Track Layout

updated

A consistent track layout is the single most useful organizational habit in documentary conform. When every project lands with the same structure, the finisher can work faster, make fewer mistakes, and spot problems quickly.

This layout is a preference, not a hard requirement. Simpler projects often use fewer tracks, and complex projects may need more. The important thing is to communicate your track structure before delivering the first turnover.

Preferred Track Layout — Documentary Turnover

Preferred Video Track Layout

Track Contents Notes
V1 Original Camera Media (OCM) On-camera interviews, vérité footage, B-roll. Add more video tracks below V1 only if layering or compositing is needed
V2 Archival + Stock Masters High-quality, final, approved archival and stock. Fair-use material goes here too
V3 Archival + Stock Offline Lower-quality or placeholder archival. Makes it easy to spot what still needs licensing
V4 Opticals Overlays, light leaks, film burns, additional look elements
V5 VFX Finalized or in-progress VFX shots. Include a reference layer if working with WIP — see WIP convention
V6 GFX Titles, lower thirds, graphics, logos. NLE-built titles must also be marked on the timeline with a unique marker color
V7 Captions / Subtitles Only if part of picture delivery

Preferred Audio Track Layout

Important: Deliver audio as embedded or sidecar mono/stereo files, not as raw multi-track audio inside the AAF. Raw audio in AAF significantly increases file size and can cause import issues in Resolve.

Track Contents Purpose
A1–A2 Stereo Reference Mix A reference mix for picture conform and reference QuickTime only. Not a replacement for stem delivery to post sound
A3 Dialogue Cleaned dialogue stems
A4 Music Music stems
A5 Sound Effects SFX stems, ambience, Foley

Visual Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  V7  │  Captions / Subtitles                                │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  V6  │  GFX — titles, lower thirds, graphics                │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  V5  │  VFX — final and in-progress                         │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  V4  │  Opticals — overlays, light leaks                    │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  V3  │  Archival / Stock — offline or placeholder           │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  V2  │  Archival / Stock — final masters                    │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  V1  │  OCM — original camera media                         │
╞══════╪══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╡
│ A1-2 │  Stereo Reference Mix                                │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  A3  │  Dialogue                                            │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  A4  │  Music                                               │
├──────┼──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  A5  │  Sound Effects                                       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Principles

Simplify Where Possible

Fewer tracks means a cleaner conform. Do not split material across tracks just to show off organization — use tracks where they add clarity, not complexity.

Label Every Track

Every video and audio track should be named in the NLE before export. Generic labels like V1, V2, A3 travel into Resolve as-is; named tracks (V1 OCM, V2 Archival Masters) make the conform far easier to read.

Remove Unused Tracks

Delete any track that contains no clips in the final sequence. Empty tracks clutter the conform and can confuse automated tools.

Consistent Labeling Across Projects

If you work on multiple shows, keep the labeling pattern identical across them. Consistency compounds — one editor, three shows, same track layout saves hours over a season.

Variations by Project Type

Not every project needs the full seven-video-track layout. Common variations:

Project Type Typical Layout
Short-form social V1 OCM, V2 GFX, A1-2 Stereo Mix
Corporate / branded content V1 OCM, V2 B-roll, V3 GFX, A1-2 Stereo, A3 Dialogue, A4 Music
Standard documentary The full layout above
Series episodic Full layout, plus dedicated tracks for recurring titles and promo elements
Feature documentary Full layout, expanded VFX tracks, dedicated track for temp music vs licensed

When in doubt, ask. Ten minutes of alignment up front eliminates rework later.

Pre-Export Track Checklist

  • Every video and audio track named in the NLE (no anonymous V1, A3)
  • Empty / unused tracks removed from the sequence
  • V3 archival placeholders flagged with a marker so they’re easy to spot
  • V5 WIP VFX have a reference layer alongside if needed
  • V6 NLE-built titles marked with a unique marker color
  • Stem audio (A3 dialogue, A4 music, A5 SFX) on the right tracks per the layout
  • Layout matches what was communicated to the conformer in the turnover email