Resources

BEST PRACTICES FOR SENDING US YOUR PROJECT

In order to save time and confusion, below you will find a guide to prep your project for a color grade. It is software agnostic, but reach out to us if you have specific questions about your NLE (Non-Linear Edit) software.

Friendly Reminder: Refrain from illegal characters in your files!

Computer file structures can get complicated. Between Apple, Windows, Linux and different programs, files should avoid ‘illegal’ characters to maintain compatibility.

Be sure to avoid the following characters in files and folders:

# pound - % percent - & ampersand - { left curly bracket - } - right curly bracket - \ back slash - < left angle bracket - > right angle bracket - * asterisk - ? question mark - / forward slash -  blank spaces - $ dollar sign - ! exclamation point -' single quotes - " double quotes - : colon - @ at sign - + plus sign - ` backtick - | pipe - = equal sign - emojis - alt codes

Additionally, remember:

  • Don't start or end your filename with a space, period, hyphen, or underline.

  • Keep your filenames to a reasonable length and be sure they are under 31 characters.

  • always use lowercase.

PROJECT SET-UP

For best practices, the timeline should be FLATTENED. This eliminates any unused shots in the edit and will ensure the best round trip.

In your NLE, duplicate your locked edit into a separate sequence. In the duplicated sequence, flatten video tracks in the following order.

5. Subtitles (If any)

4. GFX (If any)

3. VFX (If any)

2. Secondary Video (for split screen and specialty edits.)

1. Primary Video

Tracks can be added when it is required for necessary compositing.

Any multi-cam or nested sequences should be flattened before export.

Graphics should be pre-rendered out if generated within the NLE (Rolling credits, subtitles, etc), Graphics that are linked to After Effects should also be pre-rendered. Replace original GFX layers with these renders.

Any plug-ins or filters used in NLE will not carry over. Adjustment Layers should also be removed.

EXPORT

Next, export the timeline. The Timeline should be sent as XML or AAF, NO EDL.

Files can be delivered as download link or hard drive delivery. In any method, the files should be collected as follows;

  1. Original Camera Files

    1. Maintain original folder structure for camera files and image sequences, but collect into a single directory for delivery.

    2. Verify files are original camera negative files, not proxy or compressed versions.

  2. Original GFX/VFX/STILLS Files

    1. Recommended Formats:

      1. GFX: ProRes 4444/4444 XQ/TIFF 16 bit + Alpha Channel

      2. VFX: DPX/Open EXR

      3. STILLS: PSD/TIFF

  3. Reference Video (Offline)

    1. The reference video file acts a facsimile for your locked picture and is the definitive guide to conforming your project.

    2. File should be an H264 | 1080p in its original frame rate

    3. Burn-in Time Code (BiTC)

      1. Optionally you can burn-in Clip Name but isn’t necessary

  4. NLE Project FIle

  5. XML or AAF of picture locked sequence

  6. README file (Optional)

    1. Not all resizing effects carry over in roundtrip process, if possible, a text file that makes note of resizing (with timecode) will help speed the process along.