Avid stores the metadata for all footage in Media Composer, but there are only a few ways of exporting that data to work with elsewhere. For VFX turnovers, it's imperative to track that clip metadata from every plate in a shot tracking database, and Marvin makes it easy, even when there are a lot of similar-looking, yet very different, numbers to sort through.
The workflow article goes in depth on the entire process, but below are further details of Marvin's shots tool.
Begin by clicking the shots button from the home page to open the import menu. Next, confirm the options, and then click the button corresponding to the type of file to be imported.
file types
| file type | description |
| Avid (edl) | EDL files provide the easiest way to export data from Avid, but they are also limited in what information they provide. |
| Avid (xml) | XML files include many more data points compared to EDLs, but they require more preparation time for complex sequences. There can also be inconsistencies within the XML for shots that have effects applied, but we're continuing to work with Avid to resolve these issues. |
| Doom (dcut) | DCUT files are the Avid-translated exports from Marvin for importing into Willoughby. Because they are in a special format, you can import them into Marvin to view, modify, and re-export if necessary. |
options
| option | description |
| act/reel | Since EDLs do not contain act/reel data, you can auto-fill this information to keep shots organized when importing multiple sequences. |
| track | Since EDLs do not contain track data, you can auto-fill this information to keep shots organized when importing multiple sequences. |
capabilities
- modify, add, duplicate, and delete shots
- import multiple sequences
- switch between a detailed and simplified view of shot data
- sort, search, hide, and filter shots
- auto-number shots using customized format
- add a prefix and/or suffix
- substitute text
- replace text
- change text case
- search for multiple shots or clips based on a list
- import matching markers to update data not included in Avid's EDL/XML exports
- automatically calculate handle timecodes not included in Avid's EDL exports
- merge multi-plate shots so subcaps don't get cut off
- export csv and xlsx files for spreadsheet compatibility
- export subcaps with or without descriptions
- export markers with or without descriptions and optionally move them to different frames
- export a Doom turnover file
still have questions? submit a request