H.264 suitable for film editing at 24fps?

[Chris Borjis]

[Juanjo Mora] “Is H.264 suitable for long-form film editing in Final Cut Pro?”

no not really.

give him dvcpro-hd files instead.

[Shane Ross]

I concur. H.264 is a delivery codec, not one suitable for editing. Not in FCP.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Arnie Schlissel]

[Juanjo Mora] “The editor refuses to accept them for cutting the off-line, arguing that H.264 is not suitable for editing.”

your editor is correct. Perhaps your editor also suggested what he or she would prefer for editing? Give them that.

Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/

[Juanjo Mora]

Hi Shane!

Thank you for your answer.

In which editing app H.264 is a suitble codec for editing?

Regards,

Jj

[Juanjo Mora]

Guys,

Thanks to everyone who answered.

I’ll have a meeting with my editor next tuesday and give her what she asks me for.

She is also reluctant to edit at exactly 24fps, she insists in editing at 23.98 even if I give her the info vía QT and not from a videotape originated from a telecine transfer.

Maybe I should clarify that the dailies from the production will be originated as follows:

The origin format is 3-perf 35mm.

From our Shadow Telecine we will capture 10-bit log DPX files at 1920x1080p at 24 fps via a 4:4:4 Dual-Link Bluefish-based capture station.

Then, this files will be processed in a Mac vía Pomfort Silver Stack and rendered into 1080@24p QTs in the HD-DVCPRO codec and given to the editor.

When the cut finishes we will take the cut list and based on that scan the negative via an Imagica Scanner (we have the 3-perf specific gate).

We are pushing the 24fps workflow and everyone (including the sound guy) is happy except the editor: she insists in working at 23.98… she works on FCP and insists 23.98 is better…

Why?

Thanks.

Jj

[John Pale]

[Juanjo Mora] “n which editing app H.264 is a suitble codec for editing?”

There are no editing apps that I know of that can use H.264 effectively. Certainly not Avid or FCP. It’s processor intensive to encode/decode which kills your RT performance.

[Neil Sadwelkar]

I think you should use Apple ProRes. Its 10-bit and superb quality. You could even grade it a bit and use that for promos.

However since ProRes is a 10bit codec you might need that option for Pomfort. Else its restricted to 8bit.

23.98 may be suitable if you’re in an NTSC country and some TV capable promos/trailers may be needed. Translating 24 to 29.97 is harder than 23.98 to 29.97.

However, if you’re in PAL Land. stay far far away from 23.98.

In any case CinemaTools converts from 24 to 23.98 without any problems.

FCP Editor, Mumbai, India.
Completely PAL.

[Daryl K davis]

If you work at 24 fps you won’t be able to play out to an NTSC monitor.

I am based in North America and I edit all the features I work on at 23.98 (24p). I never have any problem with neg cut lists or DI lists for the lab and no issues with audio post at all. Also outputting DVD’s for screening your cuts works much better if you’re working with 23.98.

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DK Davis / Editor/ Post Super
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[Sean Oneil]

[Neil Sadwelkar] ”
In any case CinemaTools converts from 24 to 23.98 without any problems.”

My sentiment exactly.

Sean

[Neil Sadwelkar]

If your external monitor is SD NTSC, then yes, 24 may not play. But if you have an HD monitor and a BM or AJA card feeding it. Even if its is a HD LCD TV set, then both BM and AJA have 24psf presets through which you can see a 24 fps timeline play.

In SD PAL, a 24 fps sequence plays out normally in a PAL monitor as 24+1 or 24@25.

FCP Editor, Mumbai, India.
Completely PAL.