AltSpotter Assembly

Tech overview (AltSpanner / “AltSpotter Assembly” workflow)

The video addresses a common post-production problem: when you receive a short film’s AAF (and possibly video) and aren’t sure whether:

• the audio quality is best, or
• the AAF includes all microphones / raw audio.

The speaker demonstrates a workflow using a tool called AltSpanner (also referred to in the transcription as Alt Finder / Alt Shooter). The goal is to work with raw set audio rather than relying on what an editor exported.

Core product purpose / capabilities

1. Find alternative takes

   • Locate alternative dialogue takes when a performance, noise level, or acting isn’t usable in the delivered material.

2. Assemble synchronized “raw” audio from source files

   • Import AAF and raw audio files, then synchronize raw WAVs to the AAF timeline so you can access the full set audio.
   • Highlighted benefits:
     • Editors may deliver only a mixed track.
     • Builds help ensure access to full-length audio tails, avoiding dependence on what the editor exported.
     • Preserves original track/channel naming, which tools like DaVinci Resolve may remove when exporting AAF.

Tutorial steps shown in the video

1. Setup with AAF + reference

• The speaker starts with AAF and video imported, and uses a reference track.
• They create a new build/assembly track (“ASS”, for “assembly”) and copy the first relevant AAF channel.

2. Create an AltSpanner project as an audio database

• A project is created (example name: “Catch and Release”).
• This project acts like a portable database, so it can be moved between computers and shared with other editors.

3. Import audio and automatically transcribe dialogue

• Media files are imported from raw audio folders.
• AltSpanner:
  • imports audio, and
  • transcribes dialogue by “listening” to the audio (not just copying WAVs).
• Transcription accelerates searching/synchronization:
  • Instead of matching by waveform alone, it searches based on what is being said, producing candidate matches faster.
• Demonstration result:
  • ~78 audio files transcribed in about 1 minute 10 seconds.
  • Searching for a phrase (e.g., “bottle cap”) quickly surfaces alternative takes.

4. Build working WAVs using AAF + EDL + Pro Tools session

• In the “build” workflow:
  • The speaker recommends starting from AAF, or using a PTX session (Pro Tools XML) as a better base in some cases.
• They import/prepare data in Pro Tools, then:
  • clean up so only the assembly/build track remains,
  • identify problematic clips (e.g., distorted clips attributed to DaVinci Resolve) and note that metadata loss can complicate syncing.
• EDL overlay:
  • The speaker imports an EDL exported by the editor.
  • The system overlays EDL data onto the AAF build events, including reliable metadata (clip names, timeline placement).
  • Reported events count: 449 events.

5. Match events and waveform-sync the clips

• With audio in Pro Tools and metadata from EDL, the system matches using:
  • clip names + EDL information
• Reported outcome:
  • high match/relevance (many show 100% match).
• Then it performs waveform synchronization:
  • Quick sync is described as more aggressive than phase sync.
  • Estimated sync runtime: ~15 seconds (slowest step because it reads audio).

6. Handle synchronization errors

• Some clips may have:
  • no sync score, or
  • mismatches due to incorrect timecode.
• Manual correction:
  • select the right clip for an event (example: timecode drift required aligning clips from the correct take/day).
• Then run phase synchronization only on affected clips (example: three clips) to achieve correct alignment.

7. Export/assemble back into Pro Tools

• Options demonstrated:
  • link to original media files (avoid copying; use existing disk files),
  • “fix the cuts” (editors may cut clips without proper assembly glues),
  • remove duplicates with the same timecode.
• The system:
  • color-codes clips, and
  • writes them onto corresponding Pro Tools tracks (A1, A2, A3, etc.).

8. Visual verification of synchronization

• The speaker verifies alignment by checking:
  • waveforms on the timeline,
  • waveform transients,
  • phase/zero-crossing checks (example: “zero crossing” appears correct).
• They compare against the assembly track to confirm phase-locked alignment.

Analysis / review takeaways

• The biggest advantage is reducing uncertainty:
  • you can edit dialogue confidently without worrying whether you truly have raw audio and all microphones.
  • AltSpanner/Alt Shooter handles assembly and synchronization correctly.
• Another key advantage is track/character naming survival:
  • original poly/source naming is recovered.
  • by contrast, AAF exported via DaVinci Resolve may lose channel names.
• Efficiency claim:
  • setup/build for a ~10-minute short film took roughly 34 seconds (setup),
  • total effort was about 10 minutes to assemble,
  • considered worthwhile versus manual/field-recorder-track complexity.
• Delivered mixes may be incomplete:
  • left/right channels of a mix were missing (highlighting editor shortcomings),
  • but the build still recovers the needed assets from the set.

Key points about the tools referenced

• AltSpanner
  • project-based workflow,
  • transcription,
  • synchronization assistance.
• Alt Finder / Alt Shooter
  • referenced in subtitles; appears to cover importing/matching and waveform-sync/assembly in a build context.
• Output destination
  • a Pro Tools session (PTX, e.g., A1/A2 tracks) containing assembled, synchronized audio.

Main speakers / sources

• Main speaker: the video’s creator/instructor who demonstrates AltSpanner.
• Referenced external sources:
  • Pro Tools (DAW/session formats PTX)
  • AAF (archive/transfer audio format)
  • EDL (edit decision list)
  • DaVinci Resolve (noted as a potential source of distorted clips / metadata loss)