Avid EDL Manager 11.x User guide

make manage move | media

™

Avid

®

Avid

®

EDL Manager

User’s Guide

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Avid EDL Manager User’s Guide • Part 0130-05625-01 February 2003

5

Contents

Using This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Who Should Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

If You Need Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Related Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

If You Have Documentation Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

How to Order Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Avid Educational Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Chapter 1 Working with EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

EDLs and the EDL Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Online and Offline Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

What the EDL Manager Does . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Starting EDL Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Using Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Creating or Reading an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Creating an EDL from a Sequence in a Bin, Existing EDL,

or OMFI File (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Creating an EDL from a Sequence in a Bin, Existing EDL, or OMFI File

(Macintosh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Reading an Existing EDL from the RT-11 Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Saving an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Saving an EDL as a Text File or an OMFI Composition . . . . . . . . . 26

Saving an EDL to an RT-11 Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Verifying an RT-11 Save . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Formatting an RT-11 Disk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Printing an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Copying an EDL between Storage Locations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Using EDL Manager with Your Avid Editing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

6

Creating an EDL from the Active Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Creating a Sequence from an EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Viewing a List of Tapes in the Source Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

About the Source Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Printing a List of Tapes in the Source Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Chapter 2 Customizing EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

EDL Manager Option Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Changing Settings in the EDL Manager Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Changing the Title of an EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Defining Video Tracks and Audio Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Including or Excluding Specific Tracks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Redefining a Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Combining or Isolating Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Creating Stereo Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Choosing a Format for the Audio Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Displaying Different Views of an EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Selecting a Template for the EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

File Names in the Template Pop-up Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Opening a Template. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Adjusting the Source and Output Timecodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Finding the Field Where an Edit Occurred . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Updating an EDL with EDL Manager Window Changes. . . . . . . . . . 46

Changing Settings in the Options Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Selecting an Edit Controller Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Sorting the Order of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Setting Up a Master List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Setting Up a Dupe List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Using the Preread Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Showing or Hiding Comments and Other Information . . . . . . . . . . . 56

The Effects Info Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

The Repair Notes Comment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Optimizing the EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Setting Up Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

7

Setting the Record Start Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Setting the Pulldown Start Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Setting the Tapename Truncation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Saving Options to a Template File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Changing Options in the Site Settings Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Changing Serial Transmission Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Changing Font Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Chapter 3 Editing and Troubleshooting EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Using a Text Editor to Edit an EDL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Fitting the Format to the EDL Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Changing the Header Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Removing Problems Caused by Complex Sequences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Using the Console Window to Display Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Fixing Difficult Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Locating Trouble Spots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Slicing and Dicing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Trying One Track at a Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Avoiding Problems in EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Simplifying Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Looking for Missing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Dealing with Corruptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Appendix A Check List for Online Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Calling Ahead to the Online Suite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Deciding What to Take to the Online Suite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Take EDL Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Take the EDL in Several Forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Take Reference Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Double-Checking the EDL File Names. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Appendix B Creating EDLs for Film Projects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Matchback Conversion in Film-to-Video EDLs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Creating EDLs for a Matchbacked Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Creating Audio-Only EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

8

Appendix C Using Serial Transmission to Transfer EDLs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Connecting the Edit Controller to the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Setting Serial Transmission Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Transmitting the EDL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

9

Tables

Table 1 Source and Output Timecodes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Table 2 Timecode Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Table 3 Formats and Audio Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Table 4 EDL Sort Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Table 5 Master List Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Table 6 Dupe List Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Table 7 Show Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Table 8 Optimization Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Table 9 Standards Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Table 10 Tapename Truncation Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Table 11 Serial Transfer Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

10

Figures

Figure 1 EDL Manager Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Figure 2 Options Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Using This Guide

EDL Manager is an application that allows you to create, modify, and

manage edit decision lists (EDLs). The EDL Manager application can

generate EDLs from sequences created with all Avid

®

editing systems.

Because EDL Manager can generate lists from any Open Media

Framework

®

composition, it is also compatible with a broad range of other

applications. You can start EDL Manager from within your Avid video-

based editing system, use it in conjunction with other Avid video-based

editing systems, or use it as a standalone application.

The EDL Manager application runs on the Windows

®

2000, Windows

®

XP

Windows 98, and Mac OS

®

X operating systems.

n

The documentation describes the features and hardware of all models.

Therefore, your system might not contain certain features and hardware

that are covered in the documentation.

Who Should Use This Guide

This guide is intended for EDL Manager users from beginning to advanced

levels. Typically, these users are video editors who need to move a video

project between one editing environment and another, or otherwise use an

EDL to control aspects of the editing process.

About This Guide

This guide is designed to keep pace with current advances in the Avid

system’s effects capabilities by consolidating in one comprehensive

resource all the information you will need to take advantage of the many

Using This Guide

12

options available to you. This guide will lead you through even the most

complex procedures with task-oriented instructions, illustrated in full color

for a more realistic presentation of the actual icons and images you will

encounter. The information provided here builds on editing procedures

described in the tutorial and the user’s guide, while adding a complete

explanation of all the tools and techniques required to create, apply, and

adjust various effects and graphics, including useful tips, shortcuts, and

custom options.

This guide has the following structure:

• Chapter 1, “Working with EDLs,” describes EDLs and how to create,

read, and save them.

• Chapter 2, “Customizing EDLs,” explains how to customize an EDL,

and how to use templates to manage customized settings.

• Chapter 3, “Editing and Troubleshooting EDLs,” explains how to use a

text editor to edit EDLs, and helps you to troubleshoot problems with

EDLs.

• Appendix A, “Check List for Online Editing,” provides suggestions for

successfully transferring a project to an online editing environment.

• Appendix B, “Creating EDLs for Film Projects,” explains some special

considerations that affect the use of EDLs for film projects.

• Appendix C, “Using Serial Transmission to Transfer EDLs,” explains

procedures for using serial transmission to transfer EDLs.

•The Glossary provides a list of industry terms and definitions. Terms

defined in the glossary appear in italics within the text.

• Finally, a detailed Index helps you quickly locate specific topics.

Symbols and Conventions

Unless noted otherwise, the material in this document applies to the

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 98, and Mac OS X operating systems.

When text applies to a specific operating system, it is marked as follows:

• (Windows) or (Windows only) means the information applies to the

Windowsoperating system.

Symbols and Conventions

13

• (Macintosh) or (Macintosh only) means the information applies to the

Mac OS X operating system.

The majority of screen shots in this document were captured on a

Windows 2000 system, but the information applies to Windows

and Mac OS X systems. Where differences exist, both

Windows and Mac OS X screen shots are shown.

Avid documentation uses the following symbols and conventions:

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

n

A note provides important related information,

reminders, recommendations, and strong

suggestions.

c

A caution means that a specific action you take could

cause harm to your computer or cause you to lose

data.

w

A warning describes an action that could cause you

physical harm. Follow the guidelines in this

document or on the unit itself when handling

electrical equipment.

> This symbol indicates menu commands (and

subcommands) in the order you select them. For

example, File > Import means to open the File menu

and then select the Import command.

t

This symbol indicates a single-step procedure.

Multiple arrows in a list indicate that you perform

one of the actions listed.

k This symbol represents the Apple or Command key.

Press and hold the Command key and another key to

perform a keyboard shortcut.

Margin tips In the margin, you will find tips that help you

perform tasks more easily and efficiently.

Using This Guide

14

If You Need Help

If you are having trouble using EDL Manager, you should:

1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task

in this guide. It is especially important to check each step of your

workflow.

2. Check the release notes supplied with your Avid application for the

latest information that might have become available after the hardcopy

documentation was printed.

3. Check the documentation that came with your Avid application or your

hardware for maintenance or hardware-related issues.

Italic font Italic font is used to emphasize certain words and to

indicate variables.

Courier Bold font

Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.

Click Quickly press and release the left mouse button

(Windows) or the mouse button (Macintosh).

Double-click Click the left mouse button (Windows) or the mouse

button (Macintosh) twice rapidly.

Right-click Quickly press and release the right mouse button

(Windows only).

Drag Press and hold the left mouse button (Windows) or

the mouse button (Macintosh) while you move the

mouse.

Ctrl+key

k+key

Press and hold the first key while you press the

second key.

Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action

Related Information

15

4. Visit the online Knowledge Center at www.avid.com/support. Online

services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Search this

online Knowledge Center to find answers, to view error messages, to

access troubleshooting tips, to download updates, and to read/join

online message-board discussions.

5. For Technical Support, please call 800-800-AVID (800-800-2843).

For Broadcast On-Air Sites and Call Letter Stations, call

800-NEWSDNG (800-639-7364).

Related Information

The following documents provide more information about EDL Manager:

• Avid EDL Manager Quick Reference

• Avid EDL Manager Release Notes

• Avid AudioVision User’s Guide

If You Have Documentation Comments

Avid Technology continuously seeks to improve its documentation. We

value your comments about this guide, the Help, the Online Publications

CD-ROM, and other Avid-supplied documentation.

Simply e-mail your documentation comments to Avid Technology at

T[email protected]

Please include the title of the document, its part number, and the specific

section you are commenting on in all correspondence.

Using This Guide

16

How to Order Documentation

To order additional copies of this documentation from within the

United States, call Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843). If you are

placing an order from outside the United States, contact your local

Avid representative.

Avid Educational Services

For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications,

courseware, and books, please visit www.avid.com/training or call

Avid Sales at 800-949-AVID (800-949-2843).

Chapter 1

Working with EDLs

This chapter introduces edit decision lists (EDLs) and provides instructions

for basic EDL Manager procedures. It includes the following sections:

• EDLs and the EDL Manager

• Starting EDL Manager

• Using Help

• Creating or Reading an EDL

• Saving an EDL

• Formatting an RT-11 Disk

• Printing an EDL

• Copying an EDL between Storage Locations

• Using EDL Manager with Your Avid Editing System

• Viewing a List of Tapes in the Source Table

EDLs and the EDL Manager

An edit decision list (EDL) is a list of instructions for all the edits you

make for creating a program on videotape. This list might include cuts,

wipes, dissolves, fades, and black edits. The EDL Manager application

organizes the instructions as a series of chronological edits called events.

Each event specifies a timecode for the source and master tapes.

Chapter 1 Working with EDLs

18

Online and Offline Editing

In most cases, you generate an EDL to take a project from the offline

editing environment, where rough editing and experimentation are less

expensive, into the online editing environment, where an editor using an

edit controller can produce a finished master in less time. The EDL

Manager saves EDLs in a format an editing system can use, such as GVC

or CMX. You might also need to import an EDL from the online

environment back into the offline suite to make further changes before

completing the master tape.

Traditionally, the offline environment consisted of a simplified videotape

suite with less expensive machines and fewer effects capabilities. More

recently, offline environments are likely to include nonlinear editing

systems such as Avid’s Media Composer

®

. The online environment might

also include a high-end nonlinear editing system such as Avid’s

Symphony™, or an online model of Media Composer.

In all cases, the EDL, in the form of a file generated in a readable format, is

the link back and forth between the two environments.

What the EDL Manager Does

You can use EDL Manager to generate an EDL from a sequence in a bin or

from an OMFI file. OMFI is a file format for importing and exporting

media; it allows you to share information with other platforms. You can

also read a previously saved EDL into EDL Manager. After creating an

EDL, you can save it as a text file that can be read by different edit

controllers, such as Sony

®

, GVG, or CMX, or you can save the EDL as an

OMFI composition.

You can use EDL Manager to create an EDL that displays additional types

of information, such as comments or patches. You can specify the different

audio and video tracks in the sequence. You can also specify the assembly

modes that the online edit controller uses when creating your program.

Because EDL Manager is a standalone application, your other Avid

applications do not have to be running when you create EDLs from

sequences. When you run EDL Manager with your Avid editing system,

Starting EDL Manager

19

you can bring the sequence that is currently in the editing system into the

EDL Manager window. After working with the EDL in EDL Manager, you

can create a sequence in the Avid editing system from the EDL.

Starting EDL Manager

You can start EDL Manager as a standalone application, or you can start it

from within your Avid editing system application.

(Windows) To start EDL Manager as a standalone application:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Point to Programs.

3. Point to Avid.

4. Point to EDL Manager.

EDL Manager opens.

(Macintosh) To start EDL Manager as a standalone application:

t Double-click the EDL Manager icon.

EDL Manager opens.

To start EDL Manager from within your Avid editing system

application:

t Select Output > EDL.

EDL Manager opens as the active window, showing the Editing System

icon connected to the Update button by a Right Arrow button.

Chapter 1 Working with EDLs

20

Using Help

The Help provides all the information contained in the Avid EDL Manager

User’s Guide, and operates in a web browser. To open the Help, select

Help > EDL Manager Help in the Avid EDL Manager application. For

information about using the Help, click the Using Help button in the Help

system.

Creating or Reading an EDL

The EDL Manager window displays the EDL you create or the existing

EDL you open or read. You can view an EDL by doing any of the

following:

• Creating an EDL from a Sequence in a Bin, Existing EDL, or OMFI

File (Windows)

• Creating an EDL from a Sequence in a Bin, Existing EDL, or OMFI

File (Macintosh).

• Creating an EDL from the Active Sequence.

• Reading an Existing EDL from the RT-11 Disk.

Creating an EDL from a Sequence in a Bin, Existing EDL,

or OMFI File (Windows)

To create an EDL from a sequence in a bin, from an existing EDL, or

from an OMFI file:

1. Select File > Open.

The Select File to Open dialog box opens.

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Avid EDL Manager 11.x User guide

Avid EDL Manager 11.x User guide

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