RE: Varicam Nightmares!

[Mark Tierney]

Otis,

The Varicam format works very well in the PAL universe, (and I speak from substantial practical experience here in the same UK) but you do need to be clever about how you’ve planned your post.
Without fully auditing your workflow I would suggest in your case going the hardware downconvert route (come out of your playback machine via the SD/SDI at a resolution you can cope with technically AND aesthetically) for the bulk of your material if you really believe your drives won’t handle it, but you will need to capture all the under-cranked stuff at the original native resolution via the Kona 2 to keep the metadata flags that will allow you to actually use it as slowmotion footage. Putting that into a 25 frame timeline can then become a software downconvert exercise from there.
You don’t give many details of your edit rig, but I’ve had longform DVCProHD projects running well off internal ATA drives, so it can be done! Unless you’re attempting to do it from a Firewire drive you should be able to do your own conform at least. Write me, I’m happy to discuss this in detail. Just know you’re not alone: in about 4 hours I have to go help someone with a mammoth Varicam job that is currently ‘stuck’. But trust me, the format does work!

MT

[Tom Bridges]

Mark,

Could you share some details on your workflow? We’re attempting to do something similar. It’s for cuts-only editing (and we don’t have a RAID that’ll handle the job) so we’re going to digitise DVCPRO HD via firewire.

So I shoot at 25, import into a 24fps timeline, then conform that back to a 25fps timeline once I’ve edited. What’s the best way to do that? Someone on the Varicam Forum suggested After Effects with image sequences but that seems very clunky.

What’s your preferred option when working with the Varicam in a 25fps environment?

Cheers,

Tom

Split Image
http://www.split-image.co.uk

[Walter Biscardi]

I’ll second Mark on the Kona 2. It should actually be able to capture true 25fps straight down HD-SDI as it support all the frame rates natively. I does keep the metadata and from what I’m told, you can capture at pretty much any of the Varicam frames rates directly through the Kona 2.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Gary Adcock]

[walter biscardi] “I’ll second Mark on the Kona 2. It should actually be able to capture true 25fps straight down HD-SDI as it support all the frame rates natively. I does keep the metadata and from what I’m told, you can capture at pretty much any of the Varicam frames rates directly through the Kona 2.”

My vote also., but note that this will require a separate capture pass for your audio, which will also be slowed down by this method.

gary adcock

Studio37
HD and Film Consultation

[Walter Biscardi]

[gary adcock] “My vote also., but note that this will require a separate capture pass for your audio, which will also be slowed down by this method.”

Which would be cool if the project involves heavy drugs while viewing…. but you’re right, a second pass to keep the audio normal would be best. 🙂

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.com

Now in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com

“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters

[Mickey Power]

I shot a short drama on the Varicam at 25fps and a local bloke here in Sydney said the procedure to get a 25fps PAL program was to capture at 59.94 (this is with firewire), frame rate convert to 24, output as tiff sequence of stills and reimport at 25fps. Or use another program like Combustion for final conversion 24 to 25.

I haven’t yet got to this stage because the DVC PRO HD FRC plug in will not work for me. After applying it in FCPHD it goes through the movie file parked on an external drive and when it is 100% complete the spooling tape symbol appears followed by the beach ball and then …. nothing, time to force quit. Any ideas?

Is there any way I can check the footage to see if it imported properly complete with right flags? BTW at 59.94fps it plays fine on time line and can be edited. It was captured from the 1200 deck via firewire.

Mickey