Blown out footage need immediate suggestions

[Chris Hill]

crap! back at work, how would that help, just curious.

[Mark Suszko]

We have to know what format everything is in first, so we can eliminate certain issues. I’m taking whacks at the pinata here, because you insisted the footage looked acceptable in the LCD viewfinder while shooting, and if that is true, then *maybe* the footage is at least patly recoverable, but you’ve somehow added a problem in the way it was transferred into the editing system. It could be you’re just SOL, but I’m looking for a loophole.

Have you tried applying the 3-way color corrector to these clips yet? What about playing with the blending modes?

[Chris Hill]

yes I have tried 3-way, again much appreciated for all the help and suggestions. I have done blending, that seems to work the best thus-far. Once I am home again I will put the FORMAT tab. the LCD looked better, I could see more detail or I would have never had shot this way. I was constantly referencing the LCD during the shoot.

[Chris Hill]

yes I have tried 3-way, again much appreciated for all the help and suggestions. I have done blending, that seems to work the best thus-far. Once I am home again I will put the FORMAT tab. the LCD looked better, I could see more detail or I would have never had shot this way. I was constantly referencing the LCD during the shoot.

[Andrew Kimery]

I doubt it would be causing this problem, but you should transcode H.264 files into ProRes before you work with them in FCP 7.

What does the footage look like if you use QuickTime to playback the files?

If you shoot something with your 7D right now and then open that clip up in FCP 7 does it look right? I mean does what you see in FCP look similar to what you see on the LCD of the 7D (it won’t look exactly the same)?

Are you using any hacks on your camera like Magic Lantern?

When you used the 3-way to bring down the highlights the whole image became darker but no more detail emerged on the kids correct?

[Chris Hill]

I dont use any hacks and the camera was not mine so I dont have it present. Opened in quick itme looks the same, I have used some levels / blending and its the best I can do it seems.

[Mark Suszko]

I’m looking at your “format” tab.

Dude, you’re trying to edit h.264 on an FCP7 timeline… you can’t do that.

Run this footage thru Compressor to transcode it to Apple ProRes422, then bring that pro res footage into your FCP7 timeline and tell us what it looks like.

One other thing you might try this weekend: download the free trial version of FCPX, import this footage, see what it look like there.

[Chris Hill]

woah! learned something new! Could I used MPEG streamclip instead, compressor seems to take forever.

[Mark Suszko]

Sure, go crazy.

[Chris Hill]

I will try the FCPX next, the PRO res actually lets me mess with the 3-way-color corrector . Still loss of data it seems. What should I do next? hah sorry I am so noobish at this, first time experiencing footage I had to alter.

thanks!