Hello,

 

I'm researching into if it's possible to use Resolve to color grade a sequence of transcoded media that can then be relinked later. Is there a workflow for this? Is it even possible? 

 

Thanks,

Ashley

Hi Ashley,

Yes that is possible. I just did it this week.

My workflow, which I'll attach as a pdf, goes to a great extent to make linked still images work in Resolve as well as regular video footage. This document is a work in progress and includes a lot of the settings I use for reference.

The basic overview is:

• Create your sequence
• Make sure every used clip has a name in the "Tape" column in the bins. (For still images, each name should be unique i.e. use the still image name). Create a "Tape" column if it doesn't exist.
  
• Transcode
• Export an AAF from Avid
• Open Resolve and change some settings
• Import the AAF
• Color correct in Resolve
• Export from Resolve
• Link to Resolve's output footage in Media Composer
• Relink Avid sequence to Resolve's footage

Hopefully the file with all the details attached properly...
[Edit: I don't see the attachment, so you can download it from here: https://neon.ericjulie.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/YPWwafBkrmoM7nL instead (assuming links work)]

Eric

Hi Eric,

 

That's really useful thank you for that. Would I come across any issues relinking to the master footage after the project is complete and I go to the conform process?

 

The thing that I would be concerned about is creating new media in davinci and being unable to relink it to the full res footage later.

 

Thanks,

Ashley 

ericswanson:

Hi Ashley,

Yes that is possible. I just did it this week.

My workflow, which I'll attach as a pdf, goes to a great extent to make linked still images work in Resolve as well as regular video footage. This document is a work in progress and includes a lot of the settings I use for reference.

The basic overview is:

• Create your sequence
• Make sure every used clip has a name in the "Tape" column in the bins. (For still images, each name should be unique i.e. use the still image name). Create a "Tape" column if it doesn't exist.
  
• Transcode
• Export an AAF from Avid
• Open Resolve and change some settings
• Import the AAF
• Color correct in Resolve
• Export from Resolve
• Link to Resolve's output footage in Media Composer
• Relink Avid sequence to Resolve's footage

Hopefully the file with all the details attached properly...
[Edit: I don't see the attachment, so you can download it from here: https://neon.ericjulie.com/nextcloud/index.php/s/YPWwafBkrmoM7nL instead (assuming links work)]

Eric

 

Generally I don't like to conform to another NLE for finishing. It takes ages, it's complicated, and most of my FX won't transfer over. I like to keep my colour work within baselight for avid. 

Thank you for that document though, very helpful. 

Your document didn't attach to your post, so I downloaded it from your link and uploaded it to my post. 

Ashley Cruise:

Hello,

 

I'm researching into if it's possible to use Resolve to color grade a sequence of transcoded media that can then be relinked later. Is there a workflow for this? Is it even possible? 

 

Thanks,

Ashley

 

It is possible but with caveats. There are things that will not transfer over such FX (Sapphire, BCC, Source Side) and titles. If you keep the round trip as simple as possible in both directions (straight cuts, dissolve, single video track) the better.

The method is AAF out of Avid, AAF out of Resolve.

 

Yes, it's absolutely possible, although, my recommendation is to color from camera originals as opposed to AVID transcodes, which can be relinked in Resolve to your AVID AAF.

If you insist on using transcoded media, the round-trip is quite easy. As mentioned before, avoid the inclusion of 'wildcards' like matte keys, etc. and export your timeline with transcoded media using a linked AAF. Resolve can Automatically search out those AVID.mxf mediafiles in your MXF folder. After color, render out using the AVID AAF preset which will make new .mxfs AND a new AAF. Put THOSE .mxfs into your Avid MediaFiles folder (ideally using a different numbered folder to keep them separated) launch AVID and it will index these new .mxfs upon start. In Avid, import the AAF that resolve generated and it should all link easy-peasy. This method would be using the AAF timeline FROM Resolve.

Now, if you'd prefer to instead relink your original Avid timeline, it's a tad more complicated using transcodes, but the benefit is that you can be assured that all of your effects will remain (You COULD do as the other poster suggested and take the time to make "tape" assignments, but that's not completely necessary, because the Avid can match relinks based on "Name," HOWEVER, your transcodes will have ".new" and the Resolve renders will have "_V..." in the names (ideally as suffixes which is a setting in Resolve) and you can't filter out BOTH suffixes to successfully link. To match in this way, you'd have to either eliminate all the ".new" suffixes of your transcodes, or the "_v..." suffixes from the Resolve renders... which isn't really too bad, OR create a different criteria to match to like what the other poster suggested (TAPE, or whatever).

Truly the best way to work is to edit with your transcodes/proxies (or even source-linked footage) utilizing full raster, link to camera originals in Resolve, render with "suffixes" either as QTs or .mxfs, and relink to your original sequence so you dont' have to worry about any effects or anything. Using original raster even with transcodes is super nice, but Avid actually does a TERRIFIC job "scaling" the effects/frameflex if you edited with lower-raster transcodes, but relink to higher-raster high-res files.

 

Yes, in my limited experience the Resolve footage will relink to your transcoded footage as long as you have an identifier that Avid understands, ie my use of the "Tape" column. If all your footage is real video footage and has some unique identifier already assigned, then you may not need to do the "Tape" thing that I suggest.

 

My document makes use of the "Tape" name to relink because if you are using still images (which I was for the project I developed those instructions for) then there is no way to relink from Resolve becuse there is by default no unique identifier (that I know of) that tells Avid which clip the resolve clips refer to; also I could not get Resolve to load my original jpegs that I used so I found it best to transcode those.

 

If in doubt, copy your project or timeline and do an experiment to see if it works for you.

I would highly recommend the user download the free version of Resolve.  And then read the excellent section of it's massive user guide on their recommended workflow for this procedure.  And finally, using the free software, experiement with it.  This is the best and least expensive way to see whether the round trip workflow works in your own special case.  And these days, everyones workflow is "special".

Jef

Please note that in Avid the Tape column is reserved for content captured from tape. 

Entering a Tape name will erase any date related to source file and source path. 2 key fields for relinking.

Using Tape.ID or reel is fine. 

 

The point to emphasize here is that Avid will need two qualifiers to link to: the first is timecode, and the second can be almost anything-- "Name" being of frequent use in a purely file-based workflow. Resolve does get squirrelly with things like stills, especially with strange raster sizes, so a great way to insure you don't have issues is to make qt animations of your stills instead (like in After Effects), and use those instead of stills in your Avid timeline. This extra step while a bit of a pain will insure you have a much easier time with the round trip. 
Also, I'd like to caution using the pdf in this thread as gospel in regards to Resolve settings. Color-management settings are best left to your colorist. I'm a young user of Resolve myself, and though I do know there are many ways to skin a cat, one red flag to me is the suggestion to render using "full" levels and the color-managed settings. Every job is of course different and delivery specs are king, so again, defer to your colorist on how these things should best be configured. 

In any event, the effort to produce and willingly share share such a document is a generous contribution, whether used in part or not!

Best,

j

Just to add a further tidbit of information to the discussion...

Adding a Reel Name to clips in Resolve prior to exporting them (eg. for use in Avid as MXF OP Atom files), will result in the Avid Master clips having a corresponding Tape name.

To set this up in Resolve...

1) Go to Settings/General Options

2) Under Conform Options, select Assist Using Reel Names From...

3) Select from the options listed. I generally would use Embedded in Source Clip FIle

You'll notice that if you look at a list view of your clips, the Reel Name column will now be populated with information - normally derived from the camera file metadata.

To simplify naming issues I recommends starting projects in Resolve free. (unless you already  have the studio version, recommended  that would allow you to use a colour space transform FX.  This effect lets you render proxy media converted  from Log or raw to Rec 709, Rec 2020 etc for correct display in your MC project.   

Resolve does not bake any processing into media.  Resolve projects  always source the untouched source media. 

Make a string out of your source footage into a Resolve timeline.  This is as simple as selecting all the clips you want allows you to use the "Create a new timeline from selected clips option."

Then in the colour page add a node and drop your  desired Colour Space Transform FX to it.   This allows Resolve to export(deliver) your Proxy format  accurately at the correct display format for MC.

Then go to the deliver page and choose the Avid preset.  Select the quality for your proxy media. In the deliver  settings choose individual clips. Set your destination folder.  I use a number only named folder in my Avid MediaFiles folder.   

Render the timeline to the desired proxy format.

Open a (new) MC Project.   MC will automatically index your number named  folder (If it is correctly named in the Avid MediaFiles folder structure) with the Resolve created proxy clips.

When indexed, open a media bin you will use for media  and drag the AAF file Resolve created from your number named bin into your MC media bin.  The bin will populate with proxy media clips and the AAF.  The AAF can be opened as a MC timeline giving you a media timeline string out, for convenience, or all clips can be used as normal from the bin.

Edit your program. When ready export your proxy timeline as  a video only QuickTime and a .wav audio file for Resolve references.

Then duplicate the timeline and convert  this duplicate timeline to video only. Duplicate again and remove all effects from this timeline. Export this as  a Linked AAF.

Open the original Resolve project. 

Change the Resolve project settings to the desired video resolution.  Import the linked MC proxy AAF.   Resolve will relink to the original camera footage and show it on a time line at your new project settings resolution.

When ready Deliver an AAF of this video only full resolution timeline (as detailed above above)

Open AAF in MC. Drag the AAF into the source monitor. Edit onto the highest level video track on a duplicate of your finished proxy edit.  Copy the video FX effects from original edit on to full res video clips (via a saved FX bin?) 

I have used this core process and adapted it here over the last decade. It is fast, reliable  and most efficient as it and takes advantage of both programs media management .   (MC always sees the Avid format media from resolve which is accurately database indexed. Resolve's database knows the name it gave the original footage for MC footage proxies an MC keeps it's AAF' consistent.