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DVCPROHD 720p24 FCP5 workflow HELP
This is my first trip down the Varicam path…I have read many different views regarding workflow for editing and mastering 24p and offspeed Varicam footage. Andrew Balis’s workflow article on Ken Stone’s site is very clear and straightforward. He describes his workflow as ‘the most simple and least expensive way to bring hi def footage into Final Cut, but not necessarily the best route for all scenarios.’ Scenarios like higher res/better color space from camera direct to D5. (Not an option for our project) I have also read Walter Biscardi’s test of cross-converting 720p material to 1080i using a Terranex Converter. Walter also talks about another method of mastering straight out to a 1200a via firewire lossless out of the DVCPRO HD timeline. Another method he mentions is using the 720-1080i Cross converter in the 1200a and recording direct to HDCAM right out of the deck. Jeff Merritt supports someone’s idea of capturing 720, editing 720 and then outputting 1080i into a 1200a and then having sony hd dubs made from the dvcpro 1080i masters. Someone else suggests outputting the master to QuickTime DVCPROHD 720P/59.94 and taking the file to a dub house: they convert on Teranex to 1080i/60 then print to HDCAM. The list goes on!
We are working on a trailer for a feature that will be shot in 2006. The primary methods of delivery are DVD and web. No film out, No broadcast. We used a Varicam and shot 24p with some 48fps footage using the onboard recorder. We needed portability so gave up the quality of going to D5. So… since we begin with the compression from the onboard recorder it seems like Andrew’s method may serve us well enough? What about color correction? Like many people I’m concerned about re-compression and artifacts… transitions and titles…how do they fare with the above methods?
The post house that I’m working with captured to firewire 400 from a 1200a deck and gave me the drive and I’m editing with FCP5 on a g5 dual 2 ghz 2.5 gigs ram, no external hd monitor. They will do the color correction, mastering etc. They are suggesting that the 24p footage be done on a DVCPRO HD 720p60 (59.94) timeline (this differs from Andrews suggestion of working with a 24p (23.98) timeline). We have 4 hours of straight 24p and 20minutes of 48fps overcranked. From what I understand the overcranked footage needs to run at 59.94 for the frame conversion…so all video rate settings should read 59.94 in the browser–even the 24p (23.98)? Will the FRC footage look correct on a 59.94 timeline? …to be exact a DVCPRO HD 720p60 easy setup timeline? Is this a correct route to achieve the 24p look? The post house is suggesting doing the 24p conversion at the end of the project…they say better for titles, transitions, color correction and transfer to HDCAM? With the above methods of delivery (primarily DVD) do I need a HDCAM Master? Can I just keep a DVCPRO HD Master (outputting to their 1200a from my firewire drive) and a quicktime as backups? How do I get a gorgeous sparkling clean DVD? Is it really best to convert to 23.98 (3;2 pulldown) last? Is this just a different route to the same means? The folks at the post house are working very hard to help me…I showed them Andrew’s article and they experimented but were not able to get the footage to capture at 29.98 it would only come in at 59.94 video rate in the browser… Varicam/FCP Gurus please shed light! -
3 Replies
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First off, I am not a guru. I am poking around trying to find a resolution to a similar problem as you are having.
[kdwalter] “they experimented but were not able to get the footage to capture at 29.98 it would only come in at 59.94 video rate in the browser.”
Did you mean 23.98 vs. 59.94?
I can see why you’d want to add graphics and effects at the 24 frame per second stage rather than 60i. Especially if the titles were animated. The motion would be consistent with the film look.
Also, you do know that you can master a DVD at 23.98 progressive frames. The advantage of doing this is that the MPEG compression would have to compress less frames. So like you said, there are advantages to staying 24P through the workflow.
I would be very interested to hear from anyone that has successfully edited HD in 23.98 in the FCP timeline. For my own purposes, I am interested in 1080P24.
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Thanks for the helpin’ hand
[Jerry Witt] “Did you mean 23.98 vs. 59.94?”
Yes Jerry I did mean 23.98.[Jerry Witt] “Also, you do know that you can master a DVD at 23.98 progressive frames. The advantage of doing this is that the MPEG compression would have to compress less frames. So like you said, there are advantages to staying 24P through the workflow.”
How does the end result look? No 3:2 pulldown necessary?
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My experience is limited to what I have heard and what I have read. But, yeah, the DVD-video playback device puts applies the 3:2 pulldown when it sends out the video signal. People have claimed they get better quality encodes. Anyone with firsthand experience?
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