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NTSC 24p footage conversion for PAL project
I’ve got a “conversion” issue I’m wondering if I can get some help with.
I’m working on a project primarily shot in PAL DV, though there are a handful of tapes shot 24p advanced NTSC. I’ve already captured all of the footage (everything is at Photo Jpeg resolutions to save drive space. The NTSC 24p footage was captured at 29.97- this is how it appears on the tape). Now I’m wondering the easiest and most efficient way of working with the NTSC and PAL footage together in the same PAL timelines.
I spoke with Graeme Nattress today and he suggested recapturing and removing the pulldown with Cinema Tools which I don’t really know how to do. I’m sure it’s basic and do-able, but if I can avoid recapturing all of the NTSC footage, I’d like to.
So, I figure I can convert the NTSC footage to PAL via Compressor or the Nattress convertor, but as far as I understand, I won’t be able to preserve the tape source timecode. This is an issue for me, since I’ve captured everything at low – photo jpeg- resolutions, and will have to return to the master tapes for onlining.
If I’ve gotta deal with recapturing or with potentially eye-matching all of the NTSC footage when we got to online, so be it. If there’s another- that’d be better obviously. Any other thoughts or suggestions would be really appreciated.
Many thanks, and happy new year.
Nate Smith
System:
G5 Dual 2ghz
2 gb memory
Final Cut Pro 4.5
2 external 250 gb Lacie firewire drivesNate Smith
nh******@***il.com -
3 Replies
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The problem here is the incompatibility between NTSC and PAL timecode. Even if you want to preserve the source timecode, once any standards conversion is done, it will change from 30 fps to 25.
Whatever the case, you will have to recapture the footage for online, so my suggestion would be to recapture now at high-rez, remove the pulldown in Cinema Tools, convert it using Compressor, and cut the new clips into the sequence (rendering will have to be done). With this method, you’ll have high-rez PAL clips ready for importing into the online whenever that may be.
There may be a better way, I don’t know, but I hope this helps.
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Didn’t realize it was 24pA. With that, when you capture with the right preset, FCP automatically removes pulldown. Then you can batch conform to 25p in cinema tools very easily. When you bring the video into the PAL timeline, you just have to scale up to PAL size, and it will look great.
The only issue is this is not online / offline workflow friendly, but DV files are that small, I’d just do it all online. It would be cheaper to buy more hard drives if needed than the time you’d waste troubleshooting an online.
Graeme
– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP
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I would have preferred the be at DV rez from the beginning, but I’m working with the hand I’ve been dealt. So it goes. I’ll recapture and conform. Thanks for the help.
Nate
Nate Smith
nhpsmith@gmail.com
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