Field Recorder Workflow Guide Version 7.2 Copyright © 2006 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the express written consent of Digidesign. Avid, Digidesign, and Pro Tools are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the US and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements, and availability are subject to change without notice. PN 9329-55679-00 REV A 07/06 contents Chapter 1. Introduction . 1 Field Recorder Terminology . 1 Supported Field Recorder Audio Files and Metadata. 2 Displaying Field Recorder Metadata in Pro Tools . 2 DigiBase Support for Field Recorder Metadata . 3 Chapter 2. Field Recorder Workflows . 5 Ensuring Metadata of Source Files Have Been Preserved . 5 Receiving Source Files . 5 Importing Source Files into Pro Tools . 6 Displaying Multichannel Files from a Field Recorder in the Region List. 9 Choosing an Alternate Channel for a Specific Region . 9 Appendix A. Overview of Production Workflows. 11 Terminology . 11 Film Workflow . 13 Video and Fully Non-Linear Workflows. 15 Contents iii iv Field Recorder Workflow Guide chapter 1 Introduction Pro Tools 7.2 adds support for importing multi- Digital Field Recorders channel audio files and metadata recorded by field recorders, as well as new post-production A field recorder, also known as a hard disk loca- workflows for using these files. tion audio recorder, is a device used by a produc- tion sound mixer during a film or video shoot to make a multichannel recording of multiple mi- crophone inputs recorded simultaneously. Field Recorder Terminology Depending on the capabilities and settings of a This section provides a brief glossary of terms field recorder, multichannel recordings can in- used in this guide. clude one or more tracks (up to 32) and are saved as monophonic or polyphonic audio files Metadata on a hard drive, DVD-RAM, or Flash media. Metadata is used to describe the following: Multichannel recordings made by a field re- corder should be encoded with start and end • Information embedded in a media file. This time stamps representing SMPTE time code, lin- may include scene, take, sample rate, bit ear time code (or LTC). Most field recorders also depth, region names, the name of the video- allow manual entry of additional types of meta- tape from which the media file was captured, data, including Channel Name/Number, Scene, and even time code values. Take, Circled Take, User Bits, and more. • Information embedded in Pro Tools sessions or other sequences, including what files are Pro Tools can import monophonic and poly- used, where they appear in a timeline, and au- phonic files and certain types of metadata en- tomation. tered on field recorders. (Polyphonic files will be converted to multiple monophonic files.) • For AAF or OMF sequences, information about automation (clip-based gain or key- frame gain). Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Production Sound Mix Supported Field Recorder For each multichannel recording made by a field Audio Files and Metadata recorder, the production sound mixer may des- ignate a production sound mix comprising either a Pro Tools supports the following audio files re- representative channel or a mixdown of other corded by field recorders: selected channels in the recording. • OMF-wrapped media The production sound mix is intended to func- • MXF tion as a general reference of all audio recorded • Broadcast WAV (BWF) files with the following within an individual multichannel recording, metadata: and is typically used by the Avid editor when as- • Both BEXT and iXML chunks sembling a sequence. • BEXT metadata but no iXML metadata Broadcast WAV Files (BWF) A WAV file containing a BEXT chunk is known Displaying Field Recorder as a Broadcast WAV file (or BWF) while still Metadata in Pro Tools maintaining a .WAV file extension. Broadcast WAV files can contain both BEXT and iXML You can enable or disable the display of field re- chunks, or a BEXT chunk by itself. corder metadata within regions in the Timeline and the Region List. BEXT and iXML Chunks To enable or disable the display of field recorder BEXT and iXML chunks are sets of metadata metadata in playlists:, do the following found within a Broadcast WAV file. ■ From View > Region, select or deselect either of the following options: Caveats • Channel Name The following caveats apply to handling of im- • Scene and Take ported metadata from field recorders. • The BEXT specification as described here adds To show or hide field recorder metadata in the some features that conform to standards used Region List: by Avid applications and Pro Tools—specifi- 1 Click the Region List pop-up menu, and cally, Description metadata is interpreted dif- choose Show. ferently. 2 From the Show submenu, select or deselect ei- • When you import multiple files in which the ther of the following options: same metadata are populated with different • Channel Name values, Pro Tools imports the value that is first present based on the following order: • Scene and Take • Avid OMF-wrapped media or MXF media When enabled in the Region List, Scene and • Any iXML chunk metadata in a BWF Take metadata are added to every region when • Any BEXT chunk metadata in a BWF available in the corresponding audio file. 2 Field Recorder Workflow Guide About Tape and Sound Roll DigiBase Support for Field Metadata Recorder Metadata Avid application and field recorders use Tape to DigiBase displays the following metadata from represent different kinds of metadata: Avid uses multichannel recordings made with field re- Tape to store the telecine videotape name, while corders. a BWF file with a BEXT chunk or iXML chunk • Duration uses Tape to store the name of the sound roll. • File Comment To avoid this overlap, Pro Tools preserves Tape • Date Modified metadata from the Avid and populates Sound • Date Created Roll with Tape metadata from BWF audio files. • # Channels • Format • Sample Rate • Bit-Depth • Original Time Stamp • User Time Stamp • Tape • TC Rate (renamed from FPS) • Channel Names • Scene • Take • Shoot Date • Sound Roll • Sound Roll TC • Sound Roll TC Rate • User Bits • Tape ID • Project • Circled • Clip Name To show or hide field recorder metadata in DigiBase browsers: ■ Start-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac) the column header and select or deselect either of the following options: • Channel Name • Scene and Take Chapter 1: Introduction 3 4 Field Recorder Workflow Guide chapter 2 Field Recorder Workflows Using Pro Tools to work with field recorder files from a film, video, or digital shoot involves the Receiving Source Files following steps: When involved in the audio post-production of 1 Before receiving source files, ensure that meta- edited video sequences, you need both of the data have been preserved. following sets of source files: • AAF or OMF sequence with an edited pro- 2 Receive source files. duction sound mix synced to video (such 3 Import source files into Pro Tools. as referenced QuickTime movies or Avid video) 4 Replace edits from the production sound mix with audio from different takes of the same • Alternate source files representing multi- scene. channel recordings from a field recorder You will receive these files either separately (from the Avid video editor and production Ensuring Metadata of Source sound mixer) or together as part of an AAF or Files Have Been Preserved OMF sequence export including alternate source audio (from the Avid video editor). Before you receive source files, it is critical to en- sure that the files have been prepared properly Separate Deliveries of Source at each phase of the production process so that their original metadata are preserved. Files When you receive an AAF or OMF sequence If the original metadata have not been pre- from the Avid editor and alternate source audio served, you cannot successfully complete the from the production sound mixer, you must im- workflows described in this chapter. port them separately before Pro Tools will be For detailed information about preserving able to match them together. metadata during the production process, see See “Importing an AAF or OMF Sequence Appendix A, “Overview of Production into Pro Tools” on page 6 and “Importing Workflows.” Alternate Source Audio Directly into Pro Tools” on page 8. Chapter 2: Field Recorder Workflows 5 Single Delivery of Source Files Alternate Source Audio in Timeline Auto-Synced to Edited Production Sound Mix The alternate When you receive only an AAF or OMF se- source audio in the Avid Bin has been auto- quence from an Avid editor, this generally synced to the edited located sound mix, and all means that the sequence also contains alternate audio channels reside in the Avid Timeline. source audio recorded by the field recorder. When you import this type of sequence into If you are not sure the AAF or OMF se- Pro Tools, the edited video, edited production quence also contains the alternate source sound mix, and all alternate source audio will be audio, contact the Avid editor to ensure that available to import directly into the Timeline. they were properly included. Alternate Source Audio Not Auto-Synchronized to There are three methods the Avid editor may use Edited Production Sound Mix In the Avid appli- to prepare the files before exporting them: cation, the alternate source audio has not been • Alternate source audio has been auto- auto-synced to the edited production sound mix synced in the Avid Bin but not placed on residing in the Avid Timeline. the Timeline In such a case, the AAF or OMF sequence • Alternate source audio has been auto- does not contain or reference the alternate synced in the Avid Bin and placed on the source audio when imported into Timeline Pro Tools—the Avid editor must auto-sync • Alternate source audio has not been auto- the alternate source audio to the edited pro- synced and resides only in the Avid Bin duction sound mix, then re-deliver the se- quence to you.