FCP and RED Proxy

[Michael Gissing]

Your workflow needs to take into account the full post flow including grading, onlining and required distribution formats.

There is a lot of information available at the RED website, plus their forums that cover recommended workflows with FCP. Basic methodology is to convert the RED files to ProRes to edit. Keep backups of the RED media in the correct file structure and never change the original or converted file names if you need to trace back to the RED media for grading & online. If the final is 4k for theatre, then you are best off working closely with the post facility that is doing the 4k grade and online. FCP can’t do this (although Color can grade the 4k RED media)

So there are lots of considerations but you really must work with the other post facilities downstream of you to make sure you convert the files correctly to ProRes for editing. The only simple advice I can give is to avoid using the proxy files and use the RED software like REDrushes to convert.

[John Scott]

Thanks Michael that’s all most helpful.
Can you explain why I should avoid working with the Red File Proxies.
I’m intrigued to know what problems may arise.
Thanks

scotty

[Michael Gissing]

The proxy files have slightly different file names as they have a _P or _M extension. This can be a nuisance reconnecting say to an XML or EDL later in grading & onlining.

The other reason is that ProRes conversions will play much better in FCP so the editing stage will be less hassle. If you are no going back to your RED media, then the ProRes files can be used in a simple workflow to grade in Color and then online in FCP. I have done short films that way using a 2048 x 1080 file size so we ended up with a 2k master for theatrical playback, a 1920 x 1080 master for braodcast & bluray and it was a simple worlflow all the way from edit to online. We always maintained the option of relinking the grade to the RED media as the file names were identical.

The proxy files are useful for logging if you want to do a selected conversion. However, the producer and director were unable to see the proxies on their FCP computers, just a green screen.

[John Scott]

Thanks Michael I think I’ll transcode to ProRes. Regards to Tassie.

scotty

[Gunleik Groven]

Conforming to/from the proxies is pretty trivial, and on short projects with short turnaround I have used to do the proxies.

You should look into clipfinder for conform/firstlight. I even think the free version do conform and render. It’s really handy and quick.

For long form, offline/online is much more flexible and secure.

Cheers

https://www.vulture.no/

[John Scott]

Thanks Gunleik.
I am working on a feature film of 90 mins duration.
I can’t find anybody who has done this using RED proxies rather than transcoding to ProRes.
Everybody say’s if you’re working longform avoid proxies.
What I hear is that using proxies slows down the process because of render time for dissolves and other visual fx, but I’m wondering other than that what are the cons of using proxies in FCP.
Does anyone have experience of cutting a feature film using proxies from the Red Files without transcoding?

scotty

[Margus Voll]

Hi.

If you go prorez you lose red raw support like changing iso or kelvin temp.
I find this the most useful options in color with red. I have seen never material that are identical in
luminance levels so you can go back and play a bit with iso if needed.

There is workflows using prores and later making suitable connections in your xml.

Imac wil be nice with prorez but i bet with raw files it io will melt down in sence of time.

Look into Rubber Monkey Extract and Crimson Workflow.

If system and timetable could handle it i would make small prorez and later use
original files in grading.

—

Margus

https://iconstudios.eu

[John Scott]

many thanks margus. this is most helpful.

scotty