OMF -> Vegas

farss wrote on 11/9/2006, 7:09 PM
Bit of a panic call from someone.
Their movie goes onto the big screen tomorrow and the 'sound designer' has done a runner. All the guy has is a pile of DVDs with OMF files on them.
He tried opening them in FCP and all he gets is a bunch of media, no project.
Question, can Vegas do any better, is there enough in OMF files to build a project anyway regardless of what you open them in.

No panic on this one, I wisely didn't offer to help, don't need that kind of stress and my plates full but would be good to know for next time.

Comments

rs170a wrote on 11/9/2006, 7:31 PM
Check out EDL Convert from Cui Bono Soft.
I remember Spot saying something about it a while back.

Mike
Bob Greaves wrote on 11/9/2006, 7:34 PM
An OMF is usually a collection of broadcast wav files. Pro Tools with an OMF add on and SONAR can open them.
farss wrote on 11/9/2006, 7:42 PM
Thanks Bob,
from what this guy's said was happening that sounds abour right.
Not much more use than a bunch of .wav files if he needs to rebuild the project.
Although the bwf files would contain T/C but no FXs, envelopes etc.
bakerja wrote on 11/16/2006, 9:10 AM
Sure would like to see OMF import in Vegas. Any chance of that in the future? I have tried EDL Convert and it does a terrible job with AVID Nitris OMF's. Some things import but not everything everytime.

There is another product called AVTRANSFER but it is $800 and I'm not sure if the product is still in develpment. I hate to spend that much just to get an OMF on the timeline.

Thinking about upgrading my old SONAR 4 producer package to get the OMF capabilities and some new audio plugs. Anyone have any experience with Sonars OMF importing?

JAB
Bob Greaves wrote on 11/16/2006, 6:26 PM
I have used OMF in SONAR with no issues. I have no idea if I was lucky or if that is par. If I am not mistaken SONAR 4 either has a free update or natively handles OMF.
newhope wrote on 11/16/2006, 7:58 PM
Farrs
The OMF should contain the WAV files, or AIFF, depending on what the original was cut on, WAV can be BWF format but more important is that the OMF will also include EDL info meaning that when opened and imported into a program that can handle OMFs you end up with the audio edited and layed out on the tracks the way it was on the edit system, including handles as set when creating the OMF.

By the way OMFs can include vision tracks as well but, if they are meant for sound editing, usually only contain a single 'mixdown' vision track and separate audio tracks.

If the OMF is Version 2, which is usual these days, it can contain volume levels and pan info as well.

One downside, particularly in Vegas, is that OMFs treat stereo audio as two separate mono tracks and Vegas doesn't have a simple way of interleaving them onto one track.

This 'feature' is a hang over from AVID, the originators of the OMF format, as that's the way AVID and ProTools work with stereo internally though in ProTools you simply drag the two mono tracks onto a stereo track and then edit and mix them as if they were interleaved.

Someone earlier mentioned EDL Convert from Cui Bono and that is what I use and recommend for dealing with OMF and Vegas particularly importing and exporting as an XML Script rather than as a Vegas Text EDL was is definitely flaky at best..

Regards
New Hope Media
BTW I'm open to taking offers sound design if you know anyone who needs the service... afterall is is what I've been doing these past 30 years... damn given away my age!!!
farss wrote on 11/16/2006, 11:45 PM
Thanks Steve,
guess I should get some sample files to test this out, that way I'll know next time if I should put my hand up or not.
DavidSinger wrote on 11/17/2006, 8:55 AM
"but would be good to know for next time."
One need not be caught in a next-time situation.

1. Purchase a LaCie 2D Triple formatted for Mac.
2. Bring it with you everytime you go to the sound studio.
3. Insist on all tracks being *individually* rendered to audio within the project.
4. Insist on a full-project backup (drag-n-drop) onto the LaCie (plug-n-play to Mac's Firewire. Rename each copy of the project by adding the date of backup to the project folder name.
5. Install MacDrive 6.0 or higher on your PC.
6. Plug-n-copy the project from Lacie to PC.

This not only assures that you have audio files (instead of midi files that are only repeatable with the same midi equipment and the same sound sample kit(s) as on the studio's computer), but that you have redundant backup in multiple locations, including immediately-usable tracks.

If the studio balks, walk. Hey, I pay them studio time right through the point where we unplug the LaCie, so they have a financial incentive to work with me on this.

You are making movies. The worst *will* happen. OK, so the engineers are honest (but what about the zillions of crack-crazed musicians that stream through when I'm not there?). So the studio is flush with cash (but why, after all these years, am I still paying each session up front?) So the fire suppression system works (but why did it not turn on when the smoke alarm attached to it was triggered by a clandestine smoker?) The *real* problem is that the studio is directly under the flyway for Logan Airport, and I'm *certain* an engine will fall off and land directly on the studio, taking out everything and everybody.

Unless I take a backup copy home with me, which will keep that engine on the plane saving hundreds of lives and millions of property damage and (oddly) cause the backup to be apparently unnecessary.