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mixed framerate disaster
I’ve posted about this before, but I’ve gotten even more confused about this whole thing in the meantime.
The basic situation is I am finishing a feature length project. I’ve been cutting all along in an FCP 30P timeline. I did not know, when I started this, that 30P is not a broadcast / HDCAM format. Nor did I know that, while I can mix frame rates in an FCP timeline, I need to convert everything to one framerate before color correcting in Resolve or mastering to HDCAM
My project is something like 90% archival footage. 10% video filmed by me at 30P.
The archival footage is a big range of formats – it is based completely on what I was able to obtain from different archives and labs.
one big set of materials is 16mm film scanned to 24P ProRes files
another big chunk is 16 and 35mm film scanned to 23.98 PRoRes
yet another chunk originated on film at 24fps, but I was only able to access BetaSP SD viewing masters… I had these tapes upconverted via Teranex (unfortunately the upconvert was to 29.97… but presumably, depending on how the original telecine was done, maybe it can be reverse telecined somehow).Until recently, I was working with the idea of finishing at 29.97, since that’s what the timeline has been all alone. Now I am not sure if that’s a good idea. The Compressor conversions I’ve made to turn all my 24fps footage into 29.97 are interlaced, and the interlacing has created weird artifacts -blended frames, other ugly stuff.
Would it be better to finish in 24p given that the majority of the footage originated in film at some point?
How would I even start rebuilding the whole project in 24P?
I’m feeling very overwhelmed. I’ve tried to start rebuilding in 24P and there are already all kind of problems.
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2 Replies
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[irene litapop] “I did not know, when I started this, that 30P is not a broadcast / HDCAM format.”
Who said that? Broadcast is pretty much always 30fps…typically 60i (meaning interlaced), but if your footage is 30fps progressive, then the interlaced fields are just the same image. Some networks do 60p at 720p…but a majority…like 99.95%…are 60i, 29.97…30fps.
[irene litapop] “Nor did I know that, while I can mix frame rates in an FCP timeline”
That’s Apple marketting hype. In reality, you cannot. Not properly. FCP doesn’t remove frames correctly, nor add them. It does really odd things to the pulldown. So no, you cannot mix frame rates effectively in FCP.
[irene litapop] ” I need to convert everything to one framerate before color correcting in Resolve or mastering to HDCAM”
Correct.
[irene litapop] “I had these tapes upconverted via Teranex (unfortunately the upconvert was to 29.97… but presumably, depending on how the original telecine was done, maybe it can be reverse telecined somehow).”
What’s unfortunate about that? That’s RIGHT! You should be working at 29.97.
[irene litapop] “Until recently, I was working with the idea of finishing at 29.97, since that’s what the timeline has been all alone. Now I am not sure if that’s a good idea.”
Why not? If this is for broadcast, you should be working at 29.97. What do the specs for the network you are delivering say about frame rate and other specs? That’s what determines what frame rate you work and how you deliver a show. If this is for generic broadcast…generic delivery…then it should be 1080i60 at 29.97. If you shot 30p…that just means that your footage will be progressive, both fields will be the same.
[irene litapop] “The Compressor conversions I’ve made to turn all my 24fps footage into 29.97 are interlaced,”
Good…that’s what you should do. That’s how you convert 24fps to 30fps properly…it has to be interlaced in order to look smooth. If not, if you make it 30p, then it will stutter as every 4th frame is repeated instead of blended.
[irene litapop] “and the interlacing has created weird artifacts -blended frames, other ugly stuff.”
What settings did you use in Compressor? I do this all the time, in fact, very recently, and it all looks good.
[irene litapop] “Would it be better to finish in 24p given that the majority of the footage originated in film at some point?”
Depends…is someone asking for it to be delivered in that manner?
[irene litapop] “I’m feeling very overwhelmed. I’ve tried to start rebuilding in 24P and there are already all kind of problems.”
Consider hiring someone who does this for a living. The technical stuff, if you don’t know it, can be VERY daunting.
Shane
Little Frog Post
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Agreed, Keep going in 30fps. If, for some reason, you need a 23.98 or 24.000 master, then go back to the people who have the Teranex. They will, or should, know what to do.
jPo
“I always pass on free advice — its never of any use to me” Oscar Wilde.
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