Sony EX3 to FCP Workflow Suggestions

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Paco,
Just make a search. There are already a lot of posts about working with EX-1/3 for SD, DVD or HD.
If you can capture as ProRess do it. If not just work with the native EX-1 files.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Paco Sweetman]

Thanks Rafael, I have searched through the forums using the search engine and I haven’t found anything answering my questions. I’m so used to using tape, I’m unsure of how to organise the footage and share the projects over various editing systems.

You said capturing in ProRes? I thought I had to convert the files to be editable on FCP? We currently view them on the XDCAM EX viewer.

We hope to be able to have duplicates of the footage on both the directors editing system and my own. We were going to share the projects between us, because we live in opposite ends of the city.

[Jamie Allan]

Yep, the XDCAM EX workflow is incredibly easy and straightforward. Aslong as you’re cutting on a decent spec mac pro you won’t have any issues with the codec, and you’ll be able to lay your final edit straight to the deck via a kona or blackmagic card.

You can read the cards straight off the camera or via a SXS card reader from Sony (3rd party readers may not support the transfer), trim the footage to what you need and add your metadata in the xdcam transfer tool and simply import the footage to your project then away you go!

You’ll need:

FCP 6.0.5 or above
SXS Pro card driver
Sony XDCAM Transfer

https://www.sonybiz.net/biz/view/ShowContent.action?site=biz_en_EU&contentId=1166605189229

Jigsaw Systems Ltd. – IT & Broadcast specialists for the UK
https://www.jigsaw24.com
https://wwww.jigsawbroadcast.com

[Jamie Pickell]

You are correct regarding the XDCam footage. You bring it in XDCam and then if you want it as another codec you use Compressor. I keep my timeline in ProRes, but due to the nature of my program I have a mixture of EX-1, P2, DVCProHD, HDV, and some SD material on the timeline. The downside to staying in the native XDCam codec is that it is Long-GOP and requires the computer to process each frame. It’s okay on an Intel desktop, however, if you start shuttling quickly on your timeline and try bouncing back and forth from one point to another point, the computer has problems keeping up with what frame to display and interpreting that frame, then FCP crashes. I recommend bringing in your native XDCam footage and then transcoding to ProRes and cutting from the ProRes files this way you will be working in an I-frame codec and the processor can focus on other things. Also, Compressor will keep the native timecode so that shouldn’t be an issue when transcoding.

My 2 cents,
Jamie

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Jaimie,
Capture EX-1 to Proress with an AJA is a good way. You go from 420/8b to 422/10b with a very good Chroma filtering.
What makes no sense is to transcode to Proress in FC just to edit in an Intraframe codec.
First because you will loose a generation for nothing. This is a NO-No when working with something like 420 stuff. Try to avoid unnecessary rendering.
To add that the EX-1 footage, although the GOP structure, is almost as easy to edit than DV. I work with a MBP and two small eSATA disks. Only if you would work with few layers in Fc or wanted to work with AE would be necessary to go to an Intraframe option.
As I first say, capture with an AJA or BM if you can. If you can not, work in native EX-1 and when you are to rendering change the codec to ProRess. A Chroma filter and a bit of CC can make look your picture “10”.
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Paco Sweetman]

Thanks for the responses.

If I was to convert all of the footage to ProRes from the EX3 files does that mean I need twice as much hard drive space for the original EX3 files as well as the ProRes converts? How long would it take to convert 18 hours of footage?

I would like to keep it as high resolution as possible to edit with. Can I run the final master, HDCAM from a final ProREs project? Or do I need to think about doing an online version?
The two editing stations are thus:
Mine: 8core 3.2 GHz, with 6GB of RAM.
Directors: Quad Core G5 2.8 GHz, with 8GB for RAM

[Jamie Allan]

It seems that my post took a while to moderate so its a bit out of place now…

If you want to spend 18 hours re-capturing your footage to avoid Long-GOP and work in 422 for better comping and VFX capabilities then go for it – if you don’t need to, then save yourself 18 hours!

To transcode and import that much EX footage you’re looking at around 3.5 – 4 hours and roughly 270 – 290GB

There’s a number of ways to pass data between your two sites, maybe look at final cut server or simply swapping XMLs

Jigsaw Systems Ltd. – IT & Broadcast specialists for the UK
https://www.jigsaw24.com
https://wwww.jigsawbroadcast.com

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Paco,
My experience with HDCam is “0”. But I promise you that i have read a lot:-)
As long as I know you can not master HDCam in FC. HDCam use a proprietary format that only exists in tape: 8b 322, 1440 x 1080
I guess that the way is just to connect to the HDCam desk through an AJA or so via HD/SD-SDI.
Master in ProRess HQ. As I told you you can use some Chroma filtering, and if you make some CC is worth to set “render all YUV in High Precision YUV”. Takes more time but the picture will be better.
Probably will be necessary a Sync generator to lock he VTR.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Will Salley]

To add to Jamie’s suggestion – Create a folder on your media drive(s) for each day of shooting and for each camera (if there are multiple cams). From the SXS card, drop and drag the folder named “BPAV” to the corresponding folder for that day. Do not rename the “BPAV” folder or change any of it’s enclosed folders. This will keep the file/directory structure intact for future importing, and allow you to free up the card- but only after you have made a back up to another drive! Having 18 hours of footage will be much easier to manage when you have it divided into each days footage.

After your import, you can delete the original media if you need more space, but always keep a backup.

Primary System Info –
Mac Pro 2×3.2 Quadcore – 10.5.6 – QT 7.5.5 – 14 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro (v6.7)- Open GL 1.5.9 – Wacom Intous2 tablet

[Jamie Allan]

Aye, you certainly want to backup digital acquisition in the rawest way possible, I’d suggest a separate mirrored raid drive or loads of DL-DVDs for the job.

Either way, if you haven’t got digital information stored at least twice, then you don’t care about losing it…

Jigsaw Systems Ltd. – IT & Broadcast specialists for the UK
https://www.jigsaw24.com
https://www.jigsawbroadcast.com