Step 1: AAF Prep & Creation

Before delivering your assets, it's crucial to ensure that your timeline is properly organized and formatted for our audio system.

Duplicate your timeline. Name the new timeline FilmName_AAF.
Next, organize and name all tracks (see instructions below)

Track Organization & Naming

All audio must be properly organized before exporting your AAF. Below is the required track order for different types of audio.

Track Renaming Tutorial

Note: For a helpful guide on renaming tracks in Premiere, please refer to this tutorial:

Important Notes:

Keep all channels active, no matter which character is talking. We sometimes use alternate LAVs, and it is handy to have all available channels at all times.

Enable all clips before export. (disabled clips do not come through the AAF)

Required Track Order

Step 1A

First, start by making sure all audio is organized into discrete sections for the three main categories.

• Dialogue

• Music

• Sound Effects

There should not be any sound effects on a dialogue channel, music on a sound effects channel, etc.

Organize in the order seen below:
Note: we do not need Mix LR files, just Boom and Lav

Dialogue (Boom and LAV mics):

Boom
Lav
Lav
etc

Voiceover and ADR:

VO 1
VO 2
ADR 1
ADR 2

Music (Stereo):

All music must be stereo

Music 1
Music 2
etc

Ambience/Room Tone:

Ambience 1
Ambience 2
etc

Sound Effects:

FX 1
FX 2
etc

Step 1B - Duplicate Timeline Again

Next, duplicate your timeline again, and name the new one FilmName_EDL. For now, stay inside the AAF timeline. We will come back to the other one later.

Step 1C - Character Dialogue Sort

Next, inside the AAF timeline, we will sort the dialogue. See instructions below for a proper dialogue sort.

Character Dialogue Sort:

For overlapping dialogue, repeat Boom and Lavs a second time in the exact same character order.
If there is ADR or Voiceover associated with characters, keep them on a separate channel, but still with the characters.
Boom 1
Boom 2
Susie Lav 1
Susie Lav 2
Johnny Lav 1
Johnny Lav 2
Johnny ADR
Austin Lav 1
Austin Lav 2
Austin VO
Temp ADR
etc

Step 1D - AAF Export

AAF Export Settings

Audio Format: 48K, 24-bit.
Frame Handles: 48 frames.
Embed audio in the AAF.

Step 2: EDL Creation

EDL (Edit Decision List)

Open the EDL timeline we made previously.
Delete all music and sound effects from this timeline. This should only include dialogue that was recorded on set.
Export and include the EDL for your timeline to assist with the post-process.
Depending on your software, the EDL can only contain up to 4 channels. If you have mic channels on other channels other than 1-4, please export a separate EDL for these channels.
If you have multiple EDLs, please name such as “FilmName1-4”, “FilmName_9-12”, etc.

Step 3: OTHER file Deliverables

Once the AAF and the EDLs are finished, move on to the following deliverables:

1. Video Reference

Please send the SMPTE Time Code Start Time for each reel. We will encode each start time to final audio deliverables for accurate placement in your editing system.
Video Reference Format: Should match native resolution and frame rate of timeline, and we accept MOV, DNxHD and MP4.

2. Production Sound Folder

Ensure all on-set audio recordings are included in the Production Sound Folder.

3. Script & Production Notes

Please provide the most updated copy of the script, and if possible, the notated script from set.
Any production notes from set are helpful.

Step 4: File Upload

Projects Smaller Than 100GB

For projects smaller than 100GB, please upload all files via our WeTransfer portal. Please split the upload into two transfers.

AAF, EDLs, Reference video, and scripts.
Production Sound Folder
NOTE: We do not accept Google Drive.

Upload files here

Projects Larger than 100GB

For projects larger than 100GB, please contact us about setting up a shared Dropbox folder. This is much better for larger projects as the upload or download cannot fail halfway through.

All we need is your Dropbox email, and we will send you a share link. Then you’ll be ready to start uploading.