exporting OMF & AAF files from premiere

P

Paunch

Well-known member
Is there a way to export these type of files so i can deliver my audio to the sound designers ? I need to provide the audio with handles so that they can do the mix.

Is there any software out there that can handle this?
 
You can export AAF out in the Project menu, but Premiere doesn't support OMF yet. If you need it, a plug-in call Automatic Duck will do it, but it's not cheap.
 
i heard that automatic duck for premiere pro was discontinued in 2006.

As far as exporting AAF goes in premiere, I can't add handles which is a requirement of the post house. i need to supply the video as a quicktime .mov file....does AAF just export the audio or the entire sequence on my timeline?
 
I think AAF is basically a glorified EDL. I did a few test export with my sound editor and it doesn't contain the audio at all.
 
thats not good to hear...i have a 40 minute film which needs a sound mix and the post house uses pro tools, what kind of work around can i do to get them the audio information? should i just export wav files and extend each audio clip to serve as handles since premiere can't do it? cuz the way it looks right now thats the only way a proper audio mix can be done, it might take more work but it needs to be done properly.

what are your thoughts? any suggestions?

thanks,

tyler
 
It is easily possible to do a proper audio mix without handles. Not ideal but still do able.

Add a Synch Pip on "2" to your Project on a separate audio track. (Create a Leader)
Export each track by itself but include the Synch pip audio track each time.

If you have a track (ie music tracks) that may need cross mixing. Extend the clips so you have "handles.
 
i don't know how well that will work if the audio comes out as one big file for each track, the audio mixer needs to be able to work each individual clip and having it exorted as seperate tracks in wav or aiff seems pretty poor.....how about importing an AAF into an avid program and then exporting an OMF?

don't know what avid program to get though.
 
Protools can easily deal with sections of an entire track just as if they are clips. (Simply select part of the waveform).

I guess all this depends how much track laying the editor did and how much the audio guy is going to do.

I usually lay the synch, some fx if they came from the camera and guide music. My audio guy sorts the rest , adds additional audio components and does the mix (all from synched up exported tracks that I supply.)
 
It's a pain, but what I do is export 3 or 4 different tracks for my editor: dialogue, VO, SFX and music. This requires some project management to get all of the audio pieces onto the the right track and it's not perfect, but it works fairly well.
 
Here's another workflow I dug up, is this sort of what you do Huy?

"It`s better if your audio guy has extra audio to work with. Like you have several seconds of video before and after the very shot you have in timeline, it`s wise to provide audio post with extra material for crossfades or simple fades.

Proper AAF or OMF export does this automatically (you can extend or shrink audio just as you are able to in video editing app), but AAFs from Premiere usually do not work in ProTools. So, you need to checkerboard your audio (person No. 1 on one track, person No. 2 on another track, and the same for any other audio that overlaps - your timeline will resemble a checkerboard) and extend all these clips from both sides.

This way your audio guy can crossfade lines and sounds even when he gets just a bunch of WAVs.

Oh, I nearly forgot: export all these tracks one by one, soloing them in Audio Mixer, so they are separate."
 
Paunch said:
Proper AAF or OMF export does this automatically (you can extend or shrink audio just as you are able to in video editing app), but AAFs from Premiere usually do not work in ProTools. So, you need to checkerboard your audio (person No. 1 on one track, person No. 2 on another track, and the same for any other audio that overlaps - your timeline will resemble a checkerboard) and extend all these clips from both sides.
Click to expand...

That's really tough to do when you have hundreds cuts, the timeline becomes unmanagable and you're liable to forget to turn on a track. I just do a single mixed down track of all the dialogue at the expense of not having extra legroom for the editor to work with; realistically, 90% of the time you won't need that few seconds handle and if it's a special case then I provide those files separately. One thing I tried once was to provide all of my video files (properly logged) to my editor along with an EDL so that he can rip the audio from the individual takes and do a sync to my reference track. It's a similar workflow to a double system, just slightly more tedious.
 
Its no pain to do what Huy Vu does. Its the same as I do and its basic track laying during the edit.

Synch Tks
Music TKs
FX TKs

The only thing you do not have is handles on each clip unless you extend them if you need them.

I had (and still have) Automatic Duck OMF Export Plug in and it did make handles on the clips. It was rare we used them. There is no problem doing it the way I suggest. Its simple and I do it for every production. (2or 3 times a week)

BTW - to Export a track by it self. Turn off the other tracks apart from the one with the synch pip. ie export two tracks at the same time. The common one to all exports is the synch pip tk.
 
yes, too bad about automatic duck, i have premiere cs3 so even if i could find that software i'm pretty sure it wouldn't work on cs3. I'll let my sound editor know and see what he wants, i only have 8 minutes of sync tracks out of 40 min. So even adding handles to every single clip wouldn't be a major issue for me.
 
Auto Duck plug in stopped working at CS3 version. It was fine in PremPro 2.

BTW - Handles are less likely to be needed for synch tracks if the video has already been cut to the dialogue. Its not as if you will see the characters deliver anymore of the line than you have already edited thenm saying.
 
hey Shooter, now would it be wise to provide a few extra frames of audio on both sides of the clip for each dialogue clip? My post house wants it delivered with 2 tracks for the dialogue, music, fx, etc...

since they will have to chop it anyway wouldn't it be better to give them something to fade in/out each clip with?
 
I do not give any handles for dialogue if I am confident I cut it correctly (which is always).

If the cut clip includes all the spoken dialogue (the entire spoken line ), as would be usual... . the sound editor can fade it if necessary.
 
okay, i guess that i should probably remove audio crossfades too. I just have audio pops and clicks when the shots change from person to person, so i added a crossfade to remove it...sounds like they can sort that stuff out no probs...but i'll check with them tomorrow.

thanks shooter
 
Correct. Definitely remove your audio fades before giving it to them.

They have better tools and more skill at dealing with such like than you (or I) if they are audio pros.

BTW : Make sure they get the audio with all your mixer levels set at 0 db and without gains on the clips. ie give them the audio raw.
 
talked with my audio guy today and just like you said, but i have a few spots in my film where the cuts are so tight on the dialogue that there is no room to work with, he just said if you can make it sound good with a small crossfade then okay....other than that my audio is raw and ready, aside from the music fades which they requested I leave in since they I can't provide the audio as OMF or AAF. it's gonna be sweet, i can't wait to hear the difference a proper mix makes!
 
Good luck Paunch. Hope it works out.

I am always amazed at how good my audio guy makes a mix sound and can "fix" stuff .
 
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