Editing with RED footage in FCP and everything else

[Russell Lasson]

[Chris Woods] “1. Just wondering if I have the best computer to work with RED footage. “

No. You don’t have the best computer. The best computer right now costs about $6000 (8-core 2.93Ghz). But your computer should be fine, even if it isn’t “the best”.

[Chris Woods] “2. Do I need a video card like Kona LH or Blackmagic to work with this footage or do I just need it for viewing on an output monitor”

It’s just for viewing on a external monitor.

[Chris Woods] ” I heard if you don’t have the right stuff for your computer, when you export it would take days.”

Video card doesn’t enhance RED playback. Exporting all comes down to processor power.

[Chris Woods] “Also is 6GB of RAM good enough? “

Good rule of thumb is 1GB+ per processor. Four processors and 6GB RAM sounds fine.

For the rest of the questions, I would suggest you first read the whitepaper you downloaded from the RED support site.

Next, you should decide how you’re delivering the footage. DVD? Web? Broadcast? HDCAM SR? Film? Digital Cinema? Also, are you willing to put your time and money into finishing the film in the best way possible? Because with RED, there are a lot more options that with any other digital format.

Here are some of the options:
1. Edit with proxy files in FCP and color in FCP and render out your master from FCP.
2. Convert RED files to ProRes and edit and color using those files.
3. Edit and send the project to be colored in Color.
4. Edit in FCP using offline files or proxy files and export an edl for REDCine to use a Crimson workflow.
5. Edit in FCP using offline files or proxy files and then export an edl for a high-end color grading systems like Scratch that can access the R3D files and render with a full debayer.

Having taken several RED projects though Scratch, I think it’s be best option. But it does require more money to do something like that.

If you need to finish this on your own, you’ll look at some of the other options.

I strongly suggest converting all of the RED footage to a “edit friendly” codec like ProRes SQ or HQ, or DVCPROHD. It makes working with the footage much less processor intensive and makes rendering out your files from your timeline much faster than working with the proxy files. I also think FCP isn’t as reliable when editing with proxy files.

To answer your question about the REDCODE codec, it is a read only codec. So while FCP can read the R3D files that are wrapped in REDCODE, you can’t import a file to REDCODE. In fact, if you’re using Log and Transfer, then you’re only option is ProRes.

Anyways, read the whitepaper and then feel free to ask some more questions. If you’re looking to have your film having a digital theatrical release, I can answer some of those questions too.

-Russ

Russell Lasson
Universal Post
Ridgeline Digital Cinema Mastering
Salt Lake City, UT

[Kenzo Stonem]

I despise proxy editing and I’d like to retain RAW data for Color.

Per the RED FCP Whitepaper – 11/11/2008, I can ingest, edit in RED Quicktime.

1. What is the minimum requirements to feasibly edit in FCP in “processor intensive” RED Quicktime.
– processor, RAID (how many drives for appropriate speed?), etc

2. Has anyone gone through this process, and offer some tips? Is it not worth the hastle, because ProRes 422 HQ all the way through looks good enough for the big screen?

thanks.

[Gary Adcock]

[Kenzo Stonem] “I despise proxy editing and I’d like to retain RAW data for Color. “

Why- since you have no possible way to correctly monitor 12bit data unless you are well versed in the highend workflows. Its harder than people think to grade 12 bit data on an 8bit LCD/ TFT display than people think.

“1. What is the minimum requirements to feasibly edit in FCP in “processor intensive” RED Quicktime.
– processor, RAID (how many drives for appropriate speed?), etc “

That is simple- RED recommends the Top of the line Mac computer with 2 Gigs of RAM per core, and storage able to handle 2K uncompressed data streams ( about 350MBps)

and yes a lot of us have gone thru the process. all of them.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD
https://library.creativecow.net/articles/adcock_gary/AJAIOHD.php

[Torrey Loomis]

Chris,

Confirm you have the single Quad Core and not the dual? The bummer about that machine is Apple only officially supports up to 8Gb of RAM on that one.

With an 8-core, you could levy up to 32 GB of RAM.

One note on RAM with all these machines–you’ll get best results by installing RAM configurations that are optimized to take advantage of three memory channels. That means its no longer 4, 8, or 16 that are prime–but rather 6, 12, or 24 GB.

6x1GB for 6GB
6x2GB for 12GB
6x4GB for 24GB

If you install the max RAM of 32 Gb, your system actually loses the ability to address three memory channels and decreases to two.

Torrey
———————
Torrey Loomis
President & CEO – Silverado Systems, Inc.
Outfitter to the World’s Foremost Apple Professionals
2600 East Bidwell Street, Suite 280
Folsom, CA 95630
(916) 760-0032 • FAX (916) 404-5258
torrey@silverado.cc
https://www.Silverado.cc

Check out our StudioBuilder blog at https://silveradosys.blogspot.com

[Chris Woods]

Hey everyone, thank you all for your responses, they been very helpful. I’m doing lots of research but still have some questions. Right now my main concern is importing and exporting the footage. I’m going to be doing Log and Transfer and set it to ProRes HQ I believe. One question about that, does that create a whole new file which will fill up more space?

Also, if I were to edit the _M files (which are the reference ones) how do I export them. I know you can create an EDL but I never done that before, just wonder the steps in that.

Thanks,
Chris

[Chris Woods]

To answer this question, I believe I have dual core one, but I’ll have to double check. The company bought the computer.

[Chad Carlberg]

Chris,
I’ll bet you got all the answers you needed. I’d love to know what you worked out. I just shot a spot using red one for 120fps capability. It’s going on web, NTSC and HD tv. After shooting P2 for three years using every possible config and making mistakes conforming for things that shouldn’t even work, changing frame rates, and using compressor and QT, and even handbrake to export or build files to edit in FCP, I’m pretty confident that all will be well no matter what route we take (or you take). My philosophy is to do things that look good, and not necessarily using the BEST technology available. The result is that we are capable of doing really amazing looking stuff for the money that most technicians would consider impossible given our inexpensive workflow but we never have trouble getting our work to look stellar on TV for most people’s eye.

That said, I just converted using FCP ProRes HQ in 2:1. And now I want to edit using FCP and export 720P and 29.97 NTSC. I assume you did the same at some point and want to know what wsa the best way in your (or anybody’s) experience. I particularly interested in creating files that don’t take forever to ingest and I want them to look good. Despite my previous point, I am still a stickler for getting the best image I can. I just prioritize a good shot and good creative over good technical workflow since we generally only have budgets for one or the other.

Cheers.