-
Taking on a FCP Project…Questions
Hi,
I’m a novice FCP editor and have been approached by a friend to pick up the editing from a project shot in Turkey that’s partially done.
The files appear to be 25 fps PAL and there appear to be three different resolutions.
The files are:
720×576 DV PAL
1280 x720 HDV 720P25
1440×1080 DVCPRO HD 1080p25I feel a bit like Mickey Mouse in “The Sourcerer’s Apprentice” at the moment. I’m using the latest rev of FCP, but when I bring up my audio/video settings, they look like the ones I normally use in my SD DV.
They would like me to continue with the edit and add/modify clips and output. I’m sure at the highest quality for possible broadcast as well as for DVD and possibly web distribution. NTSC and probably PAL later.
What to do?
Thanks,
Ty Ford
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar -
6 Replies
-
Wow… what a mess. You’ve got quite a few problems here.
First, as you’ve figured, you have 3 different resolutions.
Second, HDV. Ugh. Fraught with issues (overcomeable).
THEN they want this to end up NTSC??? It would have been MUCH easier to go from NTSC to PAL especially for DVD as most PAL dvd players now compensate for NTSC. Not so much the other way around. There are ways around this… google for FCP standards converter or just standards converters and you’ll find some options. Some good, some not.
As for getting your footage into some useful editable format… a bit out of my lane.
Get ready to strap in. This is going to be a major learning curve for us all!
I’m sure someone will be around shortly to help.
Good luck,
Mike
-
Since the files are already captured, you’re in for a lot of rendering.
Basically, whatever type of timeline they have started with, just continue with that same format / frame rate. Every shot you put into the timeline that does not match will need to be rendered before final output.
Converting from PAL to NTSC is not something you want to do on your system. Compressor can sort of kind of do it, but it’s not clean. Natress’ Standards Converter is a great tool, but depending on the length of your program, it could day many MANY hours to render and it won’t be as clean as a hardware converter.
For standards conversion, we sent our edited master to PostWorks in New York. They do a fantastic job and it’s not as expensive as I originally thought it would be, it’s quite reasonable. So I would edit / finish in PAL and then send your master off to those guys for the conversion.
When you get the converted master back in hand, create your DVD from that.
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!
-
Hi Ty,
Drop everything in a PAL Proress Progressive sequence and use a deinterlacing filter (Nattress) in the DV footage.
You will end up in a PALS p25 movie.
To go to NTSc you just need to conform (CinemaTools) the p25 movie to p23,98.
Everything get slow down a 4%. With the picture there is no problem, this speed difference is not noticeable.
With the ambience audio and the voice no problem too, but with the music can be noticeable the change on pitch. But you are strong in audio so you will be able to cope with this.
BTW, that guitar sound incredible
rafael -
Rafael,
This just in. The original shooter/editor has just sent notes.
“The main timeline is 1280x720p. HDTV 720P. The footage is 25 fps. (confirmed) We will make NTSC versions after everything is completed.”
The exec. prod has asked for 1080p. So, if the main timeline is now 720P, I’m thinking maybe they didn’t discuss timeline resolution. If the timeline is 1280x720p, we’ll never see 1080p on those frames that are that are higher.
About the guitar. Thanks. It is an amazing sounding guitar. The Schoeps mic is also killer.
Thanks!
Ty
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar -
[Ty Ford] “The exec. prod has asked for 1080p.”
I would go to 1080 only if I would distribute in this size.
To go SD I just would edit in SD.
To blow the DV picture to 1080 to be dowscaled again is a waist of resources and compromise the quality of the picture.
If you have to upscale any picture you should doit in Compressor. Export Proress or so.
rafael -
[Ty Ford] “About the guitar. Thanks. It is an amazing sounding guitar. The Schoeps mic is also killer. “
I’m impressed by the archer rather than the arrows, but I must say, the recording is superb too. Wow Ty, that is wonderful… I wanna hear more. Is there more on YouTube, or do you have a CD?
David
P.S. – I just checked out your website and found the more I was looking for… Great stuff Ty!!!
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up