Avid 5.0, ProRes, and You
I’ve been getting massive web traffic and emails from people looking to use ProRes within Avid, as well as outputting ProRes from Avid. With Avid Media Composer 5.0 due to be released next month, the two playing nice with one another will be paramount. I drew up this short Q&A for fellow coworkers at Key Code Media, and I thought I’d share it here.
- Can Avid 5.0 on Mac or PC play Pro Res?
Yes, provided you have a recent version of Quicktime (free) installed. This is required by Avid for installation. - Can Avid 5.0 EXPORT into ProRes?
Mac: Not Natively, but yes. Apple allows for any machine (Mac or PC) to PLAY ProRes with a current version of Quicktime, or with the free ProRes decode codecs from apple.com. However, ENCODING into ProRes is limited to the OS having certain software(s) installed.This includes 1 of the following:
- Final Cut Pro
- Final Cut Server
- Logic Pro
- Compressor
These apps install the proper ProRes component, which is needed for ProRes encoding. There are sneaky ways around this without installing one of the 4 apps, however they all violate Apples EULA and are illegal, and can also be unreliable.…thus, don’t do it.
PC: No. Apple has not made it possible for any software manufacturer to do a software ProRes encode on a PC platform.
- If I have ProRes in my timeline (Mac or PC) and create an effect, how does it render?
Good Question. On both Mac and PC – even if you have one of the 4 apps above installed, Avid 5.0 will NOT render into ProRes. If you look in your media creation settings, Avid will default to another codec. - Then, how do I get my Avid project to FCP and vice versa?
Wes Plate at Automatic Duck has you covered. Automatic Duck provides for both of these scenarios.- Avid to FCP: http://automaticduck.com/products/pifcp/
- FCP to Avid: http://automaticduck.com/products/pefcp/
Keep in mind, these are NOT yet (as of 5/20/10) qualified for Avid 5.0. Usage of Automatic Duck with legacy media (OMF, MXF) may require some transcoding to work within the other editing system. Depending on the workflow, the Automatic Duck software may be able to handle the transcoding for you. See the README for each plugin.
Remember, all of this is based on an Avid 5.0 Beta – at least 30 days from release. Features are of course, subject to change. However, I do not forsee anything changing, due to Apple’s licensing.
On a side note, I am really, really excited about Avid 5.0. NAB 2010 had me geeked, the beta has me jazzed, and I think this is one of the best steps Avid has taken in many years.
My NAB 2010 Hit List
Once a year, us posties flock to our mecca, and plant ourselves within the bowels of sin city to suckle from the geek teet, and bask in all it’s acronym run glory. We spend too much on cheap food. We spend way more on alcohol, and desperately try and find which one of the vendors will have the best afterparty. Walking each hall and floor tenderizes our feet as if Rocky Balboa was in training. We hoard swag in the several free branded bags slung over both shoulders. We shout over the tens of thousands of other people asking the same questions, and demand specifications about balsawood products that won’t ship until next year. We play business card roulette and find out who is where. We reminisce about older, bulkier and more expensive technological solutions, the same way we’ll chuckle over this years offerings in 10 years.
Aren’t you psyched? I’ve been packed since Thanksgiving.
I’m lucky enough to be a part of many of the vendor meetings (yes, I still feel lucky) to hear some behind the scenes and roadmap information. This year, I even get the added bonus to be a special corresspondant for the Digital Production BuZZ; the official (and on the show floor) podcast of NAB. With this impending information overload, I’ve made a short list of the biggies I need to be sure to check out.
AJA: PCIe cards with 3G. That would be friggin’ sweet. Imagine your Kona 3 having two 3G outputs. This kind of bandwidth would allow for for Dual Link 4:4:4 and perhaps even full frame Left and Right Eye 3D – at resolutions at or above 2K. Michael likey. I’m also hoping to see a more enhanced KiPro; perhaps a more robust web interface for metadata, extra storage, and *maybe* other codecs.
Avid: Of course. With Apple (still) not having a booth, that leaves Avid as the sole NLE juggernaut on the floor. Due to NDA, I have to dance around the Media Composer 5.0 offerings, but I am excited about what will be shown. Several game changers, in terms of media usage, management, and viewing. Avid is really making a push, across the board, to be a bit more open. Kudos. I’d love to see Metafuze become (easily) cluster-able, and be a bit more efficient – if that is, indeed, how Avid will continue to utilize 3D. The smell of a Unity revamp is in the air, and I can only imagine an ISIS / Unity / Cuisinart hybrid.
Blackmagic: DaVinci. Lots of rumors about what the product is being morphed into since the purchase. What will Resolve become?
NewTek: TriCaster, natch. The Standard Definition units and now the XD300 are some of the few products in the past few years that have really knocked my nerd socks off. We lost 3 baseband inputs when the jump was made to HD – but I completely understand the limits of technology. To do all TriCaster does – in real time – hey, ya gotta make some sacrifices. A guy can hope that a unit with more inputs will be available. I’d also love to see an easier way to make 3D sets; much like the old Virtual Set Constructor NewTek had. However, perhaps an app that allowed for HD virtual set construction with user defined areas for super imposition / PIP, as well as reflections – like their pre-baked sets have. Creating these without Lightwave would be a huge benefit.
Cineform: I am totally in love with Neo3D for stereoscopic monitoring in Final Cut Pro. I’m hoping for a more reliable way to reconform, rather than just pulling timecode from the “paired” file. I’d also love to see distributed encoding into the cineform codec, so we can flip files faster. Perhaps the ability to have different views between the Canvas and the video hardware I/O output. Maybe more editing ability – like the 3D Stereo Tool box plug-in has.
Root6: I’ve been jonesin’ for the ability to have web based interaction with Content Agent. I’m also hoping to see some abilities to utilize more P2 based file formats that we use here in the States, but hasn’t taken off in the UK. I’d also like to see the incorporation of Digital Rapids 3.x software into the fold. Stream 3.0 introduced a host of features, and Content Agent is still utilizing Stream 2.5.x.
CatDV: Another piece of enabling software that is part DAM/MAM and part friggin’ awesome. I don’t expect anything more than further ass kicking. Automatic Duck: Wes has always been finding new and creative ways for project and media interchange. I can only hope that he’s been a bloodhound on the Avid 5.0 scent and will be ready to rock and roll. (If not – Wes, call me Monday at 9.01am. I have some ideas. We’ll make MILLION$).
Telestream: Can’t say much. Just go to the booth. Game changer(s).
Apple: Yes, I know you don’t have a booth, but you WILL be there…in some suite. A shiny one, I bet. Lurking. Taunting. iPadding. I’d love to nibble on the cheese in the mousetrap of Final Cut Pro and Final Cut Server. Who am I kidding? It won’t happen. But I can hope that maybe after the 5th or 6th round of Apple martinis, something will slip. And if that fails, there’s always roofies and knifepoint.
Autodesk: SMAC – Smoke 2010 for Mac OS X – is generating a ton of buzz. I’m hoping more modules will be written, and enhanced codec support.
Facilis: File Level locking is here! Hooray! But not for everyone. Mac 64 bit, and a few other choice configs – not so much. What say you, Facilis?
Assimilate: Lucas Wilson is the MAN. When he and Tony get together, stars align. Plus, their boss is named Taco… 
How can that trifecta be ignored? I’m gonna be looking for additional hardware options and configs for Scratch, and perhaps a wee bit more editorial options and project interchange. Howabout more efficient use of the Red Rocket card and hey RED, howabout stability on a Mac?
Other Hot Topics I’ll be sniffing out:
Easier and less expensive Blu-ray authoring for Mac and PC.
Larger Stereoscopic monitors at lower price points, both in Active and Passive varieties.
Anyone who wants to buy me a drink.
Getting Final Cut Pro projects and/or media into Avid Media Composer
I’m sitting at my desk last week when my phone rings – caller ID tells me it’s an associate from my hometown of Chicago. No sooner do I lift the receiver do I hear
“I win!”
Bewildered, I respond with a puzzled “Excuse me?”
“I win!” he repeats. “I knew you’d go Hollywood!”
Now this puzzles me. Not only because TMZ and perezhilton.com are blocked at work, but that very day I was looking into flights to visit family and friends in Chicago, as well as planning my next trip from the Valley to Buena Park for some much needed Portillo’s. In fact, not to much earlier that day I had made a decent Chicago pun. (There are four directions in Chicago: Northside, Southside, Westside, and the Lake.)
“You swore you’d remember your roots, man. But I read your blog, and you’re talking about stuff we’d probably never do in the Midwest.”
“Well, some would…” I rationalized.
“Hardly. Didn’t you used to say the difference between L.A. and Chicago was a million dollars and 6 frames? All of your stuff revolves around those two things.”
“Yeah, well…some people out here do 29.97…”
He cuts me off. “They’re called Tape Ops.”
(We both chuckle. Post geeks are an odd squad.)
So, in this post, I’ll be backing off the Hollywood-centric workflows, asinine acronyms, and strings of polysyllabic words and going back to some grass-roots issues.
On any given project, there are many editors, in many disciplines, and spread across many miles. Therefore, getting YOUR stuff to work with THEIR stuff is imperative. Thus, I present to you the best ways to get Final Cut Pro projects and/or media into Avid Media Composer.
First, it’s important that we understand how Avid deals with media. As of March 2010, Avid understands media in 4 formats. This may very well fluctuate in the next few months**, but for now, Avid understands media thusly:
- Native Avid media – that is, captured by Avid. Nowadays, this is usually in Avid’s DNxHD codec, which is analogous to ProRes – see chart below. Avid, during capture into DNxHD, wraps this file in an MXF wrapper. In legacy systems, instead of MXF, this would be a standard definition file in an OMF format. This media is understood natively by Avid, and requires no other transcoding or re-wrapping for usage within Avid.
- Quicktime Media encoded with Avid’s DNxHD codec (with a .mov extension). Avid can see this file, but will want to “wrap” it into an MXF wrapper before utilizing it within Avid. This is not instantaneous, but is faster than a straight file import / conversion because it is not re-encoding the media. Avid calls this a “fast import”. **
- Via Avid’s AMA – Avid Media Access. (v. 3.5 and above). P2, XDCAM, and GFCAM are understood natively (but ONLY camera native files with the mxf wrapper and original file hierarchy) **
- Other Quicktime Media NOT encoded with the DNxHD codec, but still understood and playable by your Quicktime player. Provided the codec is installed on your Avid machine, Avid can see it, but needs to import (transcode) and wrap the file into an MXF wrapper. This is the longest of the techniques.
Knowing these rules, we can build several workflows which enable a FCP Project – or just the media – to get into Avid.
Just Media from FCP to Avid: Easiest Method (and Free!)
Media from FCP to Avid (click to enlarge)
- Download the Avid DNxHD Codecs (http://www.avid.com/dnxhd/ ) onto your Mac. This enables FCP, Compressor, or any other encoding application on your same Mac to encode into DNxHD. (Remember DNxHD is a codec, so it can have a “.mov” extension).
- Export your timeline into a comperable DNxHD .mov format (see chart). This yields a file with a .mov extension, but encode with a DNxHD codec.
- This file can be seen by Avid, who will then “fast import” it (wrapping it into an MXF wrapper), allowing you to use it in the most efficient way on the timeline.
GOTCHA: You can, of course, bypass the entire download of DNxHD codecs, just just export from FCP using the same codec FCP is using in the timeline. This, however, complicates things for the Avid user. What if they do not have the same codec you are using within FCP? Worse yet, what if the codec you export with requires the other user to pay to get the codec? For example, DVCProHD is not free for a PC! Companies like Calibrated Software (http://www.calibratedsoftware.com/) charge $69 for a plugin to simply decode the file. Rule Of Thumb: Make it as EASY as possible for the next person to use your media.
ADVANCED USERS: From FCP, export a QT Reference. Use your clustered or more robust encoding solution to encode into a .mov DNxHD file. Quite possibly, your encoding solution may allow you to even wrap the DNxHD file into an MXF wrapper (OP1a compliant) which makes importing into Avid even faster! (see #1)
Project AND Media from FCP to Avid (slightly not free)
Project & Media from FCP to Avid (click to enlarge)
- Purchase and download Automatic Duck Pro FCP Export ($495) http://automaticduck.com/products/pefcp/
- Download the Avid DNxHD Codecs (http://www.avid.com/dnxhd/ ) onto your Mac. This enables FCP, Compressor, or any other encoding application on your same Mac to encode into DNxHD. (remember DNxHD is a codec, so it can have a “.mov” extension)
- Within FCP, export using Automatic Duck (see movie here: http://automaticduck.com/products/pefcp/FCPtoAvidwitMedia.mov). In short, Automatic Duck creates a Project file Avid can understand, and you have the option within the export of converting the media to DNxHD AND wrapping it into an MXF wrapper. All are read natively by Avid. ALL IN ONE STEP. Can you dig it?
GOTCHA: (for you advanced users) This process can be slow, as Automatic Duck handles the media transcode and re-wrap. This is a single threaded process, and cannot be done by another application. This may yield a wait for longer form / media heavy projects. In addition, there are a handful of effects that may not transfer over. Check Automatic Duck’s documentation for limitations.
ADVANCED CONCEPT: Use Automatic Duck to export the Project. Manually take the FCP Media and transcode into DNxHD or MXF wrapped DNxHD with your favorite encoder. Take the converted Project file and media to the Avid. Open the Project, and manually re-link to the transcoded media. Depending on if the FCP media was wrapped in a MXF wrapper, Avid will either import it instantaneously, or necessitate a wrap into MXF. While this may save time on the front end (manually doing the encode into DNxHD), you will lose that time by needing to manually re-link to the media within Avid. Plus, you lose tons of metadata. I am not a fan of attempting this. But I will be glad to charge you for consulting on it.
NOTE: This workflow ensures the most amount of metadata transferring over. Sure, you can save yourself $495, and try to work some magic with a generic EDL. I’ve had zero consistent success with this, and only massive amounts of metadata loss, headaches, and a severe limitation in terms of effects transferring over. Take it from Nancy Reagan: JUST SAY NO.
FOOTNOTE: Quality loss is always a big concern. There are hundreds of codecs out there – so I cannot possibly mention each one. However, I can tell you what standard codecs in FCP equate to what codecs in Avid:
| Avid “family” Codec*** | FCP Codec | Notes |
| DNxHD36 | ProRes Proxy | Best for film/ video offline, archival for reference, digital asset management (DAM / MAM) |
| DNxHD115 | ProRes LT | DVCPROHD-like. Lightweight, used as a balance between quality and efficiency. |
| DNxHD145 | ProRes 422 | Television broadcast quality baseline |
| DNxHD220 / DNxHD220x | ProRes 422 HQ | 220 is 8-bit. 220x and HQ are both 10-bit, and therefore have greater latitude for color grading and motion effects. |
| DNxHD??? | ProRes 4444 | Lowest level of compression (highest quality). ProRes 4444 has an alpha channel; Avid currently has no equivalent. |
**Most likely in mid 2010, the line between #2 & #3 will become blurred. That is, AMA being enabled to understand ANY codec Quicktime can read. This means that Avid can play almost any media file you throw at it, so long as Quicktime on the same machine can play it. While this is a fantastic concept, Avid will always perform better when dealing with multiple streams of video when all formats are in an Avid codec. Avid only guarantees 3 streams of broadcast quality video via AMA, and I do not expect that to change once AMA is opened up fully to Quicktime.
***Avid’s DNxHD codec has “families”, for ease of use (snort) in terms of naming conventions (left column above). Depending on your frame rate, the bitrates (the last numeric digits) of the file can fluctuate slightly. For example, DNxHD36 is for 23.976 fps material. This “family” also encompasses 29.97 fps material encoded with the same codec, yet yields a file (technically) at DNxHD45. Yes, I know: uber-confusing. Look for a blog post on this soon.
Hope this helps. Have any input? I’d love to hear it.
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