any true media information - you could have placed A001C004 in Multi-Cam position 2, and B001C008 in Multi-Cam position 1, making it appear like B Camera media is A camera. Different workflows need to access different information in different ways.  The current multi-cam implementation displays more accurate detail of what is actually showing up on the program monitor.

there is an option in the wrench menu of the timeline to "Show source clip name and label", however even when this option is unchecked, Premiere Pro still does not display the custom multicam clip name in the timeline.

Correct.  This option allows you to have your timeline label colors and clip names reflect the project source names of the used media in the sequence.  When this option is off, you can set local label colors and names on a per-clip basis in the timeline.  You can then toggle this on and off for different label workflows. For example you could have a dailies workflow that reflects the source labels which will display in the timeline (e.g., non-circle takes are green, circle takes are red) and also have a parallel timeline local VFX workflow (e.g., yellow clips are shots that need VFX, white clips have been turned over, and blue clips have their VFX work complete).  Toggling the Show Source Clip Name and Label option allows you, or others you are collaboration with, to switch between these two workflows without one intefering with the other.

That said, multi-cams do continue to work in the same way as described above in this scenario.  They will display local colors when assigned, but will not display their source multi-cam name, and they will not show a local name in the timeline when Show Source Clip Name and Label is off.  They will always display the name of the active angle within.

please do not suggest some convoluted work around

Sorry...

The recommended workflow is to also name your source media, so for example...

• For multi-cam 2-1C-1
  • A001C001_240425AX becomes 2-1C-1_A
  • B001C001_245698CV becomes 2-1C-1_B
  • C002C001_240138EO becomes 2-1C-1_C

I don't consider this convoluted to be honest, just a part of the dailies labeling process.  I've done it this way on many projects.  With this workflow, you you get all the scene (and camera) information you're looking for in the timeline when using multi-cams.  We go farther, in fact, adding tags like _MOS or _48FPS to the source clips so that we have confirmation directly in the timeline that a specific angle shouldn't have audio, or was shot overcranked so we know exactly what math speeds it back to real-time if necessary.

All that said, consider your vote counted in the "please revise this" column.  It's not off our radar.

[meganatcommune]

I would also like to upvote the ability for multcams to maintain the multicam customs names. 
In terms of identifying what camera angle is used, it would be great to have a feature where the clip is colored based on what camera angle it is. 

[SoundW0rm93]

I appreciate your thorough reply, but I'll reiterate that this is a bug that should be addressed. And I'm sorry but the idea that A008C004 is a more useful clip name for an editor to see in a timeline than a proper name with scene and take information is not a "perfectly valid counter-argument". I shouldn't have to go through the trouble of renaming all my A cam files, renaming all my B cam files, AND naming all my combined multicam clips (so I can see the scene/take info in my bin). That's triple the work for information that should be easily viewable in the timeline. I understand that this has been designed a certain way, but users should have the option to change the naming system in prefernces to suit their needs. If a non-multicam clip is renamed in a bin to be 3A-4, and then that clip is cut into the timeline, then you will see "3A-4" on the clip label in the timeline. It should work the same for multicam clips. 

[Ben Insler]

In the interest of productive conversation without specifically defending or attacking these design choices...

I shouldn't have to go through the trouble of renaming all my A cam files, renaming all my B cam files, AND naming all my combined multicam clips

I agree with you - this can feel like time wasted.  This is however a fairly standard workflow regardless of NLE.  And this is actually good practice.  When you flatten your multi-cams, or match frame through the multi-cam back to an individual angle's source, if the contained source angles are also renamed, you end up with identifying information on the resulting clips.

And I'm sorry but the idea that A008C004 is a more useful clip name for an editor to see in a timeline than a proper name with scene and take information is not a "perfectly valid counter-argument".

Many editors/directors/workflows find the information on which camera is being used just as important as knowing what take is being used.  There is no way to name a multi-cam in a way that definitively indicates one camera or another.  Different workflows are all around us. 

users should have the option to change the naming system in prefernces to suit their needs.

Noted.  Two votes then.  🙂

[SoundW0rm93]

So just to explain why I didn't rename the source clips in my bin to begin with other than for time-saving reasons- it was really just a matter of being extra cautious in order to avoid relink and turnover problems when I need to prep the project for color and audio. I know this is why we have metadata, but even so much as touching the original clip names makes me nervous.

But say I were to go back and change these original clip names for all my A and B cam files, save the project and reopen- would I then see the clip names in my timeline when I look at my multicam clips, based on which camera angle is active? Or would I have to remake all my multicam clips all over again? I'm already in the process of editing, so the second option isn't really doable at this point. 

[Ben Insler]

it was really just a matter of being extra cautious in order to avoid relink and turnover problems when I need to prep the project for color and audio. I know this is why we have metadata, but even so much as touching the original clip names makes me nervous.

I praise you for being meticulously cautious and controlling your workflow.  Premiere Pro saves the source file name separately from the item name itself, and since Premiere Pro links directly to the imported media, that data is intrisinc to the integrity of the project - it is not just another metadata field.  Unlike other NLEs where you might copy the original camera names into another metadata column just in case, this can be much less of a worry in Premiere Pro.  I'm not going to lie and say that I've never, ever seen anything unexpected happen, but that would be the case of a bug or project file corruption or some other larger issue.  Renaming your clips at the project level can absolutely be a part of your Premiere Pro workflow.

Just a note, though, please remember that all your metadata needs to be correct for picture and sound turnovers.  Renaming the source clips won't affect your turnovers, but your clips still require correct Tape Name, Timecode, etc. for turnovers to work correctly.  And, when it comes to sound, if you are using dailies that have sound married to your offline edit media, remember that sound metadata is not written into these clips, and you need a way of getting that sound metadata into Premiere Pro (i.e., an ALE workflow).

say I were to go back and change these original clip names for all my A and B cam files, save the project and reopen- would I then see the clip names in my timeline when I look at my multicam clips, based on which camera angle is active?

Yes.  You wouldn't even have to save and re-open to see this reflected.  This will update in real time as you rename your sources.  Note, however, that you will need to be sure and enable Show Source Clip Name and Label.  When you built your multi-cams, the source clips that were cut into the multi-cam sequences were assigned their source names as their local names in the multi-cam sequences.  So if you have Show Source Clip Name and Label off, you will see the local names, which match the original media file names.

[Bruce Bullis]

Ben's guidance is correct.

[SoundW0rm93]

Okay, good to know. I've gone and given it a try on a few of my clips and it looks like the multicam clip names in the timeline are updating. Thanks again for the input and help

[DJP2014]

@SoundW0rm93 Setting Multicam to Audio Clip Name allows you to change the name in both Project Panel and Timeline.

As audio is often named after scene/take this can be quite a time saver.

 

[lehestro]

This just renames the multicam that's created based on the audio clip, which is helpful, but doesn't do anything to address OP problem. Same problem I'm having. All of my meticulously naming my multicam clips means nothing in my editing sequence. It's just a serious of random numbers and letters that a camera spat out.

I have 2000 clips. I have to now go in and name them all. Again. What a monumentally stupid waste of time. 

[PaulMurphy]

The Audio Clip Name option will name the multicam based on the audio clip, but it will also display the multi-camera source sequence name in the Timeline rather than the source clips.

If you click Timeline Display Settings (the wrench icon) and enable Show Source Clip Name and Label, it will automatically display the name of the multicam clip as it appears in the Project panel, even if you update it later.

This behavior is the same for the Custom option. Only the Video Clip Name option will display the source clip names in the Timeline.

[PaulMurphy]

This method is a bit unconventional but can be effective for updating all your multi-camera source sequences to display the sequence name instead of the source clip name:

1. Make a copy of your Premiere Pro project file (.prproj).
2. Rename the copied file's extension from .prproj to .zip.
3. Unzip the file to extract its contents.
4. Change the extension of the extracted file to .txt.
5. Open the file in a text editor like TextEdit (Mac) or WordPad (Windows).
6. Use the Find and Replace function in the text editor:
   • Search for: </MZ.WorkOutPoint>
   • Replace with:
     </MZ.WorkOutPoint><Source.Monitor.Multicam.SwitchOnMulticamName>0</Source.Monitor.Multicam.SwitchOnMulticamName>
   • Choose Replace All.
7. Save the file.
8. Rename the file back to have a .prproj extension.
9. Open the updated project in Premiere Pro. Your multi-camera sequences should now display sequence names instead of source clip names.

[jparrieta]

Hi Ben,

My multicam is not even showing the [MCX] tag. It only shows the clip source name and it's very confusing to keep track of which camera I'm using. Is there a fix to show the MCX tag? Thanks.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi @SoundW0rm93,
Since this is expected behavior, I'll move your post to the Discussions forum.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Kevin-Monahan]

HI @jparrieta,
Be sure to tag others with their "@" sign to call them back to the thread. @Ben Insler  - can you comment? I hope we can help you.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Ben Insler]

My multicam is not even showing the [MCX] tag. It only shows the clip source name

@jparrieta can you confirm that your Multi-Cam is enabled (right click on the clip in the sequence, Multi-Camera > Enable)?  If disabled, the [MC] tag will not show, as the clip is now functioning as a nest, not a Multi-Cam.

If that doesn't help, what version of Premiere Pro are you running?

[jparrieta]

@Ben Insler The Multi-Cam is enabled and working properly. I can change the camera normally. The only bug is that the [MC] tag is missing.

[jparrieta]

@Ben Insler I'm using version 24.5.0.

[robertf38639509]

Please fix this problem!

[PaulMurphy]

I feel like there’s a simple solution to this problem that no one has mentioned yet.

When you create your multi-camera source sequences in the Create Multi-Camera Source Sequence window, switch the name type from Video Clip Name + to Custom.

This custom name will then display in the timeline instead of the source files.

[PaulMurphy]

Just did a little extra digging into this and can confirm that when you select Video Clip Name +, the clip in the Timeline will only display the underlying source clips in the multicamera sequence.

However, if you select Audio Clip Name + or Custom, Premiere adds a single line of code to the clip that switches it from displaying the source clip names to the multicamera name.

It would make much more sense if this were a setting that could be toggled on or off, rather than being set and irreversible at the point when you create your multi-camera source sequences. The names of these naming options don’t really indicate how they will ultimately behave in the Timeline.

Incidentally, that line of code in the XML is:
<Source.Monitor.Multicam.SwitchOnMulticamName>0</Source.Monitor.Multicam.SwitchOnMulticamName>