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Final Cut Pro Export to HDCAM
Hi all,
Just finished a full length feature and am looking to export to HDCAM. Have the final cut studio 2 suite, but no capture card. It’s a requirement now to most film festivals to provide a final product version of your film as HDCAM.
The film is within the TC at 960×720 (I think) 24 fps. The footage was exported to Apple Pro ResHQ then through compressor using MPEG2 and that provided the closest copy to what I was seeing in the timeline.I’m not sure if this is an option with the Final Cut application or if the capture card is absolutely necessary. So a few questions:
1) How would I export footage from Final Cut to get an HDCAM quality copy?
2) Is a capture card necessary to get HDCAM?
3) Is the final HDCAM placed on a tape or DVD?Very much appreciative of any guidance.
Johnny
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7 Replies
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HDCAM is a tape format. And yes, to output to this format you need an HD capture card. And taking your final output and compressing it as MPEG-2 is the worse thing you can do.
[Johnny Shade] “1) How would I export footage from Final Cut to get an HDCAM quality copy?”
HDCAM isn’t a codec. Again, it is a tape format. People output HDV, DVCPRO HD, ProRes and Uncompressed HD formats to this tape. All you need is an HD capture card. No need to buy one. Find a post facility that has FCP and an HDCAM deck and have them output it.
[Johnny Shade] “2) Is a capture card necessary to get HDCAM?”
To output to HDCAM? Yes.
[Johnny Shade] “3) Is the final HDCAM placed on a tape or DVD?”
Tape.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Thanks Shane,
So in the interim, what is the way to export the best quality? I’ve tried the FCP export to Apple ResProHQ, then took that and placed it into compressor using the MPEG2 “Best” DVD transfer and added the stereo option. It was the closest to the final copy in the FCP viewer. From there it’s straight burn to DVD.
The footage in the timeline is DVCPRO at 720 24p 960×760 (I think) but is displayed at 1280….(At least that’s what it says). Should I create another sequence-and change the parameters to something different? I guess I’m stumbled as to what format it needs to be in before burned to DVD. Can I export from FCP differently than I have then take that and create a DVD at a higher quality?
Thanks again.
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Too many conflicting issues here. To go to HDCam tape, you should export a quicktime. I would recommend that you talk to a dub house and they will advise what codec is best for them to take your final file and record to HDCam via a card (Kona/ Decklink etc)as you can’t do this yourself without an SDI card and hiring in a complicated machine.
As for making a DVD, you need an mpeg2 file which is standard def. If you use the Compressor pre-sets then you are doing fine.
(For Shane)- Strictly speaking HDCam is a codec, designed to record compressed data to tape. Neither FCP or AVID can create or read files in this codec however, but I believe Vegas can.
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Hey Johnny – if you are need of a post house to master your HDCam project we can do it but we are in Sydney Australia. I do a lot of indi stuff for festivals and its only really been the last 18 months that they take HDCam.
Recently we did some that came to us on HDV and we just dubbed them to HDCAM using our converter. Also we did one that came as XDCAM so I just put it on the EX1 and did a restore media and played it direct from the camera to HDCAM.
Baz
What would I do without the ‘UNDO’ button!!!!
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[Johnny Shade] “So in the interim, what is the way to export the best quality? I’ve tried the FCP export to Apple ResProHQ, then took that and placed it into compressor using the MPEG2 “Best” DVD transfer and added the stereo option. It was the closest to the final copy in the FCP viewer. From there it’s straight burn to DVD. “
Ok, you’ve taken your HD image and dropped it to SD to get it on DVD. You’ve just reduced your quality by about 50%.
You need to export an HD Quicktime Movie, either ProRes HQ or Uncompressed 8bit 4:2:2 and take that to a post production facility that has a capture card like an AJA Kona to lay that off to HDCAM tape. You’ll need an external hard drive as the file will be huge.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Hi Baz,
Thanks for the bit. I’m checking with some local companies at the moment so I’ll see what I end up with. As a filmmaker I’d really like to be there when this happens. Not certain if it’s like other processes that take 2 – 4 hours.
Cheers!
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Hi Michael,
Yeah, many conflicting issues. There was a string of days where I only had 2 hours sleep. lol
I ended up having the export to quicktime appleprores HQ before this post so it looks as if I’ve done the best I could have with what I had. I’m waiting to hear back from several editing houses to get an idea of price for the process to be complete.
Certainly appreciate your guidance as well as the others.
Cheers!
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