-
Best HDV workflow in FCP 5
Hello Cow People,
I am working on a dual 2.3Ghz Power PC G5, with FCP 5.1.4. I’ve shot 20+ hours of footage on a Sony Z1U and have been importing it to a G-raid 1TB with the Apple Intermediate Codec.
I’ve read a number of posts looking to answer the following questions:
1. Apple Intermediate Codec seems to create a look with more recognizable vertical field lines than the HDV native clips (if I import them that way) on playback. I usually view these clips in Quicktime Player. Is that just due to the fact that I am seeing them on an Apple monitor (I don’t have an external CRT)? I have done some render tests in the timeline, using multiple codecs, and selecting “upper field dominant” as well as “none” dominant in sequence settings.
2. I know current conventional wisdom says the best work flow is to import HDV native to save space, and render in ProRes422 with FCP6 (read Dave, Shane, and Chris’ thread inputs). However, concerning the investment and my computer (Power PC), am I best of sticking with FCP 5.1.4 and the Apple Intermediate Codec to edit a 20 minute documentary, or should I really spend the loot on Leopard and FCS2 upgrade? How much hassle/potential quality loss am I dealing with by using the Apple Intermediate Codec as opposed to ProRes?
3. I’m looking to have the highest quality program I can as an end product, and will eventually want to convert the 60i to 30p (potentially) for broadcasting and showing at festivals, etc.
4. In FCP 5, a colleague (who cuts a lot of HD for the networks) told me to get my footage out of HDV and into an i-frame codec as soon as possible for editing. Is this good advice?
5. Chris and Shane’s notion of renaming of clips in the finder window after capture, then dragging into FCP browser works great with AIC files as well–thank you.
Thank you, and I’ll take my comments of the air. I appreciate your input.
Burk Finley
FCP 5.1.4
PowerPC dual 2.3 G5
4.5GB RAM
23″ Apple HD monitor -
4 Replies
-
I have a G5 dual 2.5 and am running 6.0.4 on the last Tiger (10.4.11 from memory). I have found no issue with HDV native, ProRes render with that hardware (plus a Decklink HDPro card). I don’t see the point in transcoding to AIC when you can stay native and do your final renders in ProRes. Also HDV, shot on the Sony Z1, is interlaced and upper dominant.
I would recommend upgrading to FCS2, staying with Tiger, rather than using FCP 5.1.4. I will eventually be upgrading to a Mac Pro and Leopard but have enjoyed waiting for the dust to settle.
-
Hey Michael,
Thanks for the heads up–I had hear mainly glitchy reports about using FCP6 with Tiger, so it’s good to hear you’ve been having some luck. Have you had any trouble working with graphics and transitions in the native HDV timeline, or do you just render out in ProRes after inserting them before you can see what you’ve got?
Thanks again,
Burk
-
I am doing final online & grade so I have a combination of HDV plus graphics & text including roll credits etc. So far, I have had no issues with HDV and those elements on long form docos up to 90 minutes. I am using a fast RAID but have also used Lacie FW800 drives as well.
The grades are done with 3 way CC plus lots of extra filters like Nattress gamma curves. I need to render anyway so I do the grade, render to ProRes and play out to HDCam. That work flow has been reliable and simple for me. I hear people go on about the horror of editing a long GOP codec but I have no problems so I am unsure of what they see as a problem frankly.
Your hardware is fine except for using programs like Color.
-
Thanks again Michael,
All good info. The benefit of editing native HDV is of course having proper time code reference as well…
Burk
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up