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Preparing clips for VFX
Peace to all
Could you please guide me in preparing clips from a movie sequence to be sent to a VFX artist remotely?
My first question is how to send an entire scene of two actors in a car, filmed against two green screens, and then edited into a dialog sequence. Can I send it “as is”, or do I need to send entire takes of each actor? If I need to send entire takes of each actor it’s going to be a giant problem for me to cut it up into the same identical clips after it’s keyed.
Sometimes I’ve had to lengthen a clip before sending it, and when it comes back with the effects I struggle to match/sync it with the original in order to trim it back to the original size. Is there an easier way? Maybe I should add markers at the ends before sending it? Or is there a way to match using the timecodes of the two clips, maybe?
Thanks
Robert
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6 Replies
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You could cut the clips to small portions and compress them to a .zip folder to lower the storage of the files you plan to send them. And you can also send these movie files via Google Drive and Dropbox. Thats how I send and receive files from my clients whenever I need to receive files for me to edit for him and any changes you do in cloud storage can be instantly synched after saving and if your Dropbox is currently online. Hope it helps, let me know if you have other questions.
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Thank you, Hector.
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Hey Robert,
What Hector says is very good advice.
I would add to that:
You may want to consider sending “edl” with the original camera files.
Maybe even to a new sequence with only VFX shots in, that has a “sync-blop” front and end, to make sure that everything stays in sync.If you have done reframing etc in the edit, send a MP4 file (with BITC) for the vfx to use as a reference.
If vfx do want to work on your edited version, remove all colour grade effects etc, and do the highest resolution out for them – make sure that there are NO proxies than sneaks in to that work-flow.
Finally:
Ask your vfx what they prefer?
What software are they using?
Will they stick “to time”, or do they have the option to make it longer or shorter?
VFX is an artform in itself, with no wrong or right answers, until you ge to the final QC of the project…
Atb
Mads -
Thank you, Mads!
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Some have specific requests like frame size, aspect ratio and of course codec format.
Past experiences, 2K was the primary frame size and no grading.
But I’ve also had to pre-assemble green screens and even close to final edit as a deliverable.
Size was never issue, they usually want it on a drive or use Aspera/MediaShuttle.
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Thanks, Eric!
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