-
Need some RED advice
I’ve just been browsing the forum regarding RED footage and from what I can tell using my set up, it would be best to convert the footage to ProRes or DVCPROHD and then edit with one of those rather than the proxies.
I’ve never actually worked with RED before so I just had a couple of questions.
How do I convert the footage, is this something I do in FCP, if so what is the step by step to doing this?
Does FCP have the right bits and pieces to ingest RED footage or do I have to download a plugin?
Are there any pitfalls that anyone can think of with RED that an amateur like me is just waiting to fall in to?
Many thanks
aka Newbie Wan Kenewbie. “The young Newbie, is now a Padawon.”
System
Mac Pro 2.8Gb quad core
8Gb RAM
1x 320Gb 7200 hardrive
1x 1Tb 7200 hardrive
Nvidia Geforce 8800 512mb Graphics card
1x 1Tb external WD ‘My Book’ eSataEquipment
Panasonic AG-HVX 200
Firestore FS-100 -
3 Replies
-
Red have software to convert on their web site. They also have a lot of documentation and advice on FCP workflows. Visit their site and study.
Information about your final delivery would help with more specific advice.Basically use RED rushes to convert to ProRes. It is a batch process and although slow, it is recommended over using log & transfer. The flavour of ProRes depends on which version of FCP you have, plus drive speed and frame size you will be working with. If you are creating a ProRes4444 project with 2k frame size, you will need to be sure you have big enough and fast enough drives.
Also you post path round tripping to Color should be planned in advance. Maintain the same file names as the RED files if you ever intend to grade and then relink the RED media to the grade. Lots of potential pitfalls, but you are on the right track with the transcoding of the RED files to ProRes, rather than using proxies.
-
If you go to the red website you can download the program REDrushes.
Here you can create relatively low res (quarter resolution) Pro Res 422 QT’s, to use in the edit for FCP (easy on the diskspace.)With an EDL, online facilities can take the sequence and assemble a high-res QT with the original RED files. That’s also one reason why you can’t change the names of the files.
The workflow is pretty solid (in my experience) and in FCP it is much more easy to implementing RED opposed to an Avid workflow. In Avid you have to use QT-wrappers and a special RED-EDL for output.
If you are planning to do a preliminary color correction in REDalert beware of a minor but very difficult bug.
When you view material here under different settings than the original source settings, sometimes these changes are saved in the meta information of the source video. This can result in confusing situations, so beware.Good luck with the project!
-
Thanks for your help guys, I think that it all sounds a bit advanced and daunting, so I should probably try and practice for free, before I have the cheek to charge someone for editing their RED footage. I will check out the website though.
Once again, many thanks for your help.
aka Newbie Wan Kenewbie. “The young Newbie, is now a Padawon.”
System
Mac Pro 2.8Gb quad core
8Gb RAM
1x 320Gb 7200 hardrive
1x 1Tb 7200 hardrive
Nvidia Geforce 8800 512mb Graphics card
1x 1Tb external WD ‘My Book’ eSataEquipment
Panasonic AG-HVX 200
Firestore FS-100
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up