[Anthony Bairstow]

if you keep getting FCP crashes – it might be something else as Rafael has hinted.

Id suggest you keep your project smaller than 100mb, for example. Ive run up to 150mb+ but its a nightmare.

When doing any multicam stuff, i find less crashing by switching sequence settings to Pro Res with XDCAM material.
With single camera stuff, i think the XDCAM sequence setting is very stable.

a

[Anthony Bairstow]

I found it is very important – to copy/paste all your assets into a NEW fresh project. NOT ‘save as’

there seems to be some bug in FCP 6 (haven’t tried FCP 7) where the FCP project begins to cache and build up lots of garbage in the background.

for example, i had a large 250mb project which i cut down by first doing ‘save as’ and making a new project, then deleting out all the stuff I dont need any more – andd saving. for some reason this still left the project at 230mb – too big.
I felt so confused – there was hardly anythign in it except a few HD clips and 3 small sequences of 2-3 minutes!

so i made a brand new project, selected all and copied and pasted into the new project- and BLAM – only 15mb!!!!

FCP is storing up lots of crap in the back ground if you work on a big project (this was a multicam HD projects with lots of nesting) and dont start a fresh new one.

ALWAYS MAKE A NEW PROJECT AND COPY PASTE – DONT SAVE AS !!!

[Anthony Bairstow]

I worked this out in the end.

Here is how to make a 2:35 FHA layoff for HDCAM or HDCAM SR

1/ Take a 16:9 1920×1080 sequence and edit your footage/add effects/grade etc etc. Re-frame any shots you want using a 2:35 matte (best to make one in photoshop – 1920×816 open space in the middle of a 1920×1080 canvas). Make sure you add any extra graphics you need here such as credits, titles, subtitles etc but dont add anything to the letterboxed area- you will loose this.

2/ Export it in your mastering codec (Pro Res 4444 in this case)

3/ Make a new Pro Res 4444 sequence (load setup from FCP) and then change the frame size to custom – 1920×816 (this is the desired 2:35 aspect ratio). Load in your Export. Remove any Distort or Motion changes and check there are no filters added by FCP automatically. The picture should fill the canvas width wise but have the top and bottom cut off.

4. Drop this sequence in to your Mastering Layoff sequence (1920×1080 Pro Res 4444) which you will use to master your new 2:35 full height anamorphic sequence into. It will appear letterboxed.

5. Change the properties of this nested 2:35 sequence (click on it once, then hit enter) in the Distort setting to (note ‘-‘ signs):
UL: -960 -540
UR: 960 -540
LR: 960 540
LL: -960 540.

This should make the corners pop out to the maximum edge of the 1920×1080 frame without loosing any of your 2:35 picture
This is a 2:35 FHA picture in a 16:9 (1920×1080) frame

6. Render

7. Lay off to HD CAM or HD CAM SR

Hope this helps someone… it confused me for ages!

ant

[Anthony Bairstow]

Make sure your video playback quality in your sequence (top left of sequence, drop down) is on HIGH and not MEDIUM

I found that this even effects playback in the viewer if you match frame or just watch ur clip back whole- not just the sequence and canvas

This is tested on FCP 6 – not sure if 7 has this issue

Good luck

Anthony

[Anthony Bairstow]

Hi
Thanks for responding.

OK – lenses – Im getting my terminology mixed up.
Basically, its a normal 16:9 full frame picture. I dont know much about lenses unfortunately, but I can see its a full frame picture and is not distorted in any way. I was told they are spherical lenses.

The picture is not letterboxed, its full frame but on set they were only viewing the 2:35 area.

Im not sure about the HAWK lenses… sorry

“that would be doubtful unless you made sure that they were prepared ahead of time to handle anamorphic master content and you had the correct optical ratio inplace for projection. “

Well, if its a festival and the SR tape is labelled as 2:35 that shouldnt be a problem?
Thats assuming the festival spec allows 2:35 on SR tape. If not it will have to be a 16:9 with 2:35 letterboxed tape

i.e. yes i agree there will be multiple masters- but for the full frame SR master – how can this be done on FCP?

Sorry for the mega complex post and not knowing all the info..!

ant

[Anthony Bairstow]

Hi there

DV is notoriously jagged on diagonals and edges, especially on things which are red in colour. And for some reason on wide shots … close ups seem to look OK !

I would say copy + paste the edit into a new 8 bit uncompressed sequence. This will make titles and colours look a bit better, then try exporting your quicktime as 8 bit uncompressed

then master to DVD

dont forget about the difference in field order and that 8bit uncompressed uses the opposite field dominance to DV

ab

[Anthony Bairstow]

Thanks Steve

I couldnt find posts here about doing the conform.. could you help me out?

Will the media connect up to the correct timecodes from the proxies OK? Any known bugs when multicaming through this route with XDCAM or ProRes specifically?

cheers
ab

[Anthony Bairstow]

thanks both for the tips. it worked out really well for me.

cheers and have a great weekend

-anthony