VFX Pulls in Content Hub’s Media Production Suite allows you to locate & transcode your Original Camera Footage to EXR files for your VFX vendors.
Table of Contents
Editing Submission and Output Names
Formatting Your EDL
Before you use VFX Pulls in Content Hub there are a few requirements and best practices that you will want to adhere to when it comes to preparing your EDL for upload into Content Hub.
We will be required to have locators and we recommend some type of Tape Id in your EDL to ensure that your clip can be found and trimmed to just the required media. To ensure a successful match, we recommend that you remove any effects. While our system may be able to use an EDL that has not been decomposed, we cannot guarantee things will perfectly line up.
Please note that we only accept File 32 or 129 EDLs, not CMX 3600. Nor do we accept AAFs or XMLS.
Should you have multiple frame rates please consult with your Netflix representative to understand your options for any frame rate that does not match your timeline.
VFX Pulls Settings
Before submitting your first VFX Pull you’ll need to ensure your project default settings for VFX Pulls have been configured. In your Content Hub project, select the VFX Pulls tab and then select Settings.
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In the now visible settings menu you customize the following fields:
- Format: The default is to deliver EXR files or you can choose to transwrap your original camera files.
- Number of Handles: This will be the number of extra frames added to both the front and tail of your clip.
- Output Naming: The output naming option will determine how the files are named as well as the containing folder. Locators, Source File Name, or the Name Column are all available to you.
- Filter Lists File: Is automatically disabled but if you choose to enable it, this will allow you to filter what specific events from your EDL are utilized.
- Compression: If transcoding to EXR, you will have the option to enable different compression options.
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Framing: You have the option to enable different framing options. Currently you can choose Full Resolution or Scale to UHD. The scale to UHD option will scale the entire image into a UHD container, with the following logic:
- Identify source aspect ratio.
- If the source aspect ratio is wider than 1.77 (16x9), Content Hub will scale the height to 2160 and calculate the width to maintain the original aspect ratio
- If the source aspect ratio is taller than 1.77 (16x9), Content Hub will scale the width to 3840 and calculate the height to maintain the original aspect ratio
- Starting Frame: When rendering to EXR, you can define a specific number to be used when numbering your image sequence. When choosing Active Frame the first frame contained in your EDL will be the number you have defined. When choosing First Frame the number you typed in will be the first frame, whether it is a handle or not.
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When satisfied with the setting select Update. If you ever want to restore back to the Netflix default settings you can select Reset to Default.
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VFX Pulls Walkthrough
Log into Content Hub, navigate to your project and select the VFX Pulls tab. Here you can monitor all active VFX Pull requests as well as initiating new VFX Pull requests.
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Select Create a VFX Pull.
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From the now visible menu, select which vendor or recipient should receive the pull, if you’re not seeing the vendor or recipient you need to send to, this means that vendor or user has not been onboarded to this project, therefore you should reach out to your Netflix Contact.
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In the VFX Pull Settings section, you’ll see all your project specific default settings applied and if needed you can make any modifications for only this pull.
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Next drag and drop your EDL into the Upload List File section. The system will then verify that this is an EDL and that there are no formatting errors with the file. Then select Create.
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The system is now processing your EDL. It’s confirming that we have all of the media that was in the EDL and does it recognize any known errors. Additionally during this process any illegal characters in the name of the EDL and the EDL itself will be removed. Once this QC process is completed the status will tell you if you are ready to submit.
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To attach any additional files, like a quicktime reference or count sheet, select the text under the header Attachments. Then select Add Attachments. Attachments cannot exceed 5gb per file.
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Once you are satisfied with your submission, select the Submit button.
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You can add a note with any additional information you might want to include about your VFX Pull, this note will be included in the email confirmation. Then select Confirm.
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Your pull has now officially been submitted and the statues will now show as In Progress.
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The recipient will receive an email confirmation stating the job is In Progress. The email will show the submission name, number of events, when it was submitted, who submitted the pull, any notes left, and a breakdown of the shots included in the submission.
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Should you ever have any questions about the settings that were used in a specific VFX Pull. On the submission page select the I icon and you will be able to view the settings that were used, who submitted the pull, when it was created, submitted, and completed.
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Saving or Deleting Events
Should you have any need to either save events for later or delete events completely from a VFX Pull you can do so in the submission details page.
To delete an event, select the trashcan icon located in the actions column for that event. This will remove it all together from your VFX Pull.
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To save an event for later, select the watch icon located in the action column for that event. This will create a new submission in draft where you can work through any errors.
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Monitoring Your Submission
In the submission details page you will see an overall status for the pull above your events, and then a status for each event in the status column of the table.
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On the VFX Pulls tab you will also see that your submission is in progress.
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When your pull is completed on both the submission details page and the VFX Pulls Tab you will see Completed.
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Additionally the recipient will receive an email confirmation stating the job is completed. The email will show the submission name, number of events, when it was submitted, who submitted the pull, any notes left, and a breakdown of the shots included in the submission.
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Editing Submission and Output Name
To edit the name of your submission hoover over the submission name on the submission details page and click. Edit your submission name and then select Update.
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To edit an event in your submission, from the right-hand panel select Edit Metadata. Update your output name and select Update.
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