Avid Media Composer OMF export

[Paul Maunder]

This question relates more to media composer than Protools, but maybe someone can help. I need to export the audio from a video sequence which has been cut together in Avid Media Composer. I'd like to export with handles of 2 seconds on each clip so I can trim the regions if necessary in Protools. At the moment, I can't see any immediately obvious way of specifying this on export, so I end up with a lot of surplus audio in my sessions as it seems to be exporting the entire parent audio file, even if only a very short section of it was used in the sequence. Obviously, I can get rid of the excess using Compact Selected in Protools, but this just adds time to the process. Another problem with the way Avid is exporting the OMF at the moment is that it sometimes reaches the 2GB OMFI file size limit because it's trying to include all the excess audio which I don't need anyway! This makes it impossible to export certain projects, without first splitting the timeline in two (more hassle!). I'm using the 'Avid Links' export option in the file menu of Media Composer. If anyone knows if it's possible to specify the size of the handles for OMF export in Media Composer, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[Chief Technician]

You are hitting the 2GB limit because your audio and sequence data are being exported in a single file. If you do not export your audio as embedded, this limit will go away.

There is a way to specify handle length, but since I'm not an Avid editor, I do not know how to do it.

[Paul Maunder]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried this export method though, and the progress bar flies across the screen in a couple of seconds, and doesn't seem to export the audio at all. I have a feeling that when I choose not to export as embedded, it tries to reference the original audio (which is on another computer) rather than copying it. The ideal solution would be to export all the audio as separate (non embedded) files, with handles of just 2 seconds.

[Chief Technician]

Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried this export method though, and the progress bar flies across the screen in a couple of seconds, and doesn't seem to export the audio at all. I have a feeling that when I choose not to export as embedded, it tries to reference the original audio (which is on another computer) rather than copying it.

That is what is happening (reference instead of copying). There is a way to have it copy/consolidate media in this process, but I do not know how to do it. Perhaps you can find the answer on Avid's website?

[Richard Fairbanks]

Duplicate the Avid sequence so that you don't mess up the original. Working with the duplicate, you may want to delete the video tracks if you only want audio. Consolidate the sequence to your desktop or another drive, and specify 2 second handles. Export your omf for Pro Tools from this new, consolidated sequence. If you export as embedded then you've got the audio already. If you do not embed you need to drag the Media Files folder with all the new, consolidated audio files to your Pro Tools system, and place the entire folder onto the root level of your Pro Tools audio drive. Do not rename the folder, so that the referenced audio will be automatically found. You can either reference this audio when you open the omf session, or you can do as I do and make a copy of the audio (which is placed into the Audio Files folder within your session). I make a copy so that I can use the pencil tool on the omf'd audio files. This function is disallowed with referenced audio because it is treated as read-only by Pro Tools.

If you no longer need the consolidated version on your Avid, you can throw it away once you've opened it in Pro Tools and are certain you have what you need. Good luck.

[Paul Maunder]

Thanks for your help. That sounds like the solution I'll give it a try.