Advice: Filmed in 24 and need to export to 29

[Doug Metz]

I don’t think you’ll see much of a difference one way or the other.

From a completely selfish angle, I regularly need to incorporate client-supplied video files into new content.

Frequently, this involves re-using 29.97 files in a 24p timeline. If the 29.97 file(s) was originally shot 24p (which you can see if you step through the file by frame), I will remove the pulldown and go back to the original framerate. This works best if the content was edited at the original 24p source rate, and converted to 29.97 as the final step. The reason it works better this way is that the cadence is consistent throughout the piece (even through transitions) and makes conversion to a nice, clean 24p file quick and painless.

2¢

Doug Metz

Anode

[Tom Sefton]

Did your crew film in 29.97 or did they film in 24?

Co-owner at Pollen Studio
http://www.pollenstudio.co.uk

[Suzi P.]

Thanks, Doug for your thoughts. Where’s that pull down option in FCPX?

[Suzi P.]

Hi Tom,

We filmed in 24. Station will need 29.97.

[Doug Metz]

[Suzi P.] “Thanks, Doug for your thoughts. Where’s that pull down option in FCPX?”

You’d simply finish your edit in 24p, then export a master file and either 1) bring that back in and drop into a 29.97 timeline – to prevent FCPX changing the frame rate of your timeline, place a gap clip before adding the master, and set the correct frame rate, then add your master and delete the gap… Or 2) you could take that master file and run it through a 29.97 preset in Compressor. I’d say go with option 2 if you can.

To remove pulldown after the fact, I typically use JES Deinterlacer (free, and soon to be non-functional). It has options galore for stuff like this. Unfortunately, the demise of QT7 and it’s versatility means I will soon need to find alternate means.

Doug Metz

Anode

[Suzi P.]

SUPER helpful. Thank you. I do have Compressor and will research proper settings.

[Tom Sefton]

So you need to add 5.97 frames to each second before your final export? I’d suggest trying frame interpolation with Davinci resolve

Co-owner at Pollen Studio
http://www.pollenstudio.co.uk

[Suzi P.]

Thanks, Tom. If I went this route, would I still cut in 24 and THEN send to DaVinci?

Suzi

[Doug Metz]

[Suzi P.] “If I went this route, would I still cut in 24 and THEN send to DaVinci?”

You would, but I’m not sure it’s worth the time. Here’s why… when you cut 24p material in a 29.97 timeline (very common), the NLE will add the frames to make up the difference as you go…
In a progressive project, this manifests as a duplicate frame every 5th (1p, 2p, 3p, 4p, 4p, etc).
In an interlaced project, it’ll split the 4th progressive frame and make 2 new interlaced ones. So you’ll get 1p, 2p, 3p, 4i, 5i, etc.

Taking your finished 24p master into a 29.97 Compressor preset will accomplish the same thing. Which method it uses is based solely on whether your preset is set as progressive or interlaced.

Doug Metz

Anode

[Suzi P.]

Hi Doug,

Seeing as I don’t have DaVinci, I wouldn’t mind avoiding it. Riddle me this — what’s the difference between dropping the 24 fps footage onto a 29.97 timeline (letting FCPX do its thing) and editing from there … versus doing the conversion in the export? Which would you choose? Dropping in a 29.97 or going the 24fps to compressor route? THANKS again for your thoughts!