Clip library and metadata
Reeltime stores all your recordings in a comprehensive clip library including clip-based and global metadata. The clip library and its underlying media file management (media folders and record folder) is project-dependent so that you can have a dedicated library with individual media file management for each of your shoots.
Manage clips and stills in the clip library#
Over the course of a project the clip library grows to a comprehensive log of all shots and rehearsals that can be accessed anytime for review.
Adding clips to the library:#
You can add clips by creating recordings manually or automatically using the auto-record mechanism (e.g. following the record flag in SDI signal’s ANC metadata).
You can add stills from the currently selected slot’s signal (live or playback mode), all armed slots (live mode), or all loaded group clips st the current playhead position (playback mode).
Additionally, an “Import Media…” menu item in the library menu lets you import QuickTime movies in a ProRes codec or still images (in jpeg, png, tiff, heif and heic) as a reference.
All clip entires combine the clip specific metadata (such as clip name and timecode from the ANC metadata in the video signal) with the currently filled in global metadata fields which helps later to find clips using the smart groups and/or the text search, etc.
A “Duplicate” contextual menu item in the clip library allows for duplicating the selected clip(s) and/or still(s).
Loading clips for playback:#
By default recorded clips are automatically loaded for playback into the associated source slot when recording has stopped. If you wish you can disable this behaviour in the recording settings.
Additionally, you can also load a clip manually by double-clicking the clip in the library:
- If the clip is a single recording the clip is loaded into the currently selected slot
- If the clip is in a group the whole group is loaded into its associated source slots for TC-synced group playback, (e.g., the clip from camera A into slot A, the clip from camera B into slot B, etc.)
Using the “Load Selected Clip into Current Slot” menu item or controller action you can also load a single clip form a group into the currently selected slot.
Managing groups:#
You can select the whole group of a clip by option-clicking one clip of the group, (e.g., to edit the metadata for all selected clips in the info tab, see below). Furthermore, you can remove a clip from a group or merge clips into a group, (e.g., if you finished recording in one of the slots accidentally and then restarted recording a second “part” of a clip you will need to add the second part to the group).
Applying clip-specific metadata and global metadata#
Each recording comes with clip-specific metadata fields such as timecode, clip name and camera (slot character). Global metadata are metadata fields that are valid for all recordings in a group, for example slate info fields (scene, shot, take, etc.) and production info fields (shooting day, location, crew unit, etc.).
Clip-specific metadata fields are usually auto-populated based on the metadata in the SDI signal and the slot configuration.
You can fill-in the global metadata fields in the global metadata panel. There is a vertical panel in the upper right hand side of the main view layout or a horizontal panel between the toolbar and viewers in the multi-view layouts. By default the take fields is increased automatically after recording stopped (except for single recordings triggered directly from the slot card). You can disable the automatically increasing for the take field in the recording settings.
Global Metadata panel in main view window layout
You can set your preferred behaviour (e.g., how the scene field should increment) in the slating settings.
The “Take” field is increased automatically after a recording stopped (you can disable this behaviour by checking “Disable increase of take number after recording has stopped”)
Rehearsal mode:#
You can activate the “rehearsal mode” to apply a customizable rehearsal prefix to the take field of the upcoming recording(s). The default rehearsal prefix is “R”, however, you can change it to your preferred prefix in the slating settings.
You enable the rehearsal mode via the Slot > Enable Rehearsal Mode menu item, or the associated Stream Deck controller action. Alternatively, you can toggle the rehearsal mode on/off with the dedicated “R” global toolbar button.
The active rehearsal mode is also indicated by the amber-colored color bar in the input slots and the amber-colored record button during recording.
Additionally, all recordings made during rehearsal mode get assigned the amber-colored clip label “Rehearsal” (the automatic behavior can be changed in the library settings under “Automatic Label Assignment”).
Clip labels:#
You can assign a colored clip label to any media item in the library. The label names are customizable in the library settings under “Label Names”. The label settings are project-dependent. By default, labels are assigned automatically for the following labels:
- Movie recordings > “Recorded Takes” (red label)
- Recordings of rehearsals > “Rehearsal” (amber label)
- Created stills > “Reference” (yellow label)
- Composite recordings > “Composite Recording” (violet label)
- Imported media > “Imported Media” (grey label)
The automatic behavior can be changed in the library settings under “Automatic Label Assignment”. The automatic label assignment settings are project-dependent.
The clip library’s UI elements#
The clip library has multiple UI elements helping you the manage and inspect your clips in your preferred appearance and structure.
Clip library outline (Folders and Bins):#
Clips always reside in bins, and bins can be grouped in folders. Folders and bins can be used to give your project a logical structure by for example grouping shots in shooting days, cameras, units, or scenes. You can create bins and folders with the corresponding buttons above the clip library. Drag and drop bins for grouping bins in folders or reordering bins and folders. You can hide the clip library outline column (e.g., if you prefer to browse the library only using smart groups)
Smart groups:#
There is an advanced “Smart Groups” view accessible from the clip library window, that displays a hierarchical structured outline of the currently selected folder level of the shot library. Smart groups are auto-generated based on clip metadata. You can define the hierarchy levels for the outline in an option menu, that provides the metadata fields “Season”, “Episode”, “Flagged”, “Label”, “Crew Unit”, “Shooting Day”, “Scene”, “Shot”, “Take”, “Camera”, “Caption”, “Location” and “Rating” to choose from. You can also choose from predefined smart group layouts or save and apply custom layouts. You can hide the smart groups column, (e.g., if you want to the clip library outline instead or need more space to view your table content or collection view content.)
Library with “Scene” > “Shot” > “Take” smart groups
Clips table:#
The clips table displays the clip entries of the currently selected bin or folder in the clip library.
A clip’s metadata is displayed as columns that you can sort by or edit clicking into the field. You can change the list’s shown columns with the options menu on top of the clips table. You can also reorder the table columns by dragging them. If you want to use multiple column layouts for different use cases or projects you can save a column layout and/or restore one of the saved column layouts. Furthermore, a text search field lets you display only clip entries that match the currently entered text string.
Clips collection view:#
The clips collection view is an additional view in the clip library that visually represents clips with a large thumbnail, the clip’s name and rating and flagging properties. By hovering over a thumbnail you can skim through the clip’s content and load the clip at the current skim-head position by double clicking. You can use the text search field to display only clip entries that match the currently enters text string.
Info tab:#
The info tab in the lower right-hand side of the interface lets you inspect and edit the metadata of the selected clip in the clip library. If you select multiple clips you can also inspect fields with matching values or multi-edit metadata fields for all selected clips at once.