User Manual

Table Of Contents
Performing an AAF Avid Round Trip
This section outlines a comprehensive workflow for creating projects in Media Composer that
will be compatible with DaVinci Resolve, moving projects from Media Composer to
DaVinci Resolve, then grading, rendering, and sending the final graded project back to Media
Composer. The following steps include procedures covering the following tasks:
Ingesting all media as high quality MXF-wrapped DNxHD, then round tripping from
Media Composer to DaVinci Resolve.
Importing and editing Resolve-compatible AMA-linked media formats, then round
tripping from Media Composer to DaVInci Resolve.
Transcoding AMA-linked media files into offline-quality DNxHD clips for editing, then
exporting an AAF file and reconforming it in DaVinci Resolve to high quality camera
original media as part of the round trip.
Because there are so many variations in the way that Media Composer can ingest media and
output AAF projects, you should familiarize yourself with the following procedures before
continuing with your own project.
Step 1Create a Project in Media Composer
1 When creating a project in Media Composer, take note of the image format details, as
these should be matched in DaVinci Resolve. In particular, set the image format (e.g.,
1080p/24) and raster dimensions (e.g., 1920x1080) to match your desired mastering
format. Also, color space should be set to RGB 709 if you’re planning to send ingested/
transcoded media from Media Composer to DaVinci Resolve for grading.
NOTE: This information can also be found in the Avid Project Format tab.
2 Open your project, and ingest all necessary media into a new bin using one or both of
the following methods:
Transcode media for editing: The simplest workflow for AAF import and round-trip
workflows is to ingest transcoded, native MXF-wrapped DNxHD media using the
Import command.
Import AMA-linked clips: You can also import AMA-linked clips, so long as all
AMA-linked files are in a format that’s compatible with DaVinci Resolve. Keep in
mind that not all AMA-compatible formats can be consolidated in Media Composer.
In this case, import AMA-linked media into a new bin using the Link to AMA File(s)
command, and edit as usual.
Once you’ve ingested all necessary media, you can edit your project as you would any other,
keeping in mind which effects are compatible with DaVinci Resolve. For more information on
effects in Media Composer to DaVinci Resolve round trips, see Chapter 46, “Preparing
Timelines for Import and Comparison.
Chapter – 50 Conforming AAF Files 944