Lightworks Tips: Working with the Cutlist Program by John Venzon and Robert Komatsu
Definition of time standing still: sorting out problems with the cutlist program while everyone is waiting for you. Here is the best way to avoid that problem ahead of time.	When synching dailies, hole punch the first even foot of every take. If the first even foot happens to fall on the first frame, hole punch the second even foot. This will give both you and the telecine operator a physical reference at the beginning of every take. You should also hole punch the first even foot of the tail leader. This will allow the telecine operator to verify that the Acmade burn-in still matches at the end of the reel. After digitizing, you can compare the time code and Acmade number listed in your digitizing database against the on-screen burn-in and hole punch for accuracy. Before you run cutlist, check the edit for frame reuse and sync. Then, make a copy of the edit and put it in a gallery named "Conform to Film." You will want to rename this copy with the same 8 character name of the EDG file for this edit (Remember, DOS only allows 8 characters). We format our EDG files like so: RR-DDDD. For example, Reel 7 on December 3rd would be named "07-1203." When doing track cutlists, replace the dash with a letter (A for track one, B for track two, and so on). For example, track three for Reel 7 on December 3rd would be named "07C1203." You will notice that our EDG file names have one character to spare. This eighth character is reserved for different versions of the same reel for one given day. For example, the second version of Reel 7 on December 3rd would be named "07-1203A." Using this system, DOS sorts the files alphabetically, with the most recent version on the bottom of the list. Next, merge all of your digitizing databases into one. We usually name our merged file ALL###.ODB. If we had 23 original databases, we would name the file "ALL023.ODB." This immediately tells you how current your merged ODB is. After running cutlist, check the printout for accuracy. Using the edit in the "Conform to Film" gallery, jump from cut to cut and compare the printout's start Acmade code against the window burn-in. Also, check the printout's "start at footage" against the footage counter on the edit tile monitor. You can use this same method to check Cutlists for track. However, since jumping from track cut to track cut won't let you see the window burn-in, you will have to pop out original tile for each cut and click on that tile to view the window burn of that particular frame. Hopefully, every cut will be listed. Hopefully... If you find "Unknowns" or "Use black" in your list where there should be a shot, the problem is with a missing or corrupted ED2 file. Make sure you have the "Use cookies where Keycode unknown" set to "YES" in the cutlist "Choose Options" setting. That way, you can trace the unknown shot by cookie number in XTREE to find the ED2 in question. Once the missing shot is found, you can copy the ED2 into the appropriate project and remake the EDG. If the list gives you a shot name, but an unknown roll and cookie number for the start code, it means that the ED2 files are fine. The problem is within your ODB database. First, check whether you have merged all the necessary ODBs for the edit. Try remaking the ODB from scratch using ADDLOG. This is a good 'catch all' solution, and should be tried any time you have a problem. If this doesn't help, check the reel number on the filecard for the shot in question. The cutlist program looks at every cut and compares each shot's reel number (located in the filecard) and timecode used against the entries in the ODB. Pay attention to zeros in front of reel numbers. If the ODB says "023" but the filecard says "23," cutlist won't find the shot, as it is looking for an exact match. The letter 'O' substituted in the place of zero can also be a culprit. Change the filecard to match the ODB. By using this method for each problem shot, you will guarantee that the cuts in your list will be accurate.
Reprinted from The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter Vol. 16, No. 6 - Nov/Dec 1995   Guild Home | Newsletter Home | Top of Page   Copyright © 1996, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776