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Work flow enquiry – DV to Pro Res?
Hello everybody. I’m new to Creative Cow and what a great place for information and opinion this is.
I’ve read through many posts over the last week in the hope to finding an answer to some questions but, no joy, so here goes.I am completing a doc, it’s all edited and I’m just about to start colour correcting.
I have just upgraded from FCP 5 to version 6.03. Final output is intended for broadcast and DVD.
The project is SD and captured as DV PAL. Right now I’m only concentrating on PAL although an NTSC conversion will happen later on.My set up:
Power Mac G5 dual 2Ghz (2003)
4 Gb Ram
1.5 TB internal storage
Back up on mirrored drive (x2)
Sony SD Broadcast monitorFinal Cut Pro 6.03
Red Giant Magic Bullet Suite
Photoshop
QT Pro
Mpeg Streamclip
HandbrakeAll of my footage is in DV and now that I have FCP 6.03 with Pro Res codecs, somebody has advised me to convert the project to Pro Res. I have found many references to convert HDV to Pro Res but my questions are:
1) Should I convert to Pro Res for SD DV? As I understand it there is a Pro Res SD option.
2) As I understand it, colour correction will be better if I convert to Pro Res. Is this true?
3) If I convert to Pro Res will all my graphics resize and will motion settings on clips lose their parameters? In other words, will I need to redo all my motion pans, (basic) animations like moving text, etc?I will make my colour adjustments in FCP as opposed to Color since I’m only adjusting for colour balance and contrast (not stylised grading).
Any pointers would be much appreciated. I hope I’ve given enough information there.
Many thanks,
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5 Replies
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If you are laying back to tape, it must be in the DV codec so I don’t think that would be an option for you. DVD would be OK though.
Kevin Monahan
60 Blu-ray Templates for Final Cut Studio 2009
http://www.fcpworld.com
Author – Motion Graphics and Effects in Final Cut Pro -
ProRes gives you more headroom over DV, but it does not really mean that it will be better. The one advantage is that it will not get compressed again to DV after the CC, which is a good thing.
I would recommend that you add one step to the process.
1) Set up a Uncompressed SD PAL timeline (watch out for a field order swap, I don’t work in PAL but I think DV is the only lower first and everything else is upper, make sure you don’t create a problem.
2) Add Natress’s G Nicer 4:1:1, things will rebuild some of the color space that is not there.
3) Color correct these clips
4) If any of your motion graphics have been rendered out as DV you want to redo them and set them to Uncompressed.You can probably use ProRes instead of uncompressed but basic systems can handle SD uncompressed it might be better to not use any compression.
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Unless he outputs to DigiBeta or BetaSP.
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Thanks for the info, guys.
I will be putting the final cut on to a hard drive and taking it to a studio (I’m working from home), then it will be output to DigiBeta. So I won’t be going back to DV tape. And additionally I will go straight to DVD via Compressor.
Michael, from your advice I’m assuming working on an uncompressed timeline (and using G Nicer) as opposed to Pro Res will be better for working on colour correction and quality wise overall.
Since I don’t have a Kona Card or some other PCI – only the graphics card inside the G5 – do you think Uncompressed will be viable on my Mac?
Any feedback appreciated.
Best,
ADC -
Just bumping this in case anyone has an answer:
” Since I don’t have a Kona Card – only the regular graphics card inside my G5 – do you think Uncompressed will be viable on my Mac? ”
I’m guessing you still need a Kona card to work in uncompressed?
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