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Mutilcam Edit Nightmare
Okay, so I am working with an awesome project that I want to try and edit as a multicam project.
I am new to the whole multicam edit thing but I understand the basics of how it works and how to use it in FCP.So, the big problem that I am running into now deals with a format conflict between footage shot on a Canon 5D and footage shot on a RED camera. Of course, I am working in .mov proxies with the RED footage, but I am working with 5D footage that was converted into H.264
Both cameras where used to shoot the same interview and I was able to sync them up using the amazing “Pluraleyes” utility, but I cannot edit the two as a multicam project.
Should I just export all of the RED footage as the same format as my 5D footage so the codecs match at the same frame size or is there a work out for this particular problem?
Thank you so much.
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16 Replies
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Wow, I hope you have shot the RED footage @ 30fps to match the 5D. Also did you study the workflow recommended by RED for FCP? It is available on the RED website.
From what you have said so far, I think you are on the verge of disaster. Take a deep breath, back away from editing anything yet and re think your whole workflow.
Preferably everything should be in the same codec, pixel aspect and frame rate. Working with RED proxies is not the recommended workflow. The 5D shoots 30fps H264 files so they do not need to be converted to H264 but ProRes as has been covered here a bazillion times.
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All clips have to be the same codec for multicam to work. It wasn’t clear to me if you are trying to edit with H.264. That is ng as H.264 is not an editing codec. It’s a delivery codec. You are correct that you both clips should be the same frame rate, frame size and codec (like ProRes). Try converting a short segment from each camera and see how it goes.
John
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Ok I am going to take a look at RED’s recommended workflow.
Also, I made a mistake as to what format I am working with when it comes to the 5D footage.
I am working with ProRes and I just mixed up which format I was converting from.Let you know what comes of my research.
Thanks for the ultra fast response!
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Frame rates? What did the RED camera shoot? was the 5D footage corrected to match the RED frame rate?
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Okay, so what it looks like the best thing to do in my situation is to convert the RED footage to ProRes, as the 5D footage already is. That way I can do a multicam edit with te 5D footage after it is converted.
Is this something that Compressor can handle? Can it properly ingest the Quicktime files that are provided with the raw RED footage?
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Unfortunately, it turns out that the 5D was shot at 30fps and the RED was shot at 23.98fps.
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Converting RED to ProRes is best done with the RED Rushes. This is available as a free download from the RED website. Please read their documentation on FCP workflows. (yes I know I have said this already but it is worth repeating)
Solving the frame rate problem is another matter. Frankly your camera people need a swift kick for firstly shooting with a 5D and secondly for not at least trying to match the RED to the 5D frame rate.
I live in the PAL world so fortunately I rarely have mixed frame rates to deal with. I am sure the 5D footage can be adjusted to 29.97 and then to 23.976 removing pulldown but I will let others well versed in the demonic world of NTSC frame rates help with that. The 5D will drift sync slowly but probably not so much that it can’t be used for cutaways.
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Ok, I am doing a test conversion using RED Alert.
In the meantime, if this does turn out to be what I need, is there a batch render functionality built into RED Alert?
I cannot tell if there is and it would be great to just convert all of my RED files overnight and let RED Alert do its thing so I can get real productive when I get back to the studio in the morning.Thank you so much again.
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I don’t believe the 5D adds a pull down, it is shooting 30 actual frames. So he will probably need to retime the 5D to 29.97 and then add the pull down to the RED to make it 29.97 also.
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Red Rushes does batch convert from RED codec to ProRes. That’s why I recommended it.
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