REDcine X XML does not import into Premiere

[Myles Conti]

Hi Hamish,

I’m not sure if any of what I’m about to write will help you – but thought I’d put it out there.

Since PPCS6 working with R3D files natively is really easy. I do this all the time (although I must confess am yet to work on a long form project this way). In built in Premiere is a lot of the controls that Redcine X gives you over your R3D files, although you have to dig a bit. If you interpret footage, there is an advanced tab, which opens up an R3D window with colour temp settings etc. My workflow on commercials and even longer (10 – 15 minute jobs) has been to import the R3D files, cut with them inside Premiere with the resolution set at 1/4 – and then export FCP XML that I then import into Resolve to work on the grade, from which I re-export a FCP XML which links all my graded footage back up in Premiere for final output.

One of the major advantages of working this way, is that I can send clips to AE for any compositing or clean up work during my edit – and in AE I’m working directly off of the source files.

When importing your R3D footage into Premiere, might I suggest you look at importing your R3D files through the Media Browser tab – this will dig into your folder structure and import only the footage files and not all of the individual folders that the media is stored inside. This applies to all sorts of digital media that records clips into individual folders – such as C300 or Sony F55.

Since working this way, I haven’t used Redcine X for a while – so I can’t comment on the XML compatibility between the 2 programmes – I have read that syncing sound in Redcine X, doesn’t transfer across into Premiere at this stage when using R3D files, but does if the footage is transcoded.

If working natively is not an option, and working with offline prores files is the only way to go – then your workflow will depend upon how the prores recorder is set up when filming, as to what will be your best option. I have a Scarlet camera, and often hook that up to a Blackmagic Hyperdeck Shuttle, on which I dual record to ProRes 422 (HQ). So far I haven’t used this footage as an offline – I either commit to an R3D workflow, having the ProRes files as a backup, or on certain jobs I use the ProRes files as my master, and don’t worry about the R3Ds (effectively using these as back up). It’s worth noting that a HD ProRes 422 (HQ) recording in data terms is about half the size of a 4K HD R3D file shot at 6:1. If shooting at a higher compression such as 10:1 the R3D file is almost the exact same size as your ProRes (HQ).

Last month I shot a commercial on Red with the BM as backup – however the talent was struggling with his lines (I mean really struggling) – so much so that we had 1 x 15sec single take left to shoot, and we’d churned through all of our Red media (something we had not anticipated doing). I decided that rather than waiting for the R3D files to be backed up across 2x drives, I’d just commit to shooting the last spot on ProRes. In the end (given the type of spot it was) there was no perceivable difference between this footage and the rest of the spots. So, depending on your delivery requirements, this may be a totally acceptable solution for your show.

Of course, if you plan on re-cropping shots, or are keying/compositing – you will definitely want to be using the R3Ds.

Hope this helps,

All the best with it,

Myles.

Myles Conti
Director/Editor
contibrosfilms.com

[Hamish Boyd]

Myles thank you so much for your detailed response! Really appreciate it. (And what a small world it is, your ‘A very short War’ film poster looms large at work here at Union St! Greg says hi 🙂
I’ve all but committed to working natively. The only hurdle was in a tight budget allowing for data wrangling times and raid space over a whole series. But that could be negated if time is consumed trying to make pro res and r3d files work together.
But your insight is appreciated, much food for thought. In particular perhaps looking at different r3d compression.
Mmm

Hamish

[Myles Conti]

Hi Hamish – ha, yep small world, say hi to Greg for me.

As far as compression goes, if they’re not filming green screen, or in a dark environment, then you could possibly go anything up to 10:1 without any noticeable difference. I guess it all comes down to how long the cameras will be running. All the best with it!

Myles Conti
Director/Editor
contibrosfilms.com