FCP X – Resolve – RED stupidity

[Oliver Peters]

“Is that the workflow?”

Yes, that capsulized it. One addition step, though. Resolve 11 won’t take the FCPXML from 10.0.9 (too old), so I had to import that into 10.1.4 first in order to update the FCP X project. From this I exported an FCPXML to go to Resolve with the first time around.

Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Jeremy Garchow]

I know you know this, but next time I would try and XML over to FCPX from RCX, or better yet, start in Resolve if you know that’s where you’re ending up.

I’d be curious, though, to see that busted XML and see where it went wrong.

[Oliver Peters]

[Jeremy Garchow] “I’d be curious, though, to see that busted XML and see where it went wrong.”

E-mail me offline. Contact is on the website.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Aindreas Gallagher]

due to my training and software knowledge I followed all of this very clearly. carry on.

https://vimeo.com/user1590967/videos http://www.ogallchoir.net promo producer/editor.grading/motion graphics

[Oliver Peters]

So, I thought I had a solution, but I was wrong. Something is seriously wrong here. I ran a new test with completely separate media and machines involved. Right now, the FCPXML roundtrip back to FCP X is not working whenever the media and FCPXML is moved to a machine other than where it was originated. Try this experiment.

1. 4K RED files + ProRes transcoded edit files (1080 or 720) – everything as 23.976.
2. Edit a short sequence in FCP X (10.2.1). Strip out all audio. Export FCPXML 1.4.
3. Load the RED files into Resolve 11 and import the FCPXML. Do some color correction.
4. Deliver using the FCP Roundtrip Easy set up preset (turn off audio). Render at timeline resolution with handles as individual clips.
5. For grins, open a new Resolve project, load the rendered files and the FCPXML from Resolve.
6. Export a new FCPXML 1.4.
7. Take both FCPXML files and rendered media to a separate machine that DOES NOT connect to either the original RED or transcoded edit files.
8. Try to import either of these FCPXML files into FCPX 10.2.1 and see what happens. Can you relink?
9. Now the weird part. On this second machine, I open Resolve, relink to the render files, and generate a new FCPXML on THAT machine. This can be opened and relinked on FCP X on the same machine.

What is going on?

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Eric Santiago]

Oliver has there been any updates to your workflow issues?

I feel for you with my current FCPX > XML > Xto7 > Premiere workflow that isnt working at all for me.

Question for you (and everyone that cares), what is the best option for ProRes Export.

RCXPro or Resolve?

I also tested it the RCXPro XML into Resolve and had some issues and kinda gave up on that.

I can save that for another post.

[Oliver Peters]

[Eric Santiago] “Question for you (and everyone that cares), what is the best option for ProRes Export.
RCXPro or Resolve?”

I don’t know, but I’m inclined to say that if you are using a “dailies” workflow, then start in Resolve. It all depends on the overall workflow. For example, in RED jobs, I’ve been very happy with the Adobe/SpeedGrade Direct Link native workflow.

There’s a lot of merit to cutting in FCP X for offline, with native RED media and transcoded proxies. Or with externally transcoded proxies. When you are done in X, strip out all effects (except for resizing), especially compounds and speed changes. Send to Resolve to grade. Then render trimmed clips and export an AAF to bring into Premiere for finishing. Rebuild all your effects there. As a “finishing” tool, I much prefer Premiere, but Resolve 12 will be interesting.

– Oliver

Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Oliver Peters] “8. Try to import either of these FCPXML files into FCPX 10.2.1 and see what happens. Can you relink?”

I can’t. I get weird errors. If I relink (or import) on the original machine and then send that Library over to another machine with a duplicate set of media (but not connected to the original media location) that also relinks.

More investigation needed but it seems like the XML from Resolve may be weird.

[Eric Santiago]

Thanks for me RCXPro is very helpful with the TC sync option and the ability to create overlays as well as export with the specific crop (if requested) for dailies.

I know most of that can be done in Resolve (except for the overlays).

I was hoping an benefit in XML use as far as using any of the above at the ProRes stage.

[Jeremy Garchow]

With Oliver’s help, we seemed to have figured this out.

I am not an expert, but it looks like Resolve is writing incomplete FCPXMLs as they are missing a few formatting parameters in the asset list. Translating the ‘bad’ FCPXML to FCP7 XML also through PrCC for a loop.

If the work is done all on one machine (roundtrip to Resolve and back to X), these parameters are seemingly unnecessary as everything works.

As soon as you transfer the graded clips along with an XML of the graded timeline, FCPX cannot connect to the media due to, what appears to be, a bad FCPXML.

It’s very strange and buggy, but we were able to fix the “bad” FCPXML and make it “good” so that FCPXML was getting the correct information from it.

If you need to send a Resolve generated FCPXML and graded clips to another FCPX user, be sure to import the FCPXML in to FCPX first on the machine it was graded ion, and then export that FCPXML from there (or send a library).

Jeremy