Project Setup & Media Management
Before exporting anything, the NLE project should be clean, organized, and fully online. These few steps eliminate the majority of conform headaches.
Sequence Settings
Confirm the sequence settings match the final delivery specifications before export, not the edit proxy settings. Common mismatches that cause problems:
- Sequence at 23.976 fps but OCM shot at 24 fps (or vice-versa)
- Sequence at 1920×1080 when delivery is 3840×2160
- Sequence at square pixels when sources are anamorphic
- Dropframe vs non-dropframe mismatch with broadcast delivery
If you are unsure what the final delivery spec is, ask before you start the online process. See the Codec & Spec Reference for common delivery formats.
Media Organization
A well-organized project is the single biggest time-saver in conform. Every minute spent labeling and binning is a minute saved in finishing.
Bin Structure
Organize bins by content type:
01_OCM— Original Camera Media02_Archival— Licensed or approved archival clips03_Stock— Stock footage04_VFX— VFX renders and in-progress shots05_GFX— Titles, lower thirds, end credit rolls06_Audio— Music, SFX, dialogue stems07_Sequences— Your working and locked sequences08_Reference— Scripts, notes, reference materials
Numbered prefixes keep bins in a predictable order across NLEs.
Clean Up Before Export
- Remove unused media — if it’s not in the final cut, it shouldn’t be in the project
- Replace placeholders — offline clips, low-res stock, watermarked screener footage should all be replaced with their final versions
- Delete empty bins and orphaned sequences
- Consolidate or remove duplicate media — two copies of the same clip with different names will conform inconsistently
Relink Media
Every clip in the final sequence must be online and linked to its master file before export.
Verification Checklist
- All V1 OCM clips show thumbnails (not media offline)
- All archival clips are linked to approved masters (not screeners or watermarked versions)
- All VFX shots point to the latest approved version
- All GFX renders are final
- All audio tracks are linked
Common Relink Issues
| Symptom | Likely Cause |
|---|---|
| Clips show “Media Offline” | Drive not mounted or path changed |
| Clips link but show wrong footage | Duplicate filenames across camera cards |
| Audio drifts after relink | Frame rate mismatch between proxy and master |
| Clip name correct but timecode wrong | Relinked to a transcoded file with rewritten timecode |
If any of these appear, stop and fix before exporting. An XML built against offline or incorrectly linked media will not conform correctly.
Pre-Export Final Pass
Immediately before exporting, do a last pass:
- Sequence settings match delivery spec
- All media online, no red slashes
- Unused bins and media removed
- Tracks labeled clearly
- Multicam sequences committed (see next section)
- Markers placed and color-coded
- A duplicate “uncommitted” backup sequence saved in case edits are needed
You are now ready to export.