PT 7.4 to FCP final output HOT HOT HOT! anyone!

[dkstudios]

When I deliver my prisitne (thats what i think anyway) audio finals to the FCP video nutballs, their audio is coming out hotter, and sounds like a monkey screaming into a piece of PVC pipe......(my way of saying contains distortion) I have looked into their system, and even if I am at -12 in protools, when they import it, it seems to almost normalize itself......does FCP need to be calibrated to me! or me to FCP...any suggestions from a professional would be beneficial.....I deliver 16 48 multiple mono files........for DVD......

[JKD99]

I'm pretty sure FCP defaults to a calibration level setting of -14, instead of -20 like your files probably are. Check with the pix dept, that could be the problem.

good luck

[dkstudios]

Thanks, I will check with the PIXIES!

[dkstudios]

SO how would I fix this!

[KK Proffitt]

SO how would I fix this!

Here's how *they* can fix this.

In FCP, select the audio clips to be modified.
Choose Modify>Levels.
They can use the slider to adjust relative or absolute levels.

If it's still distorted once they've brought down the levels, something else is the problem.

[JKD99]

I'm hoping someone will chime in who REALLY knows FCP, but I don't think it's something that you would fix, it would have to be on the FCP end. There must be a Preference setting somewhere that will switch it from -14 to -18, -20, whatever. Ultimately the audio reference level is -20, so FCP would need to conform to that standard......

Anyone?

[JKD99]

This is of course assuming that you did the mix in a properly calibrated room.......you did, right?

[dkstudios]

so basically your saying have them turn down the volume on the track......I guess I am really wondering how to make our levels match........so when I give them an audio file, they do what they do......send me a final DVD down the road, I put it in my system, and the audio sounds at least close to what it did when I sent it to them....my work translates great in broadcast, but always get messed up on DVD.....the only times it has not, is when I bounced the final QT movie once for a low budget project.....How do you guys do it.......Are most large facilities calibrated equally? to where hypothetically -6 translates to -6, or am I missing something..and am I expecting too much from lower budget Video folks....(when I say low budget, I mean generally smaller production companies) so as not to offend anyone....

any feedback would be greatly appreciated, as I have many projects on my plate right now.....

[dkstudios]

yessir properly calibrated on my end!

[audiogeek1]

Why deliver files for them to mess with. Are they using DVD studio pro? if they are you should figure out a start point for you audio with the DVD authorer and creat your own .ac3 file. This way the only thing they can mess up is if they decide not to start on the same Time code point. Works for us. Rarely do our DVD people make an AC3 file we do that. I also never let the video guys lay back my audio either. To many experiences of messed up audio where video guy slips one side of the audio and not the other, etc...

Mike

As for FCP I do not know what the cure would be except for some sort of internal calibration as joe said.