Apple Cinema Tools 4 - Manual (Page 202)

Important: When you export film lists from an EDL or XML file, Cinema Tools has to use
the timecode-based method of film list creation. For this reason, you must be careful to
have accurate video timecode values in the database, because they alone, and not the
actual clips, provide the edit information for generating the lists.
There are two ways you can generate film lists from an EDL:
• Use the Cinema Tools Export commands: This is the easiest approach. See Before You
Use the Cinema Tools Export Commands for more information.
• Import the EDL into a Final Cut Pro sequence: This method requires a bit more effort but
displays the edit points in a timeline fashion (with no video or audio if the clips are not
available). If the clips are available, it is possible to actually play and modify the sequence
before you export the lists. For information about importing an EDL, see the Final Cut Pro
documentation. See
An Introduction to Film Lists and Change Lists for details about
generating film lists from within Final Cut Pro.
Before You Use the Cinema Tools Export Commands
In addition to the Cinema Tools database, a suitable EDL or XML file is required to create
film lists from within Cinema Tools.
EDL Requirements
Cinema Tools supports EDLs that comply with the CMX 3600 and GVG formats. As a
general rule, any options to include “pre-read” or “B-reels” should be disabled, because
these apply directly to tape-based editing. If necessary, Cinema Tools can work with
pre-read events, but the name of the pre-read reel must be PREREAD. Make sure that
comments are included, because these can display the clip, transition, and effects names.
They will be recognized by Cinema Tools and included in the cut list comments.
The reel names that appear in the EDL must match those used in the Cinema Tools
database. Even a slight difference, such as an added space or an extra leading “0” (“001”
instead of “0001”) can cause problems.
Be aware that some editing systems modify the reel names when exporting an EDL. The
CMX 3600 format allows a maximum of eight characters with only numbers and uppercase
letters (no spaces). Often a reel conversion list is appended to the end of the EDL to make
it easier to resolve any naming issues that occur.
You can use the Cinema Tools Change Reel command to change all occurrences of a
particular reel name in the database to match the EDL (for example, you can change all
instances of reel Tape 004 to TAPE004). See
Changing All Reel or Roll Identifiers for more
information.
Note: To reduce the chance of issues with the EDL file, select Generic Edits in the Reel
Conflicts section of the EDL Export Options dialog.
202 Chapter 12 Working with External EDLs, XML, and ALE Files