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Multi-format feature doc
Hi all. I will soon be starting a feature length doc with multiple formats and wanted to hear some of your experiences on how best to handle all the different materials that will be coming in. The primary footage was all shot HDV on the Sony V1U with the 24p look at 60i.
The doc traverses the globe and footage will be coming in from abroad so I will be getting footage on PAL, SD, HD, 720p, 1080i, HDV, DV, 24p, DVD ripped footage you name it. The final output will likely be HDCAM SR 1080 24p. I’ve certainly done multi format work before but never on this scale and diversity.
My instinct is to use a 1080 60i ProRes base and try to bring everything in at those specs. I am assuming that dubbing/downconverting/converting PAL to HD for all the footage to conform to those standards (1080 60i) and digitizing ProRes to best way to ingest the footage, but the costs may be prohibitive. Have others gotten so many different formats to play nice together in any other way?
The appeal of FCP is that it can kind of accept a lot of different formats and cram them together but this is also the scary part of FCP for me. This may also be blasphemy for this forum, but is Avid a better way to go (I edit on both)? I know that the symphony can incorporate multiple frame rates and standards in a project.
We are putting the post workflow together now so I’d love any input you could give. Thanks so much in advance.
Best,
Eric Lin
NYC -
2 Replies
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Eric,
Your problems won’t be about “starting” but more about “finishing”!
The first question to ask is, “Will you be going out to film?” If the answer to that is yes, or even maybe, then that dictates a different workflow compared to a video finish.
In my opinion, FCP is much more flexible on formats, but what you’re describing is a cluster F*ck. Pick one frame rate, resolution, and format and match everything else to that on the way IN to FCP. If you plan on dealing with these issues on the way OUT… then you’re in for a world of hurt.
It sounds like the bulk of your material will be at 24p. Again, if you’re going to film, do you mean 24p or 23.98? Frankly, since you’re already planning on having a mix of everything, there is no “correct” answer… only a guess as to which path will cause the least pain.
Good luck…. and budget extra time for the on-line process, you’re going to need it.
Mark
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Hi Mark. Yeah, I fear the future.
We do want the option of doing a film out at the end if possible. By 24p I do mean 23.98.
I agree, I think the best way to save headache is to stick to a format at the outset before going IN to FCP.
Anyone have experience with say getting PAL standard def into a 23.98 HD format for ingesting into the computer?
IF they shot 1080 60i (with pull down of 24p) from the Sony V1U is there an easy way to bring that in as true 24p, to extract the 24p? I know that they did not shoot 24p A on the Sony which has the 3:2 cadence and is easy to remove. Rather, they shot the 24p option which mimcs a telecine pulldown. Is that harder to remove at the ingest stage?
I’m guessing that we should set our frame rate at the rate we want to end in: 23.98. But, any thoughts on how difficult it is to get non 23.98 material onto 23.98 tape for ingesting into FCP? That sounds like a crazy process in itself.
E.
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