Media Composer & Back Again...

[gandharpancham]

Hi all,

Can anybody recommend a workflow for the following scenario:

A documentary film cut in Avid MC has been edited & mixed by me in PTHD V8. The director has screened the film and decided to make changes to the 'final' cut.
Is there anyway way for me to implement the changes he makes without destroying the months of work I've already done?

Any help at all would be fantastic as I'm at a bit of a brick wall with this!

EDIT:

I've just seen the 'it's not locked until it's released' thread! It's not looking good...

[espron]

Do a reconform. Get a video-EDL of the "final" cut that you worked on, and an EDL of the new cut. Use Titan or Virtual Katy to compare the two EDL's and reconform your PT session. After conforming to the new picture, fix the damage and insert new material (from a new OMF/AAF representing the new cut). As long as you get good EDL's, it will work out OK.

Both VK and Titan offers fully functional demos, so if this is a one-off for you, you don't need to buy the software. I think that VK offers renting their software, too.

Espen

[Vedat]

I can recommend Conformalizer from Maggot Software:
http://www.maggot.co.nz/software/conformalizer.shtml

It's pretty easy to use, and saves you having to conform manually.

[garnoil]

I depends on how many and what type of changes they are doing. If the changes are not major, you may be better of using "grouping" in PT and making a manual re-conform. If the changes are major, you will have a lot of work even if you do auto re-conform. I would give the director a "re-conform quote", because re-conforming is tedious, takes a long time, and you have to check everything agai0, and again.

[HD2]

Another possibility is to load all the stems into the Avid MC session and as the editor makes his cuts the stems will match the new edit. If it's not too botched up you may get away with doing some fixes on the transitions.
Only trouble with this method is your limited to working with the stems when the edit is done unless you conform the old session, but as I said if it is a minor edit you may get away with it.

[MIKEROPHONICS]

I would definitely give the director stems and get an edl from him when he has finished

Not a train smash - quite a regular thing these days.

If your stems are well mixed and not dirty you will be surprised how well it will work. This is how features were recut until they woke up to virtual mixing.

Cheers
Cheers