Messages & Alerts Overview
During the course of production Constellation will send you updates, reports and occasionally alerts. This section will explain what to expect.
Our CNC architecture means that we will see errors, anomalies and issues as they happen, and very often the issue will be resolved before you are even aware there is one.
Please bear in mind that the unit is autonomous NOT automatic, tasks can, and do, happen in in parallel, in series or any combination thereof. The unit will explicitly tell you when all the tasks are complete. Do not remove the drive or unplug the computer until then.
Anatomy of a Data Report
Constellation will generate archives from footage to hard drive, RAID or LTO Tape. Constellation uses the superb YoYotta Engine which will generate accurate, usable data reports.
You will only receive this message once the copy has completed, verified and all the checksums and thumbnails assembled.
You can request a master version of these that covers the entire production in one document but the request must be made on or before the last day shooting / delivery.
Anatomy of a Clip Report
This is the report that immediately proceeds image analysis and it the last step prior to transcoding. This is a very insightful document because it shows you what and how the system handled each shot.
Here are some things of note:
Total Duration: This is the total camera hours for the batch and forms the core of the billing.
Clip: The original clip ID so you can find the source and work back upstream to resolve any issues.
Scene and Take: This is the corrected, processed scene ID as it will appear in the output. The software can, and frequently does, correct based on the slate or other context available to it.
FPS: Helps you identify clips which are not in the projects root frame rate.
Comments: This is where the system will report anything it finds. Red notes are alerts that require action, yellow is for general notes and blue is reserved for the audio mixer notes to carry through.
Here's how we would read this Report:
Clip A001C008 is a framing chart, useful for the editors to know. At around 10AM the camera lost TC and did not regain it. The second clip on reel A002 was a burnt clip. The audio file for 10A take 3 was shorter than expected. A boom mic crept into frame during 10B take 1 about three quarters of the way through the clip.
The Constellation system detected and reported this.
Alerts
There are only a few alerts that it will send to you, and they commonly to do with the loss of internet connection or power, it cannot tell which since our servers
EDL (Avid Media Composer)
TapeID is preserved as the source clip name no matter what the files are called. Referencing that will ensure your EDL files connect as expected.
Constellation is full compliant with OP1a ATOM standards for Avid.
CDL and LUT Directories
These are passed through as-is from the data manager or DIT on-set. In the DIT / Colorist section we recommended that they put these inside the Day folder so they can be found by Constellation, however, it can collate those to a new directory at end of show if desired. They can also be delivered along with the editorial package each day.
We do not recommend adding CDL values into the AVID metadata unless you are very sure the editor and colorist know exactly how to handle that workflow.
Metadata Handling
Constellation passes ALL metadata though. In the case of Avid Media Composer, this can mean maximizing all MXF files, the BIN and adding an ALE.
Editing platforms that use ProRes will benefit from applying the ALE file Constellation supplies, as this contains many of the columns ProRes does not natively cover, like the scene and take.
Constellation is able add additional columns for you too.
By default Constellation adds these custom columns;
Constellation: The unit's ID name
Title: Title of the show
Show Code: The short 3-5 digit unique code
Please reach out before start of principle photography, and every effort will be made to meet your requirements.
Wrap isn't the end
We remain interested and engaged through the end of the show. If you see something let us know. This is open BETA and we are gathering information and on the rare occasion things are wrong we aim set things right when we can.