Here is the simple 3 step process to getting all files ready and sent to us for audio mixing!
Step 1
AAF & Stems 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 ProjectName_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.
Note: For a helpful guide on renaming tracks in Premiere, please refer to this tutorial:
Important Notes:
Enable all clips before export. (disabled clips do not come through the AAF)
Required Track Order
Organization
First, start by making sure all audio is organized into discrete sections for the three main categories.
• Dialogue
• Music
• Sound Effects
NOTE: There should not be any sound effects on a dialogue channel, music on a sound effects channel, etc.
Organize in the order seen below:
For overlapping dialogue, give characters multiple tracks as needed.
Dialogue (Voiceover mics):
Jessie 1
Jessie 2
Max 1
Alvin 2
Fairy
Village Person
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
Stems Export
Note: Before beginning any dialogue exports, make sure all time-shifted dialogue has the “Maintain Audio Pitch” checkmark enabled. If this is not enabled, we will not have proper pitch and won’t be able to start the mixing process. See screenshot: 👉
Strip Audio Effects
Next, before exporting any stems, please make sure to strip all audio FX.
One reminder again is to make sure you are on a duplicate timeline, so you do not lose your original effects in case we need them back later.
To do this, highlight all audio in your timeline, right click, choose “Remove Attributes” from the menu. Make sure all effects are checked, and hit OK, to remove them.
Audio Format for all stems: 48K, 24-bit.
Dialogue
For all Dialogue channels, export a single stem for each track, which means any characters who have more than one track will get multiple stems.
Single Stem per each character with no overlapping dialogue
Multiple Stems per any character with overlapping dialogue
Music & FX:
a single stem for Music
a single Stem for Ambience
a single Stem for FX
AAF Export
Once all stems are done, it is now time to
AAF Export Settings
Audio Format: 48K, 24-bit.
Frame Handles: 48 frames.
Embed audio in the AAF.
Step 2
Video Reference File
Video Reference Format: Should match native resolution and frame rate of timeline, and we accept MOV, DNxHD and MP4. 4K preferred.
Please burn in time-code.
Step 3
File Upload
All files must be uploaded via our WeTransfer Portal.
NOTE: We do not accept Google Drive.
