Hi,
I recently moved from Final Cut and I'm editing a long-lengh documentary on MC6.0.1.1. All my footages are shot with DVCPROHD and I have 12TB of media files (200 hours of footages). So I decide to use AMA instead of importing, because I don't have that much time to edit and transcoding all this files would take ages.
I'm using external harddrive. This morning, I opened my projects, but I forgot to connect the harddrives before. So, naturally, all the media files are offline. So I quit. I connect the harddrives and start MC again. Then, when I open a sequence, I can see the thumbnail of every shots, I can scrub through the timeline and see the correct image in the viewer, but every clips is written as offline. And I cannot play.
I'm wondering if there is a convenient way to get back the link with the media files.
For now, I used the Avid Attic, to open the previous bins (the one before I open MC without connecting the harddrives). It's working, but I had 7 bins open so it is not that convenient.
Is there a better solution?
Thank you very much.
Matthieu Laclau.
I know this probably isn't helpful at this point, but the move from FCP to Avid is pretty pronounced in terms of the workflow you're using - dropping DVCPRO HD quicktimes into FCP is a breeze, but Avid manages its media in a much more structured way. I say this to everybody who works at our facility (and whether or not you take my advice is of course up to you!) - AMA is a tool for viewing rushes when you need to quickly look over dailies or skim through a shoot to find some material etc. At a push, you can use it to edit a short form project (though again I would never recommend this).
AMA is a highly system-intensive process and will slow down your avid immediately, and by degrees the longer you use it. If you're editing a long documentary I assume your finished cut is going to be somewhere around 90 minutes. Your avid will be groaning under the processing power required to AMA this sequence, never mind if you're wanting to use RT effects on top of it.
12TB is a large amount of media but you should seriously consider transcoding to DNX if you're going to complete the edit on Avid MC. The amount of time you'll save on editing alone will be worth it - remember that you can set a ton of transcoding to go overnight (assuming you have the storage). Your edit will be a thousand times faster for it.
Anyway, back to the original question - there are two ways to relink your sequence to the AMA rushes. The way I do it is to AMA the material again in a new bin - highlight all of the clips in the bin (or multiple bins if you like). Then go back to the bin containing your sequence, right-click the sequence icon and select relink. Then tick the second option down on the left - relink to selected media files in bins. I also tick the option "allow relinking to AMA clips by file names". Untick EVERYTHING else (except create new sequence if you wish, as sometimes the relink will cause issues/relink to incorrect rushes if you have many similar filenames/timecodes e.g. XDCAM rushes).
The second method involves relinking the clips themselves rather than the sequence. Again, AMA your files into Avid again from the original media. Then go to your sequence bin, and from the burger menu select "set bin display", then from the new menu select "view reference clips". This will show all the clips your sequence is referencing in your bin. Next, highlight all of the clips (but not the sequence), and right-click, then click relink. Select relink to media files on drive, then select all available drives. With any luck your offline reference clips will relink to the original AMA clips. Hope one of these methods works for you, but next time DEFINITELY consider transcoding as, although there is an initial time cost involved, it will save you heaps of time in the long run and your edit will be far more stable for it.
Just as an idea - if you don't have time to transcode everything, what you might try doing is at the end of your next edit day, transcode your master sequence to DNXHD. This will overcome the problem you're having with the sequence going offline, and will increase the performance of your sequence significantly. Continue cutting in from your AMA rushes, but at the end of every day transcode your sequence to DNX again (it should only transcode the clips you cut in from that day, not the whole lot again). If you give yourself significant handles on the clips this should be workable, though I suppose the downer is your matchframe capability will be lost as it'll match to your new clips rather than the original rushes. If you've locked any of the parts though it should help you out a little - your call, just throwing some new ideas into the mix :)
Thank you very much for your advices. It's very helpful.
I didn't know the "show referenced clips" trick. It's very convenient.
Actually, I already selected some clips to start the edit, so I think I'm going to transcode all of them. Whenever I need some more clips, I'll transcode them at the end of the day.
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