Arri Alexa workflow (My 1st time and had many different opinions)

[Gary Adcock]

[Lincoln Waldron] “I was talking to the DIT who says I need to use Davinci in my workflow at the start?”

Sounds a little backwards to me ( and I am a union DIT)

Why not ask the colorist what they would like you to do rather than a group of people that do not know or understand your project ( me included )

first question is always What is my deliverable?

gary adcock
Studio37

Post and Production Workflow Consultant
Production and Post Stereographer
Chicago, IL

https://blogs.creativecow.net/24640

follow me on Twitter
@garyadcock

[Lincoln Waldron]

The DIT is pretty experienced re:Work flow.
And this is a stepping stone for me, so a little grace is always appreciated 🙂

The project is a music video- I guess it will be played on TV and Web.

Hope you are able to advise a little more?

Thanks again for your help.

[Gary Adcock]

[Lincoln Waldron] “The DIT is pretty experienced re:Work flow.
And this is a stepping stone for me, so a little grace is always appreciated 🙂
“

Lincoln,
I was lucky enough to get my hands on the very first ProRes Alexa in Jun 2010 and I am known for my workflow knowledge too.

I was really serious, if you want to know what to deliver, ask the guy you are delivering too.

UNLESS the DIT is building the entire workflow ( as I would ).

If that is the case, and the DIT is covering the camera to delivery workflow, he should be telling you why you should be using Resolve prior to your edit and offer a fuller explanation of what is expected . ( my guess would be for creating proper viewing LUTs that FCP7 cannot handle)

SO here are some questions:
are they shooting PR444?
1080 or 2K
Frame rate ( speed changes or Highspeed)
What format / codec/ content are you delivering to the colorist and how are you delivering it?

What machine are you editing on?
Understand the PR444 content will not play in Realtime over FW/USB
The original content should only take up 25% of the available storage you are using.

IF your DIT is good, he should have asked and answered all of these questions.

gary adcock
Studio37

Post and Production Workflow Consultant
Production and Post Stereographer
Chicago, IL

https://blogs.creativecow.net/24640

follow me on Twitter
@garyadcock

[Lincoln Waldron]

Hi Gary

Thanks do much for your help- I really appreciate it.
Sorry if I am a little vauge with all of this- im still learning the trade etc…

I should probably give you some background to the Film- I am the director and editor- it’s a music video for my friends band- so essentialy it is me who takes the final delivery.
My friend is a DIT who has given me very vauge advice thus far.

re: questions
are they shooting PR444? – PR 444
1080 or 2K –1920X1080
Frame rate ( speed changes or Highspeed) –Shot at different frame rates- between 25-60 usually.
What format / codec/ content are you delivering to the colorist and how are you delivering it? –Ths is what I dont know? I want to understand this better- He uses Davinci Resolve

What machine are you editing on? – Mac Tower- 16gb ram (Dont have full info on me right now)
Understand the PR444 content will not play in Realtime over FW/USB- Not even FW800 on a Gdrive?
The original content should only take up 25% of the available storage you are using- Explain more please 🙂

Thanks again If you lived close by I would by you a beer or coffee.

[John Sharaf]

Hi Lincoln,

From reading the entire thread, it does not look like you really received any satisfactory answer or strategy.

Let me see if I can help?

You were correct to shoot in the highest PR codec and the Log C. This gives you the greatest control in post color correction; it also requires that you “process” your dailies if you want to look at something other than the washed out Log C look. Mind you, you do not have to do that, you can edit in Log C and then color correct as if you’re doing an on-line at the end.

There are several ways to process the master into editorial. One of the simplest is to use Nick Shaw’s Color Plug-in which he sells foe about $35. Contact him at nick@antlerpost.com. For less money, but more time and learning curve, you can use a free download of Blackmagic’s DiVinci Resolve (this is what your DIT was eluding to).

It has amongst it’s presets a Log C to 709 color conversion, which is essentially what you were probably looking at when shooting if you applied the internal 709 look to the monitoring outputs of the camera.

The same Resolve software is fully capable of doing the final color correction, although you might want to invite your DIT friend back to assist. In time, if you use the DiVinci Tutorials and practice with the software you’ll be able to do both standard and creative color correction yourself for the dual purposes of making dailies and final color.

Good luck,

John Sharaf
Cinematohgrapher
Alexa Studio, 4×3 Plus and EV Owner/Operator
Pacific Palisades, Ca.

[Lincoln Waldron]

Hi John

Thanks so much for the reply and the clear explanation- it’s what I was looking for.
I really appreciate it- I just wanted to check with you- you probably explained it- but still want to make sure.

When I have my Log C pro res 444 footage- do I need to transcode this to lower to a lower format to edit? and if so- how should I do this and give full LOG C range to my colourist at the end of the edit?

Does this make sense?

Thanks again.

L

[John Sharaf]

Linc,

Assuming you have fast enough drives, you can edit in PR444, otherwise transcode your dailies with the burned in LUT to something more manageable (like SQ) and than conform the Log C original PR444 for final color correction once the picture is locked. You can do both with Resolve.

It’s really a matter of how the effort adds up; is it easier to apply a one light look to the transcode and at the end a shot by shot color correction or to create timed dailies (correct each scene or shot) and possibly avoid any final color correction at all (or maybe just a few touch ups)? The first is going to be the more normal workflow, assuming you have extra time and seek perfection and speed.

If the project is more deadline driven and/or the color correction is done on the outside, requiring more expense and time, the second workflow might be advantageous.

Hope this helps,

JS

[Lincoln Waldron]

John thanks for all your help with this- really excited!! thanks again your a star.