Creating a split track viewing file from Avid Media Composer
This is the basic process for creating a split track file for your mix. To simplify things it’s best to break it into three phases. This is to first add the timecode burn-in, second is to create the audio mixdown for all of the sound excluding the guide VO, then the same but for VO only then the third part is exporting the viewing file.
Phase 1
- Find the Timecode Burn-In (Generator) in the effects pallet.
- Add a new video later above everything else and drop this effect on there.
- Check all the settings are appropriate and the timecode is clear.
- The below is a good guide but might need to be adjusted project by project.
Phase 2
- Make sure you have selected all tracks excluding the one/s with guide VO.
- Choose mixdown audio to sequence.
- You should have settings similar to the below.
- You can check the source tracks are correct and the location that it’s mixing down to is also correct.
- Click OK to mixdown the audio as mono to that track.
- Next disable all the other tracks and just enable the guide VO track/s.
- You should have settings similar to the below.
- You can check the source tracks are correct and the location that it’s mixing down to is also correct.
- Click OK to mixdown the audio as mono to that track.
Phase 3
- You should now have the two mixdowns on the lowest audio tracks on the timeline.
- To make this process easier you may want to duplicate your timeline with just your video tracks and the two audio mixdowns in it
- Select all audio and video tracks in your timeline (or just the mixdown tracks if you still have the full timeline)
- Choose File, Output, Export to File
- Go to your export settings and choose MP4
- Use settings similar to the below but you might need to tweak based on project requirements.
Be sure to spot check your file.
- Check your Timecode is burned in and accurate.
- Check your audio is on tracks 1 and 2 and it’s all the sound on 1 and all the guide VO on 2.
- Check that file size and quality is acceptable.
