Export Reference Clip
The reference clip is an integral part of the conform process — it lets us check that your edit is coming through exactly how you want it to.
Pro tip: click the checkboxes as you run through the list.
Duplicate your locked sequence and give it a suffix like _REFERENCE
Don't delete audio — it's okay to keep audio here in the reference clip
Remove graphics and any other elements not requiring color
Import the "Data Burn-In" preset — download the Premiere preset below
Export with "data burn-in" checked — watch the video tutorial below for confirmation
Match your timeline's dimensions and frame rate — if your timeline is 1080p / 23.976, export the reference clip at 1080p / 23.976
Export as:
QuickTime — ProRes 422 Proxy (Mac users)
MXF OP1-A — DNxHR LB (PC users)
Download the Premiere preset, import it, and export your reference with data burn-in checked. The two-part video covers importing the preset and exporting out of Premiere.
Premiere_Metadata_Burn-in_2025-09-13_SwatchFour.prfpset
A version of this will be populated using the preset — use as reference.
Video tutorial — import the preset + export from Premiere
Prep Timeline
Simplifying your timeline and double-checking for any effects that can't be matched in our color system is the best way for us to avoid a lot of back-and-forth down the road.
Duplicate your locked sequence and give it a descriptive suffix like _forColor
Remove graphics and any other elements not requiring color
Flatten all multi-cam clips
→ In timeline → right-click multi-cam clip → "Multi-camera" → "Flatten". You can select many at once — just make sure you don't miss any.
Check for nested sequences — no need to flatten them. Just make sure every sub-sequence is included when you upload (Step 4) — we can relink them on our end
When in doubt, include more timelines rather than fewer — we can pick and choose what we need.
Collapse clips and edits down into as few video tracks as possible
When you're done, there should be no clips or handles in the sequence that aren't visible in the locked cut.
Join any through-edits — unless being used to divide speed changes or reframes
i.e. if one clip is accidentally split in two (but is meant to be a single clip), please merge them.
Keep your repositions, scales, rotations, crops, and speed changes applied — these do transfer, including keyframes
Complete the "Before You Upload" check (next step) and render out anything flagged
Before You Upload — Flag Check
Conform Tools translates your Premiere timeline to our color system automatically, but a handful of effects can't make the trip. Scan your timeline for the items below.
Warp-stabilized clips
Stabilization does not translate — render it as a VFX clip, or apply it after you receive color assets back for your final conform.
Speed/duration + time remapping
One clip with a constant speed change AND a variable speed ramp: only the variable curve survives. Remove one of the two, or render the clip. Clips with only one or the other transfer correctly.
VFX / composited clips
Same as our standard workflow — render these individually in Log per the specs below.
Treat each of these exactly like a VFX clip:
Remove ALL color adjustments — renders must be in the original camera's Log profile
Export clips individually as ProRes 4444 XQ (Mac users) / DNxHR 444 12-bit (PC users)
Name each clip descriptively — i.e. A012C008_240918_RNEI_Stabilized.mov
Place in a folder titled "VFX"
Flipped clips
We'll catch any horizontally or vertically flipped clips on our end of the conform.
Blend modes
These transfer just fine — Normal, Darken, Multiply, Lighten, Screen, Add, Soft Light, Hard Light, Difference, Subtract. Anything else (Dissolve, Overlay, Color Dodge, Hue, Luminosity, etc.) reverts to Normal — if the blended look matters, render it as a VFX clip.
Effects on a nested sequence itself
Speed, transform, crop, or opacity applied to the nest (not the clips inside it) gets flagged for us automatically — we sort them out during relink.
Transitions
Every transition type arrives on our end as a cross dissolve. Anything fancier gets re-applied at final conform — just send us a note on which ones.
Speed ramp + motion path easing
Keyframe values arrive exactly, but easing curves become linear on our end. If the ease itself is the shot, render it as a VFX clip.
Reinterpreted frame rates
i.e. 24fps media interpreted as 30fps — auto-flagged for us; we verify playback speed on our end.
Footage above 60fps
120fps, 240fps, etc. — just tell us it's in there so we can double-check after import.
Lumetri / color adjustments
Color is not part of the transfer, so no need to strip these clip-by-clip. Just make sure your VFX renders are in Log — see above
Upload Footage with Conform Tools
Conform Tools pairs your project file with your source media and bundles ONLY the frames your edit touches — plus 48-frame handles — into one smart package. No hard drives, no multi-terabyte uploads.
Use the personal upload link we send you — no account or sign-up required on your end
Drop in your Premiere project file (.prproj) — the actual project file, not an XML
The project file carries complete transform data that XML can't.
Select your ##INLINE4## timeline AND every sub-sequence nested inside it — more is better; we'll choose what to download
Connect your source media when prompted — Conform Tools reads the timeline(s) and figures out exactly which files and frame ranges it needs
Most modern formats extract "sparsely" (only the used frames): ProRes, H.264/H.265, R3D, ARRIRAW, DNxHD/DNxHR, XAVC, and image sequences. Anything unsupported is simply sent in full automatically — no action needed.
conform.tools/i2o/swatchfour
Send Everything Else via Filemail
Conform Tools delivers your footage — everything else comes to us through our Filemail link, which also collects a few project details we need (camera / color space, editor contact info, etc.).
Drop in:
- Your .prproj project file
- REFERENCE clip — burned-in reference export
- VFX renders — every flagged clip rendered individually in Log
- Any production LUTs or LUTs you've been editing with
- Any reference stills or look references
- Anything else you'd like us to have
Zip it up and upload to our Filemail link — swatchfour.filemail.com
Fill in the requested project details in the Filemail form.
Final Checklist
Almost done! Let's just triple-check that we have everything we need.
_forColor timeline prepped + "Before You Upload" check complete
Conform Tools upload — .prproj + source media, all sub-sequences selected
Filemail — REFERENCE, VFX, .prproj, LUTs, stills, project details
Text or email us once both uploads complete — (330) 715-3729 / brandon@swatchfour.com
That's it — reach out with any questions
Color Confidence, from pre-to-post.