Edit projects should be delivered as project files exported from your NLE software, as well as an XML/AAF of your color prep sequence. The project file should contain nothing other than the color prep sequence and associated media. The following outlines how these sequences should be prepped:

Sequence Simplification

Projects should be prepared as simplified edit sequences. Simplified means: 

• Video condensed to as few tracks as possible. Usually one, sometimes two or three (very rarely more than three) if there are overlays, split-screens, fades, etc.

• All titles and graphics removed

• No nested sequences

• No unused (in terms of visibility in the final edit) clips present in the sequence, such as disabled clips, zero-percent opacity clips, or clips covered by other clips

• All subclip limits removed and multiclips collapsed

• Audio removed and replaced with audio from the reference export

• No linked After Effects compositions

Once the edit is simplified, clips can be placed on different tracks for the sake of organization. Examples of reasons that tracks might be separated include:

• Media type

• Effects

• Aspect ratio

If clips are organized in this way, tracks should be labeled. 

Titles and graphics can be exported as a separate video export on alpha and laid on the top track for review and postings. 

Clip Attributes, Crops, And Effects

Clip attributes such as scaling, reframing, opacity, and transfer modes will carry over in the online. Keyframes will carry over as well as long as they are linear. Any non-linear keyframes must be removed. 

Basic no-keyframe crop effects can be left applied and carried over to color, but any more complicated masking must be removed. 

All effects should be removed from clips and reapplied during finishing. 

If any of the above is necessary to view in color, the clip can be replaced with an online export and treated as a VFX shot. The export can be placed on a track above the original clip if color is to be applied to the original clip as well.

Time Remapping, Conformed Framerates

Speed changes are acceptable if they are done by a single percentage change per clip. For example, it is no problem to leave a speed change of 200% on a clip. 

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Note: Any non-linear time remapping must be removed. They cannot be transferred to color and back to an edit via XML. They cannot be present in any sequence in a project being turned over to color. 

If a non-linear time remap is present in an edit, in order to ensure the full necessary extents of the clips are colored, there are two potential workflows:

Clips that have project-level conformed framerate changes must be noted so they can be set up properly in color.