Configuring an editing station for documentary?

[Glenn Fisher]

Here are some of my thoughts on that configuration:

1. Do you have enough storage? Standard DV/HDV takes up about 16 GB per hour. At that rate, 250 hours of footage would take up roughly 4TB of hard drive space. Other formats will take up more space. Also, don’t forget to account for things like project files, renders, exports, etc.

2. From the posts that I’ve seen on this forum, you might be able to save money by not getting the 8-core. Since the applications haven’t been properly written to take advantage of all 8 cores, you would probably only see a boost when you’re compressing (Compressor does use all 8 cores). If you want to future-proof the machine though, then 8 cores is probably the way to go.

3. In comparison to the rest of your rig, the 20″ monitor seems fairly small. I know that I love my 24″ Dell monitor (the Dell monitors also seem to be getting very good reviews, so that might be worth looking into).

4. Are you doing any color correction? If so, you don’t have a calibrated monitor included in your setup.

5. I would look for a single large device that you can plug into your Mac Pro through Firewire 800, or maybe even an eSata connection. Although I haven’t read anything about it, the new Lacie 4Big Quadro looks pretty cool (and if I remember correctly, it’s expandable up to 7.5TB). If you get a single device, then you probably wouldn’t need the additional PCIe Firewire card.

Anyway, I hope that helps you get started. Good luck with editing!

– Glenn Fisher

[Walter Biscardi]

Forget daisy chaining firewire drives or multiple eSATA drives. Get a single 4TB of a very fast SAS/SATA storage at the very least running RAID 5 for protection. I would go with more like 8TB.

We have over 300 hours of footage for three documentaries starting up in March and we’re now up to 36TB total storage with 16TB of shared storage dedicated just to the documentaries.

Call MaxxDigital for their help with your storage needs. They sell pretty much everything under the sun and their pricing is outstanding. Remember, you want RAID 5 and a single storage array, not multiple, daisy chained FW or eSATA boxes. That will cause problems as your project gets larger.

I don’t see a professional video monitor in your list or something like an AJA Kona video board. They’re pretty much essential for documentary work if you are going to be finishing the project at your location. If all you’re doing is offline, then you’re fine without it.

Also, a very good set of speakers is a must. KRK Rokit5’s are awesome and a very good price.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Shane Ross]

250 hours of footage…from what camera? DV? HDV? DVCPRO HD? RED? HDCAM? Knowing that is everything. Also, what do you need to deliver?

The computer is fine, but the storage seems VERY inadiquate…maybe for DV, but that’s about it. One 20″ monitor? That’s not enough…you need two. With that much footage you need to have a lot of room to see the bins, so one monitor for the bins and one for the edit space.

What about a capture card? External reference monitor?

This seems VERY bare bones. And firewire drives to boot. we need more info.

Shane

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[Paul Dickin]

Hi
The Mac spec looks fine, but one 20″ screen wouldn’t work for me managing big projects – you need two so you can see all the bins.

Assuming you will edit in standard def DV format, working with 250 hours of source footage needs up to 4TB of disk space. Plus more of less the same for backup.
The FW drives will work fine for backup, but Sata/eSata is much better for working drives.

As the others have replied while I was posting this 😉

So I’d add 3 additional hard drives internally in the Mac Pro, and an eSata 4 channel card and an external 2 or 4TB external drive setup – your supplier should be able to recommend a matched card/case setup.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Paul Dickin] “Assuming you will edit in standard def DV format, working with 250 hours of source footage needs up to 4TB of disk space. Plus more of less the same for backup. “

Not to mention render files. My general rule of thumb is double the amount of storage you will need for the raw footage. Then you should be good to go even with render files.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

Read my Blog!

STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!

[Richard Sanchez]

Also, your computer has 2 gigs of RAM, and you’re adding 2 more, but you want at least one gig per core, so I’d up to eight.

Richard Sanchez
North Hollywood, CA

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

[Adam Schoales]

Re: storage space, it might be cheaper to get a Drobo. That way you can use cheaper internal drives and always swap out once drives get bigger and bigger (it will go up to 16tb). Again its more a futureproofing solution, but in the long run (or even short run) might save you lots of money!

[Ben Holmes]

Not wishing to be glib, but I would suggest going to a proper pro reseller, for all the reasons everyone has mentioned here. Nothing in that spec is right, apart from the Mac Pro – wrong monitor, storage, RAM etc.

Please let us know what format you are working in, and if the finished documentary is for broadcast. If it is, you will NEED a video card (Blackmagic, AJA) and a video monitor, or you might capture or edit everything without ever seeing the interlace, rendering the work useless for broadcast – setting aside the numerous issues for gamma/CC/quality.

The cheapest options (pretty fast as well) for storage are E-SATA as they are easy to set up for a single workstation, and numerous manufacturers sell RAID5 compliant solutions. I use 2 G-TECH G-SPEED ES units in a RAID5 setup, giving me 2 redundant drives. Everyone here will sell you the drives they use/promote, so look at the options offering good support (ie. not a nameless box). I can tell you (with no financial interest on my part) that the G-TECH drives are excellent, and I recommend them to all my clients at the moment.

More info please!

Ben

Edit Out Ltd
—————————-
FCP Editor/Trainer/System Consultant
EVS/VT Supervisor for live broadcast
RED camera transfer/post
Independent Director/Producer

[David Bogie]

My two cents:

I disagree that there is a legitimate reason–something more pressing than the director’s or photog’s ego–to store every freakin’ frame online. Just because you can get 4TB for a couple hundred bucks doesnt mean that is an enhnacement to the production’s eiditng processes.

A low-rez capture run or an offline VHS dub with timecode to create the list for the first capture run is a time-honored workflow for doco production. You can reduce your storage needs by 50-80% with only a wee bit of discriminating thought and taste.

Even Frontline doesn’t have every frame online.

bogiesan

[Raymond Singer]

You’ve gotten some very good advice here, as usual. I’d like to add is my hearty endorsement of creating an Off-Line with that 250 hours – and 2 cents more.

You can do the off-line in FCP or an even better option, to my way of working, is to use CatDV. It’s fast, searchable and works seamlessly with FCP. It’s ability to keep your notes and timecodes together – and searchable – is a huge timesaver when working with so much material. As for storage, I’d stay away from anything but pro gear, and CalDigit is always my first choice. Their drives, cards and support can’t be beat. If you’re in SD, you don’t “really” need a Kona or the like, but it’ll make your life much, much more pleasant. You will need a better monitor for color work and unless you like squinting, 20″ won’t make it. Especially after a slew of 18 hour days. If the director is sitting with you, you’ll need a second screen for sure.

I’ve worked on several docs with similar requirements and this workflow: CatDV, or even FCP if you’d prefer, in lo-rez off-line, save the final color and efx for the on-line [you can make a start with the off-line], CalDigit drives [call Jon and tell him what you’re doing and he’ll get you into the right one], a fast machine with plenty of RAM is the way to go. A Kona or Blackmagic if you’re flush will make any up-rez or add’l monitoring needs simpler.

Anyway, them’s my thoughts. Good luck! Sounds like you have an awful lot of notes to take.