Marvin can automatically number VFX shot ids for both episodic television and feature film workflows using properly formatted markers, and it even allows for continuous numbering with intercut scenes or sequences. Auto-numbering works by analyzing marker comments. A "non-empty" marker represents the beginning of a new scene or sequence, and an "empty" marker denotes sequentially numbered ids within the previously designated scene or sequence.
types of "non-empty" markers
- Scene Numbers - Scenes are always padded for 3 digits, so a marker comment of "28" to designate the beginning of scene 28 will become "028" in the shot id.
- Sequence Codes - VFX sequences are interpreted as literal text, so "DS" at the beginning of the "Doom Solutions" sequence will still be "DS" in the shot id.
- Scene Numbers + Sequence Codes - If you use both scenes and sequences, separate them in the marker with an underscore. For example, "28_DS" will assign "028" as the scene number and "DS" as the sequence code in the shot id based on the formatting provided in the parameters.
- Descriptions - As long as the delimiters are consistent and match your naming convention settings, VFX shot descriptions are preserved during the auto-numbering process. Technically, this marker is not empty, but Marvin recognizes that the "shot id" portion of the marker is empty and will not restart numbering unless it also includes a scene number or sequence code.
to prep markers in Avid
- Start by adding an EMPTY marker to every VFX shot that you want to number.
- Next, on the first marker of each new scene or sequence, add the appropriate scene number, sequence code, or combination of both. This instructs Marvin to restart numbering for the new scene or sequence.
- Leave the marker for all subsequent shots within the same scene or sequence EMPTY. Marvin will continue to increase the shot number until it encounters another non-empty marker.
- If a scene number or sequence code is ever repeated, Marvin interprets this as intercutting. Instead of starting over, it will resume numbering where it left off to ensure that all shot ids are unique.
parameters
| add a prefix | Text to add at the beginning of the shot id (optional). |
| start numbering at | Number for the first shot. Typically, this is either 10 or 100. |
| increment by | Number by which each subsequent shot increases in the series. Typically this is 10. |
| number of digits | Number of padding digits used to construct the shot number. Typically, this is either 3 or 4. |
| add a suffix | Text to add at the end of the shot id (optional). |
| shot id format | Defines how the prefix, scene, sequence, shot number, and suffix will be combined to create the full shot id (reference the shortcodes below). |
shortcodes
Shortcodes are predefined text that instructs Marvin where to substitute the appropriate data.
| name | shortcode |
| prefix | <prefix> |
| scene | <scene> |
| sequence | <sequence> |
| number | <number> |
| suffix | <suffix> |
to auto-number shots
- Click the actions button
- Click auto-number
- Fill out the form (see parameters above)
- Click number
Every shot in the found set will be updated with its calculated shot number as well as a prefix and/or suffix, if provided, using the shot id format specified.
tips
- Below the format field are buttons for quickly inserting shortcodes, but you can also type them in the field.
- Repeated scenes or sequences continue numbering to allow for intercutting.
- If you are not using a prefix or suffix, you do not have to remove their shortcodes from the format field as they will simply be ignored.
- Before re-importing the updated markers into Avid, first delete the original markers from the sequence.
example 1
Parameters: Start at 10, increment by 10, require 3 digits, and format: <scene>_<number>
Results: Shots with markers prepped like this ...
... will be auto-numbered like this ...
example 2
Parameters: Prefix "doom_101_", start at 100, increment by 10, require 4 digits, and format: <prefix><scene>_<number>
Results: Shots with markers prepped like this ...
... will be auto-numbered like this ...
example 3
Parameters: Start at 10, increment by 10, require 4 digits, and format:
<scene>_<sequence><number>
Results: Shots with markers prepped like this ...
... will be auto-numbered like this ...