Export Metadata

The Export Metadata block reads every media file in the source folder and writes metadata simultaneously to all enabled output formats. It can run independently or chained after Offload or Transcode, in which case the export source is set automatically to the relevant upstream destination.

Table of Contents

Configuration

Source — when running independently, the source is the folder set in the Workflow tab Source selector. When chained after Offload, the source is the primary offload destination. When chained after Transcode, the source is the transcode destination.

TC Mode — timecode behavior is controlled globally by the TC Mode setting in Preferences → General. See Preferences for details.

Output Formats

Export Metadata Folder — the folder where metadata files are saved. A subfolder named evrE_FolderName is created inside the source, containing all exported metadata files and the session log.

evrExpanse TSV

Native tab-separated format containing all extracted metadata fields. Usable as source for Apply Finder Tags and as a general-purpose metadata reference.

DaVinci Resolve CSV

CSV file with full camera metadata mapping. Includes Keywords and Flags derived from macOS Finder Tags. Import via File → Import Metadata To → Media Pool or Selected Clips.

Matching options in DaVinci Resolve:

  • Uncheck Match using clip start and end Timecode
  • Check Match using source file paths

Final Cut Pro FCPXML / FCPXMLD

Supported versions: FCPXML 1.9 (.fcpxml), FCPXMLD 1.10 through 1.14 (.fcpxmld).

Import by double-clicking the exported file — Final Cut Pro opens automatically and prompts for the target library. Metadata appears in the Inspector under a dedicated evrExpanse metadata view.

To activate the evrExpanse metadata view in FCP Inspector:

  1. Select a clip in the browser or timeline
  2. Open the Metadata View dropdown in the Info Inspector
  3. Choose Edit Metadata Views…
  4. Find and select evrExpanse, click OK

Metadata is fully searchable in the FCP browser and can be used to create Smart Collections.

Avid Media Composer ALE

ALE format with configurable Format, FPS, and Bin Name. Configure these in the Export block before running.

Import in Media Composer:

  1. Import your clips as master clips if not already done
  2. Select the relevant bin and clips
  3. Input → Import Media… from the context menu
  4. In Options, navigate to the Shot Log tab and select Merge events with known master clips
  5. Navigate to the ALE file and click Open

Media Composer matches master clips by Timecode, Bin Name, and Clip Name. Unknown metadata fields appear as custom columns in the bin.

Pomfort Silverstack CSV

Drylab CSV format. Import via the Import menu in Silverstack, selecting Drylab CSV. Match by Clip Name and Creation Date (Date only).

Available metadata sections in Silverstack: Camera Settings, Lens and Filter, Comment and Caption, Append Tags.

Assimilate SCRATCH XML

When enabled, evrExpanse sends an XML file to the SCRATCH Watch Folder automatically on completion. The file is imported by SCRATCH on the next project load.

A local copy is saved in evrE_FolderName for reference or use on other workstations.

The SCRATCH Watch Folder path and Project Name are configured in Preferences → Metadata Export. The Project Name must match exactly with the existing project name in SCRATCH.

Sony RTMD CSV

Real Time Metadata in CSV format. Compatible with Sony production workflows.

Extract LUT

Extracts embedded .cube LUT files from media. Supported for Kinefinity, ARRI, and McPRO24fps cameras. Extracted LUT files are saved in the evrE_FolderName subfolder alongside other exported metadata.

Supported Media Formats

Default formats — always included:
MOV MP4 MXF JPG JPEG PNG TIF

Optional formats — enabled per session in the Export block:
MKV NEV R3D HEIC DNG AVIF ARW CR2 CR3 NEF RAF

Optional formats are toggled per session so you can choose exactly which file types to include in a given export. Default formats are always included; optional ones let you keep the output focused on the media that matters for your workflow. Support varies by target application — most NLEs simply ignore formats they don't recognise.

Camera-Aware Metadata Mapping

evrExpanse recognizes camera type from file metadata and maps tags accordingly for each NLE. Supported camera manufacturers:

Panasonic · Sony Alpha · Sony XDCAM · Canon · Nikon · Fujifilm · ARRI · Z Cam · Kinefinity · Atomos (Ninja & Inferno) · McPRO24fps · GoPro · Apple iPhone · Blackmagic Camera App

For the complete camera compatibility table, see the Camera Compatibility page.

Canon XF Utility Integration

Applicable to Canon EOS Cinema cameras prior to the C80 and C400 series — C300, C500, C200, C700, C70, R5 C and others. Canon C80 and C400 embed metadata directly in MXF files and are supported natively without this workflow.

Requirements:

  • Canon XF Utility installed from the Canon website
  • Source MXF clips in their original folder structure, including the INDEX.MIF file

Workflow:

  1. Open Canon XF Utility and load the card or folder containing MXF files
  2. In Preferences, set Frame Grab file type to JPEG
  3. Manually grab a single still frame for each clip using Grab a Single Still Frame
  4. Place the exported JPG files inside the source folder used in evrExpanse, or create a symlink from the XF Utility export path into the source folder
  5. Run Export Metadata or Transcode in evrExpanse

evrExpanse automatically matches JPG frame grabs with the corresponding MXF clips and extracts enhanced metadata from the matched pairs.

Zero-Byte File Detection

Before the export begins, evrExpanse scans for zero-byte files in the source folder. A warning is presented if any are found. Zero-byte files are included in the final report regardless of whether you proceed.

Output Folder Structure

After export, the metadata lands inside an evrE_FolderName subfolder. Where that subfolder is created depends on your setup:

  • Export only — inside the source folder.
  • Combined workflow (offload and/or transcode) — inside the destination folder.
  • Custom Metadata Destination set (Preferences → Metadata Export) — inside the folder you chose, regardless of the workflow. Each exported source keeps its own evrE_FolderName subfolder there, so multiple sources can share one destination without mixing.
SourceFolderName/  (source folder, or DestinationFolder/ for combined
                      workflow, or your Metadata Destination if set)
    evrE_FolderName/
      evrE_..._DaVinciResolve.csv
      evrE_..._FinalCutPro.fcpxml
      evrE_..._MediaComposer.ale
      evrE_..._Silverstack.csv
      evrE_..._evrExpanse.tsv
      evrE_..._SonyRTMD.csv
      evrE_..._Scratch_insert.xml
      Exported_LUT/
        LUT files (.cube)
      evrExpanse_yyyymmdd_hhmmss_export/transcode.log