Project Manager - Transcode and trim clips when multiple instances of same clips in timeline

[nicholast23059538]

Hi all,

I'm attempting to work with the much talked about and frequently disparaged Project Manager. I got the consolidate and transcode function (trimming clips with handles of 48 frames) to work for a large project but now I have another problem.

I often have multiple instances of the same clip in a sequence - a shot from a certain angle that we cut back and forth to in different parts of the scene, for instance. Pretty standard situation for most types of video work. I noticed that sometimes (but not always), these clips in the new transcoded project link back to the same source file rather than each linking back to separate copies that contain just what parts of the shot were used in that instance + handles.

This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the workflow of sending this back and forth to the colorist. Even for sending to Resolve, it works fine, but getting the graded clips back from him is when this result in problems. I wanted to relink the graded versions of each clip to the versions in my timeline when he's done, mainly so that I can keep other effects on the clips that he's not doing (such as speed, keyframed scaling or cropping, etc), rather than having to copy over effects one by one to every clip. This won't be possible when he's exporting each clip from his timeline individually but on my end some of them link back to the same source clip. It's a feature-length project.

Is this probably just the result of one of the strange errors that so many people refer to with the Project Manager, or is there some way to prevent this? Alternatively, is there any way for him to export from Resolve as the entire clip, while having it graded differenly on different parts of the clip as they were used at different places in the sequence (a weird idea, but figured I ask - there would of course be a jump at some frame in the look, but these frames wouldn't be used in the timeline). 

Thank you for your help!

[Michael Grenadier]

what about outputting your timeline with full resolution from premiere and then bringing that file into resolve and use an edl exported from premiere to add the "edits" between shots.  It's tricky figuring it out (blame resolve if you ask me) but it can work.   I've made it work, but the first time was a bear...

[nicholast23059538]

Thanks for the suggestions, though I think that would still present similar problems when trying to bring it back into Premiere to link the new graded files on a hard drive to the clips as they are used in my Premiere timeline. Also, it wouldn't include handles on the takes, which could be useful to me. Thank you though!

[R Neil Haugen]

I'm a contributing author on a pro colorist's teaching website. So I work with a lot of folks using Resolve as their main app.

For the scenario where you have multiple clips from one file, they typically seem to expect just to get that file, and Resolve will conform the clips from it. Yea, if there's only one of three seconds from a 45 minute clip, it's great to cut the extra stuff down.

But they expect to get drives delivered with T- to P-bytes of data. So I don't think I'd spend any time on trimming down the situation you're talking about. They can handle it.

Neil

[nicholast23059538]

Hi Neil,

I appreciate the detailed response and I think that's a good point. I agree that I think it will work fine to bring into Resolve.

The problem is bringing it back into Premiere from Resolve and having it relink on my end. Basically I wanted to link my Premiere clips to graded versions of the source files so then I can re-apply some of my other simple effects I did, like cropping and blurs, on specific clips that are simple enough that I'm handling myself. Since Premiere is linking in some cases to single files for multiple clips on the timeline, but Resolve will export those each into indivial files when the colorist is done, they won't all automatically relink in Premiere, and I fear I'll have to re-apply my other effects manually, clip by clip. It will take a while since it's feature length so I was trying to see if there was any workaround on either end. Thanks again.

Nick

[R Neil Haugen]

My expectation is the Resolve exports will still have the clip name and tc data ... this is a very common thing in round-trip work. I've done it myself between the apps.

However, I've also asked on the MixingLight.com member-slack as naturally the majority of the members and founders are based in Resolve, and do Premiere/Resolve/Premiere round-trips all the time. I'll post specific information when I get it.

Neil

[nicholast23059538]

Thanks Neil.

Nick

[R Neil Haugen]

Had several replies ... yea, they do this all the time with just getting the full media and an XML or EDL of the cuts. Do a conform in Resolve, export out the work.

I'd suggest doing a short test sequence, maybe 10 clips, and with instructions from the colorist, create the XML and send that and the original media on some service to the colorist, have him/her send back their output, and test replacing in Premiere.

Most colorists should have experience in the conform process.

Neil

[nicholast23059538]

Thanks Neil.

Nick

[Jeff Bugbee]

Are you getting any errors/messages during your Project Manage? Such as "Media could not be transcoded, copying entire clip"? I've noticed this happens on some media.

[nicholast23059538]

Hi Jeff,

I am not sure. The project, being feature length and 4k, takes over 12 hours to transcode. So, there could be an error message popping up during that time when I'm not at my computer, but probably not. I haven't seen one after.

[Jeff Bugbee]

Premiere - Window - Events

brings up the error log.

[nicholast23059538]

Thanks Jeff.

Nick