Export All Audio Takes from FCP

[Brad S.]

Hi everyone,

Since it seems like most audio editors here also have a good knowledge of NLEs, I thought that I would ask my question here. Often when I'm first starting off a project I have a list of requirements from the picture editor. One thing that I usually ask for is all the audio takes for the film or reel in addition to the OMF, but I'm not sure how this is best done. I thought that the easiest way was for the picture editor to have a dummy timeline with all of the video clips on it and then export an OMF for me, but that makes my job harder because the resulting audio files are named after the OMF rather than the scene and take. I guess my question is how do I explain the process to the picture editor so that it makes sense to them and that I get the files the way that I need?

I don't cut picture and have limited experience with FCP, but I would think that all of the audio files would be in a bin and that the easiest way would be for the editor to export that bin.

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[Noiz2]

Brad,
If the film was shot double system then you should just get the original files that were delivered to the pix folks. If it was direct to the camcorder then your just getting audio for alts? Generally these days there is not a big reason to get the full takes unles your cutting alts since the NLE's are working with a digital workflow and the bad old days of trashy NLE audio are pretty much gone. I usually ask for long handles (4 sec) and then ask for takes only on scenes where I need to cut alt's. If it was double system then I'll get all the audio files anyway. You might try doing an AAF export instead of OMF. FCP 6 can do AAF and PT can open AAF. It's better than OMF and the clip names stay intact, that would give you the names your looking for.

If the film was shot single system then no the audio does not live separately from the picture on the NLE. Even if the film is double system if the sync was done in telecine and not in the NLE the audio will not be separate from picture but in a muxed file. So exporting all that sound is a big hassle for the pix dept.

 

[Brad S.]

Thanks for the response. I didn't know that FCP 6 can now export AAF. That is really good news! I think that might be a way for me to get all of the alts and make it easier for the editor as well; they just put all video clips in the timeline and export the AAF to me. As you said, though, I should just get the files if it is shot double system.

Thanks again.

Thanks for your help.