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Feature DV Film + 24p DVCAM + Film Transfer = TONS of Questions
Hey everybody. I have a TON of questions to ask you guys. Here’s the overall situation:
I’m working on a feature project. Shot on DVCAM, format i think is called ‘SD 50’, not too familiar with DVCAM formats. But I know it’s the larger sized tape (not Mini-DV sized). Feature was shot in 24p (don’t know 24P or 24PA). Producer wants me to edit it with the film transfer being dealt with by however buys the film.My experience primarily lies with Beta SP and Mini-DV footage. I’ve done one 24p project which was a total nightmare due to an incorrect digitzation of the footage.
Onto the questions:
1) Can anybody suggest how I should be finishing the video to make it ‘ready’ for film transfer? Put it onto Beta SP? Take my timeline and output a 8 bit uncompressed version?A few 24p related questions:
2) Is there a way to digitize 24p footage, keep it as 24p, BUT when editing the piece, have it playback ‘smoothly’ onto a 29.97 NTSC monitor? I heard FCP 4.5 (maybe 4 too?) has a feature where you can select the pulldown method. I’m not too familiar with the whole 24p thing so my terminology may be a bit wonky.3) When a camera is recording footage in 24p: on the tape itself, is the footage REALLY 24p? I heard that footage on the tape is able to be ‘flagged’, as in the footage that goes to tape is ACTUALLY 29.97 but certain frames are ‘flagged’ for playback/digitization in 24p mode.
4) Ties back to question #3 a bit. I don’t have access to a DVCAM deck, and there’s no budget to rent one out. However, I do have access to a PD-150 to digitize Mini-DV footage. I had a quick conversation with the producer, some terminology was used that I’m not aware of, and a quick explanation was given. Basically it’s this: Of all the DVCAM footage, smaller Mini-DV tape (the normal consumer size) copies were made with “timecode jam” (improper spelling of the terminology?). I think I recall this being explained that each ‘second’ of footage on the Mini-DV is identical to the DVCAM tapes, but the frame numbers MAY be off due to 24p -> 29.97 frame conversion. It was a very rushed conversation, does anybody have any experience with such copies?
5) A spinoff to question 4. I haven’t had a chance to look at either footage, but what i’m wondering is this: if the Mini-DV footage (in 29.97) has a ‘jittery’ look to it (as if 24p footage was being played on a DV-NTSC 29.97 monitor), how would I fix this problem?
6) A general concluding question: If the Mini-DV footage is smooth in playback, would you suggest I edit from these tapes instead of the DVCAM? Again, an issue is that I don’t have access to a DVCAM deck.
7) General unrelated 24p questions: I heard the Panasonic DVX100 can shoot 24p in 2 different modes: 24P and 24PA. Can anybody tell me the difference? I heard one mode is far superior to the other, which one? Other camera that can shoot 24p, do they have these modes as well? If not, is it possible to have one generic 24p capture setting in Final Cut, or would i need different settings for 24P, 24PA, 24p for a non-Panasonic camera, etc…?
I don’t know what camera was used to record the footage. The producer is arriving in town in a couple days. She’s very hard to get a hold of and I doubt I’d be able to find any ‘technical specifics’ from her before I meet her at the end of this week. So I’d like to be able to go into the meeting with as much general knowledge as possible :-). Thanks to anybody who can help!
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2 Replies
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Well youve got alot of questions there… Ill answer a few and some others can chime in after me…
First off, if it was most likely not shot with the DVX100 becuase the DVX100 doesnt use DVCAM tapes it uses MiniDV tapes. The DVX100 does indeed “flag” frames when shooting in 24p or 24pa mode (as do all tape based recorders).
FCP can handle these flagged frames very gracefully. You are able to capture ONLY the flagged frames and edit in a 24p timeline and it will reintroduce the pulldown on the fly when viewing to an NTSC monitor. 24pa is best used when creating a 24p DVD or when doing a film out. 24p regular is best used to create the 24p “look” when being displayed on an NTSC monitor.
Ill be back to answer more laters if others dont… there are big apple announcements going on right now, have to read some!
Emery
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hehe, no1 else is replying so you can fill me in 😀
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