I have project that needs conforming before being sent to resolve.

The footage is a mix of 1080p & 4k formats  and exists over 20 ext drives. These drives obviously cannot be daisy chained.

The current sequence has been cut form the ingested media which was transcoded to DNxHD36 I think. So this all exists now on one drive for the offline process.

Is it possible for me to relink to the original material? I have never used multiple drives this way (tapes yes)!

I would normally create a bin with the original clips (using reference) and then relink. Would that process work given I would have to manually swap each drive for new native media would the relink process work that way? Would batch import be a better process or is there another more efficient way i'm not seeing?

Many thanks! 

This is what you need:

http://www.niwa.nu/resolve-collect/

Basically a tool that allows you to collect media in the media pool to a new location.

Hi Pat

Thanks for this however I think you misunderstood my post. I'm not conforming in Resolve. I only have Lite and this is a 4k project mainly. I'm going to conform in AVID and consolidate to a drive which will then be sent with AAF/EDL etc to a post house to grade etc in Resolve. The post house is over seas.

My issue is how can I relink the timeline sequence clips to the original native files which are spread over 20 external drives?

Hope I haven't misunderstood your response. Does this make sense?

You should be able to relink to the camera originals drive by drive.  You would want to use the "Create New Sequence" selection when relinking.  This would give you a sequence with some of the media online.  But the question is what will you want to be doing AFTER you relink.

Is your goal to consolidate or transcode to a common Avid codec, all material on to one drive, to take to color correct?

Or is your goal to gather all needed camera files to one drive so that color correct can access them directly?  If that is the case it will be more difficult depending on the type (s) of camera's involved.

Jef

Hi Jeff

Thanks for that. SO i'd end up with 20 or so partial sequences but would end up with all the required native media on one drive (evenutually) which could then be relinked to the original sequence (or probably any of them)?

I'm still waiting for the post-house to let me know what they want. They had asked me to conform in Resolve initially which I can't do.

My thinking is the later option. No point in transcoding unless neccessary right?

Can I gether the native files onto one drive using relink and consolidate and then supply an EDL or AAF? Can they rebuild in Resolve with the camera files? Not experienced with Resolve.

There are a mixture of formats Red Epic, GoPro and Canon 5D Mk ii.  

Alexander J Cockburn:

Thanks for that. SO i'd end up with 20 or so partial sequences but would end up with all the required native media on one drive (evenutually) which could then be relinked to the original sequence (or probably any of them)?

Well no. Any sequence would only be linked as long as the drive containing that source media is attached.  That is why I asked what you plan to do next.

If you were going to transcode to an Avid native codec, you could do that (setting aside the mixed resolution issues) then hook up the next drive, and relink to the previously relinked sequence.  Transcode just the AMA linked clips and repeat.  And repeat.  Could be done in theory.  Would be tedious.

Alexander J Cockburn:

My thinking is the later option. No point in transcoding unless neccessary right?

Well, transcoding just MIGHT be necessary because of cost.  If you can not afford $1050 for a Resolve license and the Resolve collect utility then I would assume you are on a limited budget.  With GoPro and Canon 5D Mk ii files, proper transcodeing would not be a bad option.  They are highly compressed files from the start.  The Red footage is a different story.  And a complicated one at that.

I would continue the discussion with the post-house scheduled to finish this.  This will not be a simple process.  I would get them to quote their cost to do the conform.

Good luck,

Jef

Hi Jeff

Okay yes of course no need to end up with 20 or so partial sequences just create new sequence first time around and continue process relinking to that..

The post house are sending someone over to the UK that has Resolve so i'm checking with them what they need my guess it will be consolidated media on a drive and AAFs and references.

Thanks for your help