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mixed frame rates
Hi there. I’m about to start editing a documentary with over 200 hours of footage. It was already transcoded when I got it, some pro res, some xdcam, some dvc pro hd, some NTSC. The big issue is that about 100 hours was shot at 29.97 while the other half was shot at 23.98. I was thinking about just cutting it in AVID but it’s already all been transcoded and the director wants to work in FCP. I know that mixing frame rates = pain but but converting all of that footage in compressor is looking like it would take a lifetime. I’m thinking about cutting it down to around five hours and then separating out the 29.97 and only converting that but is there a better idea besides jumping NLE’s? Thanks!
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3 Replies
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What does the master format need to be? 29.97 or 23.98?
Color code ALL the footage that is not the delivery format. This footage you will convert the frame rate of and manually recut into the project later. Yes, manually. You cannot relink to different frame rate footage. And no, FCP 7 does not mix frame rates well. You will, at some point, need to convert.
Color code all the footage, and when you are done editing, duplicate the sequence, delete all the footage that is the right frame rate. Then media Manage the rest by choosing COPY and include handles. Take all the resulting files and convert the frame rate. HOW? Depends on what you are converting to what.
Then manually re-import that footage into FCP…and manually recut it into the original timeline. yep…manually.
Or use Adobe Premiere Pro…no need to re-encode as it will use the footage you have fine, and it mixes frame rates just fine. Or, use Avid and create a project for each frame rate…import the footage into the appropriate frame rate project…transcode it over night…or a couple nights. And then you can mix frame rates to your hearts delight.
Switching to Adobe Premiere Pro is the easiest option.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Thanks Shane, huge help as always. Premiere Pro does seems to be the way to go but the director did want to work out of FCP 7 so I’m just trying to get an idea of all possible options.
The final delivery is 23. 98. Outside of sending it to a facility is there a better/faster option than compressor?
Maybe this is an incredibly stupid idea but would it make any sense to follow the workflow you mentioned above (editing in a 23.98 sequence), copy the 29.97 clips and paste onto a 29.97 sequence (with the holes where the 23.98 clips were deleted) convert the entire sequence to one long 23.98 clip, import back into the 23.98 project and place on the track below the original 23.98 clips and then tweak to fit? This feels like I’m grasping at straws, but like I said, just want to know all the options.
Thanks again, I really appreciate it!
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[Jordan Shane] ”
The final delivery is 23. 98. Outside of sending it to a facility is there a better/faster option than compressor?”So an option BESIDES Compressor or a Terranex at a facility? Sure…Premiere Pro/After Effects. But doing that kills any timecode matching.
Your other way might work, but there might be slippage at cut points, due to the gaps created, and the change in timecode. Which is why I don’t do that…I do the media manage, Compressor thing. Did it for a feature doc.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def
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