is FCP up to the task for 4:4:4 RGB?

[Walter Biscardi]

Do a search on here and the AJA Kona forum for Gary Adcock and 4:4:4. He’s the person I know that works in that format the most.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Gary Adcock]

[walter biscardi] “search on here and the AJA Kona forum for Gary Adcock and 4:4:4. He’s the person I know that works in that format the most.”

Walter, I resemble that remark.,,,

Chris,

the first question would be SR tape or DPX files?

Things to remember

Nothing is realtime

You will need a gigantic highspeed array since those files are going to be about 8+gigs per minute of content that needs to playback at about 200 MBps

lastly remember to bill for the time it takes to move the data around and back it up.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD

[Chris Borjis]

I’ve done a lot of dvcpro-hd long and short form (to give some background on my experience)

This project is SR Tape in (shot from panavision genesis) and SR Tape out in RGB 4:4:4 dual link. And 35mm film out from the SR Tape.

I have a bmd multibridge extreme (dual link capable) and a Caldigit 6TB HDOne and might upgrade it to 12TB if necessary. The read/write test: 403/327
should be plenty then.

We might offline at 1080psf (using the realtime jpeg codec) and online
back at uncompressed RGB 4:4:4

any gamma issues or other “gotchas” you’ve encountered?

nothing is in realtime?
so any effect added would require rendering I presume?

I would also like to avoid any possible complications
with 24 to 30 frame conversions and pulldown/cinema tools etc…

Just keep it nice and simple as offline jpeg 23.976 1080psf to
online uncompressed RGB 23.976 1080psf. (if thats possible)

I really appreciate your response Gary, thanks.

[Gary Adcock]

[Chris Borjis] “any gamma issues or other “gotchas” you’ve encountered? “

hence the reason I asked about DPX.

Other things to think about – Log or Linear capture?

FCP does not support RT in jpeg codec as far as I know, the is no such thing as Unlimited RT if we are talking 10bit RGB content on any computer your timeline will default to Safe.

I do not work on BMD cards- I only use Kona’s- this workflow needs that extra power that aja brings to the table for these types of projects, so I have no ideas of the issues that you may run into.

capture your offline on the same deck you are planning to do the Online on- that eliminates TC errors when digitizing.

Why not used ProRes or DVCPROHD for the offline to maintain RT playback- certainly good enough for any deliver short of your final delivery or the film out.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD

[Sean Oneil]

[Chris Borjis] “We might offline at 1080psf (using the realtime jpeg codec) and online
back at uncompressed RGB 4:4:4”

Photo-JPEG is YUV 4:2:2 when the quality is set to 75% or lower. As far as I know, all the P-JPEG settings that Blackmagic provides are at 75%. My point being, if that’s the case you might as well set the SR deck to output 4:2:2 and just use ProRes for your offline. You’ll get real-time effects and all that.

Sean

[Chris Borjis]

[gary adcock] “Other things to think about – Log or Linear capture?”

RGB 4:4:4 dual link capture has an option for that?
I need to use whatever will ultimately work best for a film out from an SR master tape.

looks like dvcpro-hd will be my offline. I was thinking jpeg would be even smaller in size
but it doesn’t seem to be a proven workflow like dvcpro-hd which I’ve had great success with
in the past.

thanks for the help fellas.

[Gary Adcock]

[Chris Borjis] “RGB 4:4:4 dual link capture has an option for that?
I need to use whatever will ultimately work best for a film out from an SR master tape. “

yes it does.

and it would have been determined at the camera not when it gets to you, working with LOG versions of files is a far more complex workflow for a first time 4:4:4 project.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD

[Chris Borjis]

[gary adcock] “and it would have been determined at the camera not when it gets to you, working with LOG versions of files is a far more complex workflow for a first time 4:4:4 project.”

could you give an example of how it’s “more complex” for LOG vs Linear in fcp?
Can FCP even deal properly with Panalog?

I’m no stranger to complex workflows and tense situations that had to be
done right the first time.

If recording log means the film out will be better, thats the way it will be done.

All I would be doing is editing RGB 4:4:4 in fcp. (I have the equipment to handle it)

make an HDCAM-SR master for tape to tape color correction and then a film out.

thats it in a nut shell.

I really do appreciate your comments Gary.

[Gary Adcock]

[Chris Borjis] “could you give an example of how it’s “more complex” for LOG vs Linear in fcp? Can FCP even deal properly with Panalog? “

with LIN or linear workflows the image is recorded in a manner like most rec 709 cameras- and all your content looks like video.

with a LOG or Logarithmic workflow- the data at the camera is recorded that allows for more data to be laid to the tape, but that content then needs to be adjusted or corrected for “proper” viewing. LOG images are very dark and often need larger amounts of color correction to achieve what a producer might call a “normal” look.

YES I have worked with Panalog footage in FCP- no it cannot handle it alone.

[Chris Borjis] “If recording log means the film out will be better, thats the way it will be done. “

that is how most film out project are done – captured on set as log to maintain the largest amount of data capable.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows

Inside look at the IoHD

[Chris Borjis]

[gary adcock] “YES I have worked with Panalog footage in FCP- no it cannot handle it alone.”

You did that with Glue Tools I imagine. I found lots of posts about it
over the weekend.

Sounds like thats my solution.