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ProRes 50 frames in FCP 7
Hi there,
I’ve done a search and can’t seem to find much information on the topic. I’m hoping someone knows if FCP 7 can truly handle progressive ProRes content at 50 fps?
We have footage that comes in to the suite as ProRes 422 HQ 720p50 (we used to receive as DVCPROHD about a year ago) which is then dropped into a sequence. The sequence settings are matched, but then it indicates that the sequence is a 720p50/25 format (not even sure what this means). On output, the file indicates that it is 720p50, but our DVD authoring supplier tells us that the footage we’ve been recently supplying him seems like it’s had some bad field conversion on it.
I’ve looked at some older projects in the suite, when footage used to come in as DVCPRO HD 720p50. The sequence settings match perfectly, and we’ve never had any trouble on output/DVD authoring.
I come from an Avid background, and I’m not entirely sure what is happening. There’s been discussion around the office that perhaps FCP7 was discontinued before ProRes was able to run at 50 fps. We’re looking at this document https://documentation.apple.com/en/finalcutpro/professionalformatsandworkflows/index.html#chapter=10%26section=4“>here and it seems that FCP 7 didn’t know about 720p50. Or are we entirely mistaken, and does ProRes not truly run at 50 frames? Any help would be very appreciated.
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4 Replies
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[Aditya Narayan] “I’m hoping someone knows if FCP 7 can truly handle progressive ProRes content at 50 fps? “
Yes…720p50 is a common HD format. One of the broadcast standards, actually.
[Aditya Narayan] “The sequence settings are matched, but then it indicates that the sequence is a 720p50/25 format (not even sure what this means).”
Where does it indicate this? Can you provide a snapshot of the sequence settings?
[Aditya Narayan] “We have footage that comes in to the suite as ProRes 422 HQ 720p50 “
How was this footage generated…converted to ProRes HQ? What camera was used, and what format did it shoot?
[Aditya Narayan] “I’ve looked at some older projects in the suite, when footage used to come in as DVCPRO HD 720p50. The sequence settings match perfectly, and we’ve never had any trouble on output/DVD authoring.”
This is why I suspect the conversion process for this latest footage. It worked before, but now that you are getting ProRes HQ and not DVCPRO HD…it isn’t working.
[Aditya Narayan] “There’s been discussion around the office that perhaps FCP7 was discontinued before ProRes was able to run at 50 fps.”
Nope…FCP 6 did 720p50 ProRes.
[Aditya Narayan] “Or are we entirely mistaken, and does ProRes not truly run at 50 frames? “
Sure it does. Look in your EASY SETUPS. I’m posting a pic of mine…note, it says “AJA IoXT” before the setting, that’s just to enable the IoXT to play it out. If you don’t have IO hardware, you’ll still see this option in the Easy Setups. Look for yourself.
Shane
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Hi Shane,
Thanks heaps for your response. To answer a few questions:
[Shane Ross] “How was this footage generated…converted to ProRes HQ? What camera was used, and what format did it shoot?”
The footage is captured in an OB truck as ProRes HQ. We receive footage on drives. There wasn’t any transcoding after that point.
[Shane Ross] “Where does it indicate this? Can you provide a snapshot of the sequence settings?”
Ah my bad, I’ve just taken a look now and it was the DVCPRO sequences that had 720p50/25 not the ProRes sequences. However, I’ve just noticed that in our ProRes Sequences, under sequence settings, and under QuickTime Video Settings, the Compressor being used is Apple ProRes 422, and not the HQ version. Could this be causing an issue on export?
[Shane Ross] “Sure it does. Look in your EASY SETUPS. I’m posting a pic of mine…note, it says “AJA IoXT” before the setting, that’s just to enable the IoXT to play it out. If you don’t have IO hardware, you’ll still see this option in the Easy Setups. Look for yourself.”
Just took a look, and the only ProRes option we get is for 1080p24. I’ve attached a screen shot of what the “Use” menu under the HD format looks like. And if we select the format to be ProRes 422, it still only gives us the 1080p24 option.
Thanks again for all your help 🙂
Freelancer Video Producer at RedArch Designs | Media Manager and Motion Graphics artist at Tomorrowland Sound & Vision
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[AD Narayan] “The footage is captured in an OB truck as ProRes HQ. We receive footage on drives. There wasn’t any transcoding after that point. “
Using what device? KiPro? BlackMagic Recorder? Ninja? Samurai?
[AD Narayan] “I’ve just noticed that in our ProRes Sequences, under sequence settings, and under QuickTime Video Settings, the Compressor being used is Apple ProRes 422, and not the HQ version. Could this be causing an issue on export?”
I doubt it. The only thing you are doing when you put 422 into an HQ sequence is increasing the file size of the export (vs exporting a 422 file).
Not having ProRes sequence settings other than the HDV ProRes one (which allows you to capture HDV as ProRes) is really odd. But, not uncommon. I looked at a machine here that has FCP but no hardware and yup, that’s what I see. I don’t get that…really odd. STILL, FCP will change the sequence to match the footage…no easy setup needed.
I wonder…send a raw capture file to the DVD people and see if it has the errors they mention. Meaning, don’t run it through anything on your end…just send the raw record file…have them analyze it.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
[Shane Ross] “Using what device?”
I’ve just been told that they use the EVS XT3 on set.
[Shane Ross] “send a raw capture file to the DVD people and see if it has the errors they mention”
Yeah, that’s what we are about to do now and see if the issue is with what’s happening on set rather than in the suite. Also we’ve got Aja Kona 3’s in the edit suites, so might have to take a look and see if they have the ProRes sequence settings.
Thanks a ton for your help Shane.
Cheers!
Freelancer Video Producer at RedArch Designs | Media Manager and Motion Graphics artist at Tomorrowland Sound & Vision
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