For Editors

Just as an overview and before getting into the nitty gritty details, I need a few things from the picture department:

1) Locked Picture – QuickTime (.mov)
2) AAF (not embedded) or OMF Version 2
3) Audio and Video EDLs in CMX3600 format
4) XMLs of your sequence(s) ** Final Cut Pro Systems Only **
5) All the original production audio
6) The final script

Click the links above to jump to the details!

If you have ANY questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. It’s very important for the picture department and sound department to get everything right!

To download my turnover specs in PDF form, click here!

Need Academy Leaders? Click here!

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - -

1) Locked Picture as a QuickTime .mov file

  • Must be a DV codec QuickTime movie (.mov) at full frame rate
  • However, due to the large file size of the DV codec and various Internet transfer speeds, I can accept H264 QuickTime (.mov) files. Upon export, please make sure that you place KEY FRAMES ON ALL FRAME OR EVERY ONE (1) FRAME. TURN OFF FRAME REORDERING.
  • The resolution of any QuickTime file should be 720×480 or 640×480 depending on your project. If your project is 16:9, then you can letterbox the frame upon export.
  • Please indicate the timecode editing base and video codec in the filename of the QuickTime movie. For example, “StarWars_PLock_DV_23.976.mov” or “StarWars_PLock_H264_29.97DF.mov”.
  • There must be a continuous timecode window burn-in at the upper left corner or in a place that does not block any important action.  Furthermore, for film at the very least, there must be a Feet+Frames window burn-in at the upper right corner or in a place that does not block any important action.
  • There must be a visual and audible 2-pop exactly two seconds before the first frame of action (FFOA) and another 2-pop exactly two seconds after the last frame of action (LFOA). The 2-pop must be one frame in length.
  • For film, each reel/picture start (not FFOA) must start on the hour mark for it’s respective reel number. So reel 1 would start at 01:00:00:00, reel 2 at 02:00:00:00, etc. The Academy Leader should begin each reel. Your sequence in your editing program should begin exactly at the hour. This means that the Academy Leader’s “Picture Start” begins at the very first frame of your sequence. Please refer to “QuickTime_WindowBurn_Specs.pdf” for more information.
  • For TV/broadcast/web, the FFOA should start exactly on the hour (01:00:00:00) with the head 2-pop placed at 00:59:58:00. The Feet+Frames burn-in is optional for TV/broadcast/web.
  • There must be an audio guide track for the movie in sync with the picture. Dialogue is on the left channel. Music and temporary sound effects are on the right channel. This can be sent separately as a WAV file at the timeline bit depth (either 16 bit or 24 bit). This can also be included in the QuickTime file you send as well.

Here are some snapshots of the Academy Standard for a 23.976 FPS project. Notice the exact TC and Feet+Frames (F+F) at which the leader and FFOA occurs (Please click the images below to enlarge):



- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - -

2) AAF (not embedded) or OMF Version 2

  • I strongly encourage AAF (not embedded) delivery
  • For Final Cut Pro systems, I can accept an embedded OMF Version 2
  • Handles should be at least 15-20 seconds in length
  • Please include “Audio Levels” and “Crossfade Transitions”
  • Must include the audible 2-pops that matches the visual 2-pops
  • The audio regions names must have the scene/shot/take info in them. For example, 45C4 means scene 45 shot C take 4.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - - – - - -

3) Audio and Video EDLs in CMX3600 Format

  • VIDEO EDLs: It is important to start the sequence at the HOUR. The key thing is CMX3600 EDLs will only adress ONE video track. Therefore, you MUST export a EDL for each relevant video track or FLATTEN your sequence. For example, the first VIDEO EDL will be for video track 1. The second VIDEO EDL will be for video track 2. The third VIDEO EDL will be for video track 3, and so on. These are separate from the AUDIO EDLs. In Final Cut, you will have to link “v1″ to each of your relevant video tracks and then export each EDL per video track. As long as “v1″ is linked to your video tracks and you select “Target Video Track Only (V1)” in the EDL export window, the resulting EDL will only refer to your linked “v1″ track. Both Avid and Final Cut Pro are able to do this, but in order to achieve this in Final Cut Pro, look at the example below:

  • AUDIO EDLs: Since CMX 3600 EDLs only support up to 4 audio tracks, you need to export one EDL per 4 audio tracks. For example, if you have 12 audio tracks in your timeline, your first EDL export is for audio tracks 1-4, your second EDL export is for tracks 5-8, and finally, your third EDL export is for tracks 9-12. These are separate from the VIDEO EDLs. Both Avid and Final Cut Pro are able to do this, but in order to not include the video track, you will have to disconnect “v1″ from your video track (example below).

  • Do NOT include any transitions, audio levels, or effects in the EDL export window. Include the “from clip name” field