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Panny HDX900P, shooting 24p, but want to minimize pulldown effect
The boss has decreed all the DVCProHD footage we shoot with our HDX900p’s be done in 24p. Our guys are bringing back some stuff that’s not optimal-looking because they need to pan faster than you’d like to in that format.
You know, like the old joke: “Doctor, it hurts when I do this…” (Doctor) Well, Don’t DO that!”
But I don’t have that option.
I am searching for a strategy to set up the camera to meet the 24p requirement but minimize temporal artifacting from pulldown. Also, any tips in FCP to reduce the pulldown in post most appreciated. I’m not well-practiced in shooting this format.
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16 Replies
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Use the shutter set to ‘Half’. The shutter helps with the motion blur. (That is normally how to get the 24fps look to be more accurate) The only other option is to suggest shooting at 30fps instead of 24. You get most of the filmlook, but quite a bit less blur.
Ernie Santella
Santella Productions Inc.
http://www.santellaproductions.com -
“Half” of what? Someone suggested to me setting the shutter to a multiple of 24 like 48. Using synchro-scan, I can get 47.9, and it seems to help. Is there a better shutter setting?
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In the menu, you can change the shutter settings. You can make one of the settings HALF. (Which is 1/48) This will make shooting at 24fps similar to the way a film camera operates. In a film camera, the shutter rotates and is only open 1/48 of a sec when shooting at 24fps.
This will tighten up the motion blur you get when shooting at that frame rate.
Here’s how to get to the menu.
MAIN MENU (Not the USER MENUT) This is 2nd, deeper menu you get, when you hold down the front menu button for 4-5 sec)
Scroll down to OPERATION, Enter that, then scroll down to SHUTTER SELECT, Enter that and change one of the 6 presets to HALF.That’s it. Then when you turn on the shutter, you can click through the 6 presets and one will be HALF. Use that when shooting at 24 or 30fps for a cleaner, less blurry look.
I hop that helps.
Ernie Santella
Santella Productions Inc.
http://www.santellaproductions.com -
Great information, thanks. Any other tips that could help during post?
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Mark,
Not much you can do to fix excess 24fps blur in post. You have to shoot it correctly to start.Maybe one of the edit guru’s can chime in as to any post tricks.
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All I can say is, you’ll get used to it. If you’re used to shooting 60i or 60p, give yourself about a week and then you will wonder how you ever edited 60Hz.
Ernie’s comments are great. You can affect motion blur with the shutter, but when it comes down to it 24p is 24p.
Be patient, stop staring at it so hard, take a step back form the monitor and enjoy.
Are you posting in 24p as in a 24p timeline (removing pulldown on capture), or are you bringing in as 720p60? Do you use much graphics/motion graphics?
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Mostly our High Def cams do public service spots, highway safety campaigns are a big client, so lots of vehicle movement, dramatic angles, action, and yes, lots of graphics as well. Basically, the most challenging theatrical type stuff plus all the intense graphics work of commercials. I’m trying to chart a course that keeps the quality up and the workflow efficient, and minimizes the blurry artifacting of fast motion. Not too much to ask, right? 🙂
What kind of editing workflow would you advise for that in FCP?
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Mark,
As Jeremy mentioned above, how are you finishing? It sounds like you are shooting and editing for broadcast and not a theatrical 24fps ‘film-out’. Correct?If you’re just finishing for TV, then I would edit on a DVCProHD 720/60 preset (actually 59.94) and let the camera do the 24 frame 3:2 conversion. That’s all I do, I just edit for broadcast and DVD. It’s simple. The HDX900 does all the work for you as it records. You just shoot 24fps with Half shutter and the camera adds the 3:2 pulldown as it records. Then, digitize into FCP using the DVCProHD 720/60 preset and you’re all set.
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[Ernie Santella] “hen, digitize into FCP using the DVCProHD 720/60 preset and you’re all set.”
I was going to recommend that workflow, but I’d capture to ProRes. You can then do your graphics @ 60p and have them as smooth as possible if that’s you like/want.
But, action movies are shot @ 24p. The jitter will become more normal to your eyes, it will just take some getting used to if you’ve been working @ 59.94 for most of your editing life.
Jeremy
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Should I shoot in 24pA (advanced) with that workflow or not?
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