Does Avid even care about ChangeNotes anymore? Is the Changenote dead?

[Mr.Ed]

I just wanted to get your take on the current state of ChangeNotes generated from Media Composer. I have no idea when FilmScribe was last even updated. If you are working with a picture department cutting with "Nested" or "Collapsed" video tracks it is impossible for them to generate a good note without hours of assistant editorial time attempting to "collapse" the track manually and even then there are tons of bugs and it is very error prone.

It seems like a EDL is the only way to conform Ptools in those cases which from what I hear is common in Europe.

What is everyone else's take here? I know many editors who still wish to have change-notes and want nothing to do with EDL's.

It seems like we need a way to better way to address change lists options for conforming a protools session to the latest picture cut versions without having to finagle with all sorts of 3rd party tools and complications. Especially when we cannot even get a standard changenote made with many large scale VFX shows.

Any thoughts or input would be
Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[lexaudio]

Check out conformalizer.

There are many ways to get a conform done. One thing they recommend is CMX video EDLs.

It will compare your version cut to the new cut and create a list that will be spot on when conformed.

For consoles, like the DFC, you can generate your own Change Note EDL (which seems to be more accurate then the ones from the editors) for them.

Its by far the best tool in the tool box for Post.

Also, should you need to, or the editor has left and forgotten to email you the EDL, you can run and compare 2 picture versions side by side and create your own change note EDL, then run the conform in conformalizer.

Support from Justin, the creator, is fast so any questions and he's on the ball to answer them.

LEX

[Mr.Ed]

Thanks for the response. I do like Conformalizer, the issue is that there are many editors I work with who do not want to work in a "EDL" based conform workflow. They wish to work with Changenotes, since the notes are more easily decipherable to a human vs looking at a EDL as well as allowing them to conform by hand and be more in "control" of the conform process.

As much as I love Conformalizer, it is still difficult for many editors to switch to a EDL based workflow (in the cases where picture departments are unable to generate a decent changenote). Since Avid seems to not be updating or fixing issues with Filmscribe, I wonder if the writing is on the wall for changenotes?

[lexaudio]

Originally Posted by Mr.Ed

Thanks for the response. I do like Conformalizer, the issue is that there are many editors I work with who do not want to work in a "EDL" based conform workflow. They wish to work with Changenotes, since the notes are more easily decipherable to a human vs looking at a EDL as well as allowing them to conform by hand and be more in "control" of the conform process.

As much as I love Conformalizer, it is still difficult for many editors to switch to a EDL based workflow (in the cases where picture departments are unable to generate a decent changenote). Since Avid seems to not be updating or fixing issues with Filmscribe, I wonder if the writing is on the wall for changenotes?

Then get the CMX video EDLs from the picture editors, far more accurate, and spit out a change note for the editors who can only work one way. Insert eye roll here.

Change notes are often messed up, this is the best and fastest way to deal with it.

LEX

[Frank Kruse]

I never liked change notes. Gazillion head and tail trim instructions that effectively could have been healed in the first place for sound editing. Just so much work these things. Hated them and prone to human error punching in the numbers by hand.

They stopped sending them out when 3 and 2-perf got popular saying that change-notes only work with 4-perf.

Switched to EDLs and let Conformalizer make the change-EDLs and never looked back.

BTW: If you prefer the insert/delete style relative change-notes that the avid used to output you can export those from conformalizer as well even when your source is an EDL. These lists are great for re-cutting Harisson console automation where you hav to punch in inserts and deletes.

[whitecat]

You'd think that being all-Avid for a number of years now they could come up with an nice automated nearly-one-click solution for Media Composer<->Pro Tools interchange/conform... if anyone from Avid reads this, consider it a feature request!

[Mr.Ed]

Originally Posted by whitecat

You'd think that being all-Avid for a number of years now they could come up with an nice automated nearly-one-click solution for Media Composer<->Pro Tools interchange... if anyone from Avid reads this, consider it a feature request!

Absolutely! There has GOT to be a better way of making Media Compose and Protools work better together.

[Noiz2]

Well then get the EDL's from picture and use Conformalizer to generate the change note and hand that change note to your editors.

Half the time the change notes from picture are wrong anyway. I think it's a chore nobody likes and it gets pawned off on the least experienced one on the crew.

Originally Posted by Mr.Ed

Thanks for the response. I do like Conformalizer, the issue is that there are many editors I work with who do not want to work in a "EDL" based conform workflow. They wish to work with Changenotes, since the notes are more easily decipherable to a human vs looking at a EDL as well as allowing them to conform by hand and be more in "control" of the conform process.

As much as I love Conformalizer, it is still difficult for many editors to switch to a EDL based workflow (in the cases where picture departments are unable to generate a decent changenote). Since Avid seems to not be updating or fixing issues with Filmscribe, I wonder if the writing is on the wall for changenotes?

[Mr.Ed]

In many types of visual effects heavy projects, Conformalizer is unable to create Feet/Frame changenotes from a EDL. If there are duplicate shot names, Conformalizer throws a error. Justin stated that this feature will only work in certain conditions.

[Frank Kruse]

Originally Posted by Mr.Ed

In many types of visual effects heavy projects, Conformalizer is unable to create Feet/Frame changenotes from a EDL. If there are duplicate shot names, Conformalizer throws a error. Justin stated that this feature will only work in certain conditions.

Relative change notes just don't work with shots that have been swapped or moved. But this lies in the nature of relative change notes only based on inserts and delete commands.

On duplicate shot names. comformalizer mainly uses roll names unless you tell it to use shot names from the "from clip name" field. If there are duplicate rolls for different lab rolls there is a serious issue in your picture dept. roll numbers should be unique inkl. VFX Qts names. If you have duplicate roll names the pixture dept. has some house keeping to do because from such a edl or cut list one one will be able to assemble the online version. it's a nightmare not only dor sound but also for picture editorial. in such a case even an original change note from the avid won't help.

frank.