TOPIC:

Hey!

I'm having a lot of trouble collaborating with a Resolve user that I need to send files to.

What we need to do is:

Sending raw files to him, which he makes a rough edit of and sends an XML back and I'll finnish it in FCP...

This seems not to be working because Resolve has some issues with A7SIII files apparently.

I thought that if I made proxies, it could perhaps work. But FCP seems to only generate them within the Library? Which means there's no way to manually relink them when I get them back.

Anyone has a good workflow for collaborating with Resolve users??

DmitriZigany wrote:

....trouble collaborating with a Resolve user that I need to send files to....What we need to do is...Sending raw files to him, which he makes a rough edit of and sends an XML back and I'll finnish it in FCP...This seems not to be working because Resolve has some issues with A7SIII files apparently. ?

I have an A7SIII, and all codecs from that camera work fine on Resolve Studio 18 and FCP 10.6.5. It's possible your other user does not have a licensed copy of Resolve Studio. The free version of Resolve has some significant limitations, especially particular codecs on specific hardware platforms.

If you want to collaborate using native A7SIII files, he needs to get a licensed copy of Resolve Studio 18.

While it is theoretically possible you could generate FCP proxies and send those to him, Resolve cannot freely color grade an FCP timeline and send back an FCP-readable XML containing those grading changes. E.g., FCP doesn't understand Resolve color effects such as Magic Mask, Color Warper, etc. Also, you normally want full-res files for color grading, not just proxies.

For a one-way workflow from FCP to Resolve, you would do the media organization in FCP, edit a basic timeline minus effects, transitions, etc., then send that XML to the Resolve editor, who both grades and finishes the edit. The Resolve editor would also need the same full-res camera files for grading since he is doing the final export.

For a two-way roundtrip from FCP to Resolve and back, the normal procedure is the FCP editor makes simple, basic edits (no transitions, color wheels, etc), then sends an XML to the Resolve editor who must have the same full-res camera files. The Resolve editor does few or no edits but grades that timeline, then exports an XML *and* new media with grades and edits baked in, then sends that full-res media and XML back to the FCP editor. The FCP editor then finishes the edit, adds titles, transitions, sweetened audio and does the final export. The FCP editor cannot use the original camera files since Resolve must export new media. The purpose of sending the Resolve XML is to allow the FCP user to relink to that *new* Resolve-exported media, not the original camera media.

Any collaborative workflow should be tested on a small scale first.

If any others familiar with FCP/Resolve workflow have other suggestions, maybe they can correct me or add further suggestions. Here is a Ripple Training video that discusses the subject:

"Final Cut Pro to DaVinci Resolve & Back":

Here is a more detailed Resolve/FCP workflow tutorial by Creative Video Tips. In this case he sends a ProRes Proxy timeline file but it's only as a reference movie and the Resolve editor must have copies of the full-res camera files. The reference movie is to double-check that Resolve constructs the exact same timeline when importing the FCP XML. This workflow assumes the Resolve editor does not change a single frame and only does color grading.

As I mentioned above, after color grading the Resolve editor must send back to FCP both an XML and newly exported full-res files which contain the baked-in grading changes.

Final Cut Pro to DaVinci Resolve Workflow Tutorial:

He has a full version of Resolve and has no issue using the A7SIII files.
The problem is when I get the XMLs from him, FCP can't link up to the footage! This is, as I understand it, because Resolve has some bug with A7SIII files and clipstarts/timecode/whatnot.

In Resolve only the most basic things are done, just straight cuts... so in many ways it's a backwards way from how most people roundtrip to Resolve. As I do all the grading etc in FCP... he just need to do clip selection and VERY basic editing... been trying to get him to use FCP but to no avail.

Bonus question: is there a way to get a multicam clip to resolve that can be edited and get it back and it's still a multicam clip in FCP? (and same thing here, no colour grading or any other effects applied in resolve, just simple cuts)

DmitriZigany wrote:

...This is, as I understand it, because Resolve has some bug with A7SIII files and clipstarts/timecode/whatnot....

Thanks for the clarification. You are correct this may be a Resolve issue handling timecode on certain MP4 formats when importing a FCP project XML. Or -- it could also be an FCP XML bug or a side affect of how the MacOS AVFoundation framework handles timecode in certain MP4 formats.

When I try to load an FCP 10.6.5 project XML in Resolve Studio 18.1.4 which contains MP4 clips from a Sony A7SIII, the Resolve relink fails -- even if the files remain in the same place on the same machine. The Resolve errors for each clip are: "Mismatch between specified target timecodes [00:00:00:00 00:00:15:12] and located file timecodes [06:11:13:23 06:11:29:11]", where the timecode values differ for each clip.

In my test case, the first two numbers in square brackets are the starting and ending clip timecode values in the FCP XML file. The second two numbers in square brackets are the starting and ending clip timecode values read by Resolve from the clip metadata. The numbers don't match so it doesn't link to the files.

It is possible to avoid this using a 3rd-party tool but it will not preserve your current edit. This is why it's best to test workflow before committing a lot of work to a timeline.

Workaround procedure: before import to FCP, the Sony MP4 files must be either rewrapped with EditReady or processed with QTChange. Either of those alters the MP4 timecode metadata format to something which both FCP and Resolve can read and get the same results.

EditReady: hedge.video/editready
QTChange: www.videotoolshed.com/handcrafted-timecode-tools/qtchange/

EditReady is a good tool but for this specific case QTChange is less expensive (about 29 Euros), faster and does not re-encode. However it is a professional tool and assumes you know what you're doing. After processing the MP4 files with that tool, if you import those, create a timeline, edit it then export an FCP XML, that will be readable by Resolve and will link up with those processed MP4 files.

You can verify the clips were properly changed by examining the metadata with the 3rd-party tool Invisor (see attached example): apps.apple.com/us/app/invisor-media-file...or/id442947586?mt=12

I previously relinked lots of material including older Sony A7 series from FCP to Resolve but that was about three years ago. From FCP to Resolve using XML worked OK then.

This problem does not happen with MXF XAVC material from a Sony FX6. I believe the underlying problem is a lack of uniformity in how timecode metadata is stored in MP4 containers. The professional container formats like MXF don't have this issue.

Just to confirm, is your collaborator able to relink the A7SIII files in Resolve, and the only problem is you cannot load the Resolve XML and relink the original A7SIII files? Or does FCP to Resolve works but Resolve to FCP does not? Even if FCP to Resolve via XML worked on MP4 files, the return journey would likely fail upon relink in FCP for the same reason, unless the MP4 files are processed with one of the above utilities before importing.

Thanks for the comprehensive information and the tips for rewrapping software! Will check those out!

And I have an FX6 as well and we don't see problems with those files...

Just another clarification: there's no XML going from FCP, he's just getting the raw files... so the only XML is from Resolve to FCP...

DmitriZigany wrote:

...Just another clarification: there's no XML going from FCP, he's just getting the raw files... so the only XML is from Resolve to FCP...

Thanks. The Resolve-to-FCP workflow is normally designed to export the media from Resolve along with an XML you load in FCP. Then the media plus the XML is sent to the FCP editor.

Embedded in the XML are the filenames that Resolve exported. You put those where FCP can reach them, load the XML, relink if needed, and it should work -- including source timecode. I just tested it on a few clips.

However if you are trying to send only an XML from Resolve to FCP and maintain the same filenames previously loaded in FCP I don't think that will work. Maybe others with more FCP/Resolve workflow experience could comment.

It works fine with the FX6 footage just not the A7SIII footage, which is where the idea of using proxies came in... But will explore the rewrapping software route!

Thanks for all the help and patience!