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Slip Clips To Match Reference

This finishing workflow corrects the source timing of clips that are already in approximately the right place. It compares clips on a chosen target video track with the overlapping reference on another video track, searches the available source frames, and slips each target clip to the best visual match without moving its timeline start or end. Reference V2 and target V1 remain the defaults.

Use it as the refinement stage of an auto-conform workflow: shot recall or an editor first places the likely source clips, then Slip Clips To Match Reference finds the exact frames.

New to Automation Agent?

This recipe uses Automation Agent for Adobe Premiere. Start with Set Up Your AI if the panel is not installed yet. The matching is deterministic and uses local Runtime Packs rather than a Workflow AI provider.

Fastest Path: Run The Library Script​

Load Slip Clips To Match Reference from Library > Examples > Finishing. The saved workflow contains the frame extraction, candidate search, confidence policy, clip-by-clip progress, cancellation handling, and review markers, so no live prompt or agent session is required.

Setup​

  1. Put the clips to refine on a target video track. V1 is the default.
  2. Put an online rendered reference on a different video track, overlapping the target clips. V2 is the default.
  3. Install the FFmpeg and Python/OpenCV Runtime Packs.
  4. Load Slip Clips To Match Reference from Examples > Finishing in the Library.
  5. Select the target clips to refine, then choose the reference and target track numbers in the run dialog. Track numbers use Premiere's labels, so V1 = 1. Selected target clips are the recommended scope; choose All clips on target track for a full-track pass.

The first version reads direct media files on both chosen tracks with FFmpeg. Nested sequences, generated media, offline media, speed changes, reverse playback, and time remapping are not supported.

Search Range​

  • ±3 seconds (Recommended) checks every possible source-frame offset within three seconds and the available source handles.
  • ±10 seconds does the same across a wider range.
  • Entire source searches every available placement within the source. Long sources use a coarse candidate pass followed by frame-accurate refinement around several distinct candidate regions.
  • Custom accepts a range in seconds.

The available source handles always form the hard boundary. Backward and forward limits are calculated independently for each clip.

Matching And Review​

The matcher first evaluates candidates at reduced image resolution. It then verifies several distinct candidates at higher resolution across up to three points in the overlap. This keeps bounded searches exhaustive in time while avoiding expensive feature matching for every candidate.

Every analyzed clip gets a color-coded marker. Green indicates a strong, consistent match; yellow asks for review; red indicates that no usable candidate could be applied. Marker comments include the applied frame offset, match quality, diagnostic scores, sample support, and search mode. These thresholds are intentionally internal rather than exposed as technical UI settings. A selected-only run replaces this workflow's markers only inside the processed clip ranges; markers for unselected target clips remain.

Always review the result before continuing the conform. Similar takes, static frames, transitions, overlays, heavy reframing, or a correct shot outside the selected range can make the best candidate ambiguous.

Long Runs And Cancellation​

Each clip is analyzed in its own Python process. Its slip and review marker are applied before the next clip begins, and structured PROGRESS| records report the current clip and total count. FFmpeg decode operations time out independently after ten minutes; a decode failure produces a red review marker and processing continues with the next clip.

For long MCP-driven runs, use startAbscriptRun, poll getAbscriptRunStatus, and request cancellation with cancelAbscriptRun. Cancellation is cooperative: a running external process or Premiere operation finishes first, then no further DSL statement is started. A cancellation can therefore leave the current clip's analysis result unapplied. To continue later, select the remaining clips and run the workflow again; the workflow does not maintain hidden resume state.

Temporary frames are removed after each completed clip unless Keep analysis files after the run is enabled. A canceled run can retain files belonging to the clip that was active when cancellation was requested. A human-readable processing-time report is kept next to the selected temporary analysis folder (with -processing-times.txt appended to the folder name); it lists every clip-analysis process and the cumulative processing time even when the temporary folder itself is cleaned up.