Boyd Mccollum
Forum Replies Created
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Andrex, folks can and do capture with the canon. Search the posts here (or at lafcpug.org). Double check your a/v capture presets and sequence settings to be sure they match your camera.
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gaps happen.
to help maintain sync as you close gaps where the sound and picture are not the same size, use the “all tracks forward” selection tool (‘tttt’), then drag everything over to close the gap to where you want it. It helps to keep ‘snapping on’ and keep your video/audio tracks heights small so you can see everything in your timeline.
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
Renaming in the browser will rename all instances of that clip already cut into your timeline. If you want to rename one specific instance of a clip in the timeline, ctrl+click (right click) the clip, select “Make Independent Clip”, drag the clip back into your browser, then rename it in your browser – only the name of that one clip in the timelline will change.
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
Can you just rename your clips with the reel #s at the front or end of the names? The name shows up at the top the viewer and you’ll have the reel #s on the clips you edit into the timeline.
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
Does it show up as being grayed out, or just not there? Also, what powerbook do you have? I have the G4 1.5 ghz with 1.5 gigs of ram. You may want to trash your FCP preferences, and all your FCP cache files (thumbnails, waveform). For your system, use Disk Utility to verify/repair your drives and verify/repair permissions. Restart and see what happens. You may also want to cross post on Apple’s FCP forum.
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
I agree with Debe that talent is the key, but you need to take into account hardware costs. For instance, at a production house the rental rates for a miniDV cam are different than for a Varicam and are different for a 35mm film camera (and rates in Boise might be different than LA or NY). Just adding an HD monitor could run you 15K, not to mention a studio quality HD vcr(s) (and which formats? HD, Sony HDV, JVC HDV) and suddenly your capital costs skyrocket. Your prices need to cover these expenditures. The fact that there is no HD market in your area actually works in your favor in two respects. One is lack of competition for your HD services, and two, you can set your rates based on sound business reasons specific to your company, rather than “market rates” which often reflect the market (by definition), and not actual costs of the services provided. One rate for SD/HD makes sense in a more mature market, or as HD becomes more common, but raising your SD rates at this time, which could still be your bread and butter after you add HD, might not be a good idea – that’s something you need to decide based on knowing your customers.
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
Hi Anna,
go to Window/Arrange/Multiple Edits. I double checked on my Powerbook and it worked.
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
Is there a middle of your market for HD?
If not, I think you can look at it from a business standpoint, what your investment costs would be to build an HD suite (create a separate bay, or combine it with your SD one), depreciation on the equipment, how long before it becomes obsolete (and needing to be replaced), and how many billable hours will result from doing HD, add in your profit margin, etc., then do the math and that’s what you should charge. You could also compare against how much your overhead is on the SD stuff you do, and how much more you incur for HD stuff, and use that as a basis for your decision. Even if some of your assumptions turn out to be wrong, it is better to base your decision on a specific set of criteria, rather than just an arbitrary number (and by posting for information here, you obviously don’t want to do that).
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
You can name your files in the Log Window before Capture Now, just like any other capture method. Fill in the Description, Scene, Shot/Take Fields (one or all three) and that is what is used to name the tape you are capturing (it populates the grayed out Name Field). Don’t forget to change your reel numbers here as well. At that point the only time you will see a 1,2,3 etc added to a name is if you have “Make New Clip” as your option for “On timecode break” in the General Tab of User Preferences.
A recommended alternative to Capture Now, if you want to capture your whole tape, is to set In and Out Points at the begining and end of your tape, and capture the tape as one clip. This can help to prevent sync problems that do occur occassionally with Capture Now (and if you get your tapes already wound to the end, it really doesn’t add any time to the process).
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast” -
You can use MPEG Streamclip to open it and choose Export to Quicktime from the File Menu (don’t forget to adjust the compression setting you want for the file, dimensions, and the frame rate).
You can download it from Version Tracker:
Boyd
“Go slow to go fast”