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Some important things to keep in mind when inserting into a file
Video ProRes compatibility:
In a normal ProRes (VBR) each frame gets compressed using a different amount of data and results in every frame being a slightly different size. To do video inserts into a target file, each frame needs to be big enough for a maximum potential data overwrite. Because of this video inserts to ProRes may only be made to either CBR or VBR Padded files.
VBR padded ProRes files can be created from standard VBR ProRes files through re-wrapping, a process that has no effect on the video essence or QC and is very fast, much like a file copy. This rewrap can either be done in CineXtools itself in the rewrap and audio versioning tab, for free through one of our plug-ins or as a built-in function of the NLE, or through our free ProRes pad, rewrap utility:
For a guide to rewrapping in CineXtools visit Rewrap & Audio Versioning
Download our free rewrap utility that lets your batch process your Standard ProRes to Padded ProRes and vice versa: ProRes PAD Rewrap Utility - Quickstart Guide
Which NLEs support exporting an “insertable” ProRes file?
Avid Media Composer – AMA Using the free functions in our plugin Avid Media Composer AMA Insert Plugin
Adobe Premiere (Media Encoder) – Using the free functions in our plugin Adobe Premiere Insert Plugin
Autodesk Flame and Smoke – CBR export available natively in the 2018 release and later
Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve – CBR export available natively in v.14 and greater
FilmLight Baselight - CBR export available natively in v.5 and greater
If your files were created on 3rd third party edit systems that do not support exporting VBR Padded files natively and you did not use one of the CineXPlugins, you will need to rewrap the file as VBR Padded in the Rewrap & Audio Versioning tab. Audio inserts may be made to any ProRes file without rewrapping. Patch files do not need to be padded. There are other benefits to rewrapping, such as cleaning up the header metadata to a standard that will pass broadcast QC. The process takes about as long as a file copy, which is highly recommended anyway due to the fact that insert edit is a destructive process . You can make the copy and rewrap at the same time, along with any track order changes or track additions/subtractions if your desired final file has a different track layout from the original.
Source and target files do not need to be the same in terms of quality or color space. You can load a YUV10 HQ file in the source and insert to a YUV8 SQ file, for instance, and the application will make the appropriate conversion during the insert. HOWEVER it is highly recommended that the patch is exported the same way and from the same application/timeline as the original so that there are no surprises, especially if inserting into the middle of a shot. Same-to-same inserts are the fastest as no transcoding is necessary. Eg ProRes HQ YUV10 to ProRes HQ YUV10 insert simply copies frames from the source to target and happens very fast. By contrast, YUV8>>YUV10 requires decoding the original and encoding to the target, so it will be somewhat slower. In short inserts this will hardly be apparent, but in much longer inserts it will be noticeable.
Some source and target file characteristics must match or the insert will return an errror. Frame rate must match (eg 29.97p can’t be inserted to 25p, and 50i can’t be inserted to 25p). In general any frame rate conversions (pulldowns or standards conversions) should be made while exporting the patch from your NLE.
Your patch file does not need to be the same codec or wrapper as the target. You can, for instance, export your patch as DNxHD mixdown or DPX frames from your NLE, and use that as the source for a fix to a ProRes delivery file.
While longer inserts are happening, you can open the file in another cineXtools tab or Quicktime/other player and watch down/QC the insert. The insert can be cancelled without damaging the file, but the frames already overwritten at the time of cancelling are changed. Insert can only be “undone” as another insert edit from a copy of the original file.
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