My Audio Editor is using Reaper and I am using Adobe Premiere Pro

[James Riggs]

Hello,

My audio editor uses Reaper, and I use Adobe Pro. He is asking for the tracks individually as MP4 files.

Do I render down each audio track and send them to him as Dialog, SFX, etc...?

I am pretty new at this, and I don't want to keep asking him to clarify.

Does anybody have any ideas on this?

Thanks

 

[NorBro]

FWIW, it's okay to ask; communication is always best, all great editors (or people good at their jobs, in general) communicate thoroughly about each and every process.

But, yes, every recording of everything is always ideal for the final product/mix. Could be a few files or hundreds (bigger productions).

You can tell him what you're sending, everything, and ask to confirm. (He probably should want something better than MP4s but maybe they are good enough for the project.)

[Make sure it's all labeled and organized perfectly.]

 

[Movies by Matt]

Hmmmm….I’m definitely not an audio post pro but the notion that they aren’t using WAV files would perplex me and I would really need to clearly understand why before I spent a moment converting files to a lower quality format.

 

[Alex H.]

My audio editor uses Reaper, and I use Adobe Pro. He is asking for the tracks individually as MP4 files.

From a sound editor’s perspective, this is a very strange workflow. On one hand, always ask the sound editor which files are needed. On the other hand, individually rendered MP4 files are… unorthodox. You’re sending rendered tracks (of compressed audio, at that) that eliminate the ability to adjust edits and fades. That restricts just how much actual sound editing can be done. Even worse, if you’ve done any level mixing in Premiere Pro (which you probably have), all those level changes are baked in and the sound editor is at the mercy of the scratch mix.

Typically, the video editor exports an embedded AAF file, which contains all the media used in the timeline (ideally with a few seconds of handles), and a video file with time code window for reference.

Reaper is a challenge because it cannot natively import AAF files, but there are some third-party apps that can do the job.

Reaper AAF is a Python script (requires installing Python3).
There’s also Vordio 6, which will convert an AAF to a Reaper project (RPP). This is probably the best option, because it will convert between Reaper and quite a few other formats. This is a tool for the sound editor to have in his arsenal.

But, this is a conversation to have with your sound editor. The ability to open the timeline with all the individual clips in place as they were in the NLE timeline is crucial for thorough audio post.

 

[Rick R]

I do not know the export options for the Adobe Premiere. I have received OMF and AAF form various NLEs, AAF has been problematic in PTs, Reaper and Vegas. . with and without conversion in AATranslator. The most fool-proof method is to just render the individual tracks in a PCM format and include a video for picture reference and to verify audio sync. Lossy audio file types like MP3 and AAC should be avoided. If the post audio person requested MP4 (AAC), audio files, I would be skeptical of their knowledge and competence .

 

[Jim Feeley]

Maybe something was lost in translation? As in your mixer wants the video edit as an MP4 file, with individual audio tracks as WAV or whatever?

 

[Alex H.]

I do not know the export options for the Adobe Premiere. I have received OMF and AAF form various NLEs, AAF has been problematic in PTs, Reaper and Vegas. . with and without conversion in AATranslator.

I typically receive (and always request) embedded AAF files. The only times I have issues with Premiere Pro AAFs in Pro Tools is when the editor messes up the settings… or does something like render a video effect with the audio linked, thus rendering the audio and eliminating the possibility of handles.

AAF export from DaVinci Resolve can be buggy, but I blame that on Resolve.

And I move projects from FCP X to Pro Tools all the time with FCP > XML, XML > X2Pro > AAF, and have zero issues.

But Reaper is an issue as it cannot handle AAF import at all, and needs a third-party conversion first.

The most fool-proof method is to just render the individual tracks in a PCM format and include a video for picture reference and to verify audio sync.

I wouldn’t call that fool-proof. Render an entire DX track and you bake in any modifications made in the NLE, and eliminate the ability to adjust handles and fades. AAF export is the common industry standard.

If the post audio person requested MP4 (AAC), audio files, I would be skeptical of their knowledge and competence .

100%.