Finalizing My First Major Workflow

[Steve Eisen]

[Broggi Khaikin] “1. Convert all footage (Canon 5D and 7D MOV’s) using MPEG STREAMCLIP into Apple ProRes 422”

Use the Canon E1 plug-in instead of MPEG Streamclip. This will enable you to use FCP’s Log and Transfer.

Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Final Cut Pro Users Group

[Bret Williams]

Ditto. AND, when you get to the color grading, try DaVinci Resolve.

[Charles Alexander]

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the feedback.

I am instinctively hesitant to do FCP’s Log and Transfer process without master audio being synced. If I’m going to be making notes on each shot/take – I want to look at the final synced product so I can note any glitches with the sound? Thus the batch processing in MPEG Streamclip…

So perhaps I should sync with Dual Eyes before I log and transfer? But I was advised to sync audio after converting to ProRes.

For example: I don’t want to go through each clip, mark one as a gem, then after syncing, realize that an audio glitch renders the take unusable.

Any thoughts to that? I am complete newb and if I have to Log and Transfer, THEN sync, THEN begin the edit, so be it.

Really looking to learn how people work and incorporate it as I start my adventure.

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[Pradip Patil]

[Broggi Khaikin] “6. Begin mastering process (Color/Audio correction,”

How are you going to master? FCP, COLOR or any third party application?

MPEGStreamclip is not going to give you reelname and time-code, so you can not use EDLs to transfer your project.

[Broggi Khaikin] “I don’t want to go through each clip, mark one as a gem, then after syncing, realize that an audio glitch renders the take unusable.”

You can always go for ADR. Why give so much importance to a glitch , when what you should be looking at is overall performance?

Pradip Patil
Mumbai,India

[Charles Alexander]

Bret,

I was going to use Colorista as its easy to earn and produces a great finish ( I am going B&W).

Any tips on the syncing audio ?

I am trying to wrap my head around how to sync audio before or after converting to Pro Res.

Again with the stipulation that I don’t want to Log and Transfer before audio is synced, but again, if thats what I have to do, I’ll do it.

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[Joseph Hung]

Since this is the FCP forum and not FCPX I’m assuming you are cutting in FCP7?

Agreed with all above, MPEG Streamclip is a great app, but won’t give you logging features or TC. Use T&L or Compressor (which also batches btw). Convert to ProRes 422 (H.264 is not an editing codec and will not edit smoothly in real time = headaches). I’ve used 422 HQ before, but that’s because I have the RAID and bandwidth. For the Canon cameras, there isn’t enough info in the H.264 to warrant HQ, 422 will be just fine. Then sync audio after you choose your buys and holds. If you have the hdd space and bandwidth, I generally transcode all of it, so I can see everything in high resolution smoothly on my reference monitor. The performance and the video should be what you are looking for first, and of course audio is very important, but audio is a little easier to fix rather than bad exposure, wrong settings causing too much motion blur, out of focus, etc. If there is a glitch in the master audio, an audio engineer will have lots of tricks up his/her sleeves to hide it such as ADR or foley, etc. You also have the camera audio, which isn’t the greatest, but you can use it (with some processing of course) to fix small problems. I’ve had to do that a few times from the 5DMKII and 7D at times and it worked out fine (I still notice slight differences because I’m the filmmaker, I’m looking/listening for it, but the audience probably will not notice it at all, in most cases).

Keep it ProRes 422 settings all the way through to mastering.

So, transcode then sync audio to chosen takes. Your head will feel better.

Hope this helps.

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[Charles Alexander]

I’m literally staring at my computer wondering who the hell can I get to answer this.

“So, transcode then sync audio to chosen takes. Your head will feel better.”

Yup.

I officially owe Joseph Hung a beer. I’ll start by following you Twitter and giving you a FB like.

See you at Sundance.

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[Misha Aranyshev]

“So, transcode then sync audio to chosen takes”

I don’t get it. Too cheap to hire an editor and too lazy to sync all takes yourself?

[Charles Alexander]

Спасибо за помощь.

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[Misha Aranyshev]

Да пока не за что.

It is very common to use parts of different takes of the same shot because the beginning and ending of a take might be good but there might be something wrong in the middle. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot – sync everything. Going back to preparing footage in the middle of editing is distracting. Prepare everything then edit.

Don’t spend too much time watching them one by one. Sync, drop every shot for a particular scene to the timeline and watch everything in context.

Don’t create a separate sequence for each scene. It will slow down FCP and it will slow down you. Create one sequence for takes and another for your edit. Drop every shot for the first scene to the “Takes” sequence, watch and cut to the “Edit” sequence. People won’t watch your film scene by scene. You shouldn’t either.

Don’t try to polish your first scene to perfection. As long as it starts to make sense what’s going on in it go to the next scene. Clear everything from the “Takes” sequence and drop all shots and takes for the second scene there. Cut to the “Edit” sequence.

That will get you to the rough cut of your film much sooner. Watch it and see if the story makes sense. You might realize that the order of scenes should be rearranged or some scenes could be completely deleted. Do it. Don’t try to do fine cut until the story makes sense in a rough cut.

Resist the temptation to save every minor variation of your edit in a separate sequence. Save only the ones you showed to a client or to a focus group of some sort. It will be your reference of what other people like. You need it. Anything you like you’ll be able to recreate because it is what you like. You don’t need any reference for that — it is in your head.

Good luck.