New L.A. Post movement??

[h1ntOn]

As I import consolidated tracks for a 6 reel feature into ProTools created in Nuendo because I've exhausted all methods for successfully exporting a usable OMF that translates properly, I have come to wonder how happy one would be in a more competetive market place. SloTools or whatever Nuendo users call it CAN be slow at certain tasks but having one system to rule them all makes workflow a lot easier. In a hypethetical future where nuendo, pro tools and even a 3rd app (STP?) had equal share of the market place could be a potential disaster if they chose not to play nicely together. I for one wouldn't want to live in a world where I had to manage editors and mixers on multiple DAW systems, let alone platforms. Maybe that is just a paranoid thread of thought. If we did have 3 equal options to choose from maybe they would be forced to integrate. I think most of us all agree that giving ProTools a run for its money is what the company needs however I imagine most of us also wouldn't want Nuendo or similar competitor to do such a good job that we would have to learn the darn thing to survive in the industry!

I did want to voice my interest in a face off between PT and nuendo. It could be like F1 or Nascar, the companies whip out their latest and greatest beta versions, overclock their processors and get some high profile Post sound teams together and see who can finish the same feature from start to finish first. Whoever wins gets Paid for their work ...ok so maybe not but hey it would make a great reality show

Brett

[Phil Jeffers]

I have to really disagree with this method...

Not only are you losing your original elements (which may be needed when the next change notes put a scene back in), but you are now creating another set of files to manage that are not referenced by any earlier sessions. You have now created more file bloat. Might as well print stems. Keep original sessions (select unused audio, clear selected, etc. before copying), and you can always go back to an earlier session. Consolidating with compacted audio will totally kill any option to open an earlier session to grab that carefully crafted scene which has suddenly reappeared in the cut.

I'm talking locked off pictures here, not while VFX are still coming in or whatever. It is an excellent way to reduce huge file loadings at the mix stage. Re-conforming during the mix; I'd be cutting printed stems for sure. Reducing the region list is a must for any editor, it should be part of their hourly routine. Towards the end of the dial / atmos / FX edit, they should also be consolidating sessions, so for one, it doesn't take 10 minutes to open at a expensive mix stage. There's no way earlier session would be deleted... so the sound editor can go back to whatever s/he wishes, if a scene re-appears or whatever.

The point I'm trying to make is, if the gentleman in question had been implementing these essential techniques, perhaps all wouldn't have gone to God.

[bigbadhenchman]

As I import consolidated tracks for a 6 reel feature into ProTools created in Nuendo because I've exhausted all methods for successfully exporting a usable OMF that translates properly, I have come to wonder how happy one would be in a more competetive market place.
Brett

Did you try EDL Convert as I suggested?
Probably not, because it makes transferring files to and from PT's and Nuendo a non-issue. I know, as I've done it.
SO, you didn't REALLY exhaust all methods.

[filmixer]

>I'm talking locked off pictures here,<

What's that?

[h1ntOn]

Yeah, actually I did try that program and it worked pretty good. As I said earlier I truely appreciat(ed) your post. However the project was coming from a very poorly managed nuendo session. The program is version 2.x not the latest and greatest. I downloaded the demo of ECP which only gives you 20 regions per OMF and after having to exporting 15+ omfs for each reel I had to go back and re export about half of them again as AES31 since it couldn't read the OMF correctly. The OMFs that did work had missing regions every once in a while and at the end of today I looked at the amount of time it would take to get this thing out and chose a different path. The previous Sound Editor had already exported consolidated tracks from Nuendo onto DVDs and since A. the guy lives in Armenia and B. The film was shot MOS and all of it over-dubbed negating my need for seperated regions I chose to go with the tracks. But your right, I didn't exhaust all methods. I could have hired you to do the conversion for me

FYI, that had nothing to do with my post. I actually was making the point that I am glad that I live in a world where I don't have to worry about these kind of conversions on a daily basis. If I did, I would probably learn some nuendo basics and buy ECP it seems really cool, you can basically transfer any type of EDL to any DAW system you can think of. However I'm sure it has its limitation like everything else. I wasn't really able to put it through its paces since it only allow 20 regions per omf.

ok, now I am exhausted,

Brett

[bigbadhenchman]

OMF is the worst export option. AES31 and OpenTL are much better.
Export using eihter of those, and then convert into PT's 5.

[cmaynes]

The whole idea, is whole idea is that when you're in the mix, and the client asks for a change, wether it's SFX, Music dialogue etc, the editor or composer, can go off, do the changes, update the session, and then the mixer simply goes back, and mixes those changes.
The mix doesn't stop to have the new stuff imported and placed on tracks etc.

You can't tell me that not having to do that isn't convenient.

So Mark- how does this go down? I mean if someone adds a bunch of tracks and files to the session- lets say for a VFX update- how does that get from the editorial system to the mix system? It seems you would need a massive datapipe to stream that without copying. Also- If you are not copying the files, what happens when the providing system goes offline? As well PT7 will allow you to do what you are talking about- you import tracks from a network location and it will copy the media in the background, allowing the session to work at the same time.

These are very pertinent and import questions- because stage editors are generally fairly busy- If they need to be somewhere else in the project how does their previouse updates continue to roll with the stage. If Nuendo can keep all those balls in the air, then I would say I am very impressed. If it cannot however, I must say the issue has not been addressed.

cheers!
charles maynes

[cmaynes]

This months issue of Mix Magazine has an interesting article on Warner's new stages. In the picture it looks as though there are pictures of satellite systems with Nuendo and Presonus Firebox's. I guess Warner is incorporating Nuendo.

We will be mixing Flags Of Our Fathers there in about a month, so I guess we will find out- the systems that are attached to the system there are in the machine room though, so it is unlikely they would run a fire wire cable 150 meters.

charles maynes

[Phil Jeffers]

>I'm talking locked off pictures here,<

What's that?

Yeah, really... probably, almost, a definite maybe... test screenings still in progress. We can't be push-overs though. Breeds contempt amongst Post Production Supervisors and the like.

[bigbadhenchman]

So Mark- how does this go down? I mean if someone adds a bunch of tracks and files to the session- lets say for a VFX update- how does that get from the editorial system to the mix system? It seems you would need a massive datapipe to stream that without copying. Also- If you are not copying the files, what happens when the providing system goes offline? As well PT7 will allow you to do what you are talking about- you import tracks from a network location and it will copy the media in the background, allowing the session to work at the same time.

These are very pertinent and import questions- because stage editors are generally fairly busy- If they need to be somewhere else in the project how does their previouse updates continue to roll with the stage. If Nuendo can keep all those balls in the air, then I would say I am very impressed. If it cannot however, I must say the issue has not been addressed.

cheers!
charles maynes

Well, I would say, talk to John Ross, or go to the Nuendo website and ask the folks there. As well as the nuendo-post forum.
I haven't had a chance to use this feature myself, but from what i understand, the updating happens in the background. Fairlights use to do the same thing with backups.