what workflow, to export video to mix audio in daw (protools)

[David Aliperti]

i need to export from final cut a video to work on it with protools, what is the right workflow?
exporting video at original framerate, and an omf file?
also export a video and audio stere?
someone suggested me to export a signal test at beginning and at the end,, what do i need it for?

what i need to do is just to adjust dialogues level, so i will place them in center in my mix,what level of normalization do I have to observe?

[Rick Reineke]

Prior to FCP-X, most would export an OMF file, which would have the NLE's audio tracks and timeline including some of the parameters, like volume, pan and fade envelopes and some other parameters.. but not plug-ins or effects. Unfortunately FCP-X no longer supports OMF. (or AAF for that matter either) The audio is 'normally' embedded in the OMF, and the max file size is 2GB, so a large project may need to be broken up into segments or tracks.
A QT or other format reference video (w/ at least dialog audio) is normally included separately for picture and absolute audio sync reference.

[David Aliperti]

can you explain me how the audio sync reference works

[David Aliperti]

the first step in audio postproduction is to edit dialogue, I have to use only one loudspeaker in center? my question is about the level, in mix, dialogue stays in a dynamic range of -27 right?
but during just the dialogue editing, what is level I have to normalize at?

[Rick Reineke]

"the first step in audio postproduction is to edit dialogue"
- If you 'edit' on-camera dialog in PTs or other DAW, you'll lose sync to the picture
"can you explain me how the audio sync reference works"
- The Timeline audio should match the ref. video's audio, providing THAT is in sync begin with and starts from the same spot. Usually the head of the TL, for instance 00:00:00:00
"dialogue stays in a dynamic range of -27, right?"
- -27 what? VU, dBFS, RMS, ATSC or EBU loudness measurement, other ??

[Gary Nattrass]

I work with FCP to pro tools as standard in my edit set-up with a timecode start time of 10:00:00:00.

I track lay everything as much as I can in FCP inc FX and music and smooth out the dialogue and checkerboard it scene by scene and for each voice, I also do cross fades and level adjustments to smooth edits in FCP.

I also do any voice overs for doco's in FCP as I find editing the sound straight on the timeline very easy and much like when I was using AMS Neve Audiofile.

The video timeline is usually pro res HQ or LT as I work with P2 at 1080p or 720p 25fps.

Once i am ready to dub the audio I export an OMF and also produce a final master picture from FCP at the native video rate, note I have a black magic HD card in the mac pro so I can play back full quality pictures in pro tools.

I also dump the dialogue to the video so I can do a quick sync check this involves comparing the original mix on the video and the omf files to make sure they are all in sync.

I then import the OMF and the video into pro tools and dub the audio.

Note when I track lay I split dialogue FX and music into groups of tracks and these are followed in the pro tools session, if I add any additional sound in pro tools it follows the track disciplines.

When dubbing I also create group sub mixes for the following:

1: Dialogue
2: FX
3: Music
4: M&E (music and effects group buses 2+3)
5: D&E (dialogue and effects group buses 1+2))
6: Final stereo Mix (group buses 1+2+3)

Note some projects I don't need all of those stem mixes but I tend to keep the same desk and session set-up with the same track groupings pre bussed for speed of work.

Once all dubbing and mixing is completed I then output each of the stem mixes from pro tools and then import them back into FCP and place them with the master picture on a new time line or for smaller jobs on the same timeline as the original track lay. It is then easy to check for final sync as you have the original tracks and the mixes all on the same timeline to compare

Then if there are any re-edits or if I need to export a picture and M&E version etc it is easy to do it all in FCP.

Hope this helps as for levels it all depends if it's for broadcast, DVD or film delivery I never use normalising or auto levelling if that is what you mean as that is not part of an audio dubbing process but I always do a dialogue pre-mix before adding FX and music in the final dubbing stage! Like video frame rate etc you should be given a spec for final delivery and this will include technical line up and LEQ or relative loudness levels but for EU broadcast this tends to be 1khz test tone line up at -18dbfs with maximum audio peaks at -10dbfs or 0db ppm and +8db PPM, dialogue LEQ tends to be around -23.