#215 - Faster VFX Pulls in Avid Media Composer

This is one of the most exciting techniques I've learned in a very very long time.

When someone as experienced as 1st Assistant Editor Richard Sanchez says this about a technique in Avid Media Composer, I want to know what it is.

It's all about a faster, more efficient way to manage VFX Pulls in Avid Media Composer.

It's a technique that allows you to very quickly and very accurately pull vfx plates, use those plates to very quickly check for changes in your cut and re-link incoming visual effects.

What I mean by that is, once you've cut a visual effect into your cut once, any time you get a new version (of that VFX shot) you can simply re-link to it, which means you never have to manually cut in another shot again.

As you get into shots that are going to have significant revisions this can save you a ton of time.

If you're an Assistant Editor, or want to be an Assistant Editor, this is gold.

If you're not, I'll admit this issue of Cut/daily is pretty niche, even for a daily subscription email for Post Production Pros, which is, itself, pretty niche.

But - 3 Reasons Why Everyone Should Watch This:

1) Watching Richard work will give you a (small) window into the world of Assistant Editing and what the job actually involves day in day out, specifically managing VFX Pulls coherently.

This might come in handy some day.

2) It is note worthy the meticulous attention to detail Richard takes over simple things like ensuring his files are named correctly, that they line up correctly etc.

Taking the time to double check your work means it's 90% more likely to be correct the first time, rather than slip-shod and error prone. (Guilty, as charged.)

3) An organised method = speed.

Creating replicable, systematic and efficient ways of doing things means that you'll benefit from the time-saving improvements you find in your workflows each time, and also gives you the opportunity to iteratively improve them.

Lessons for us all!