[Bruce Greene]

Hi Chris,

Do you shoot in FilmRec mode?

I’ve found that the (H) camera produces much cleaner images in FilmRec mode. So much so that I never shoot in VidRec mode anymore.

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

I know many of you won’t believe me, but here goes…

I’ve shot a number of projects on my 720p Varicam (720×960 pixels).

I’ve projected them in large theaters on high quality 2k projectors. They look as detailed as any 35mm print at the multiplex. And, overall, better than film projection.

I just spent a few weeks color grading a REDone movie from the 4k files. They are much more detailed than my Varicam or even a Sony f35. But one thing was obvious: There are very, very few frames, maybe one of every 15 or so, that is sharp. This is due to motion blur and imprecise focus. And my focus puller was very good. Zoom into the 4k image and what looked like good focus, well, just isn’t perfect with depth of focus less than 1/2 inch.

It’s no surprise then that a 1080p movie is more than detailed enough for today’s mulitplexes, especially compared to the 2k DI film prints that regularly screen.

We just did a test screening of a blue-ray from the 720p Varicam on a large screen. No one will know that it was not a 1080p original, really. And no one will say it looked softer than a normal film at the cinema.

OK, now let me have it 🙂

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

I’m currently color grading a movie I shot with the 18-50 and Red primes.

To my surprise, I can’t tell which shots were shot with what lens. So I would say that the little Red zoom (maybe Sigma still lens) is quite good and very presentable. I often shot with the lens wide open.

I do think I remember that the zoom gets darker when zooming in at wide apertures though. I can’t quite remember…

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

If you like the look of 24fps, shoot at 24fps and capture the tapes at 59.97fps. It looks fine. You can also capture at 23.98fps and add the pull down later. This way you can make a web version at 24fps and save a lot of bandwidth.

Of course, if you might make a film print, capture at 23.98. And if you think you might want a European version, capture at 23.98 and speed up to 25fps for output to 50fps for Europe.

You might find you like shooting at 30fps also for capture at 59.97 as well.

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

I don’t think this should be a noisy camera. I have the older version (model H) and it makes a really clean image, even on a large theater screen.

I have noticed that my camera is pretty noisy when shooting in Video Rec mode. That is, set up as a “video camera” for direct broadcast. It makes a much cleaner and better looking image when in Film Rec mode. What mode are you shooting in?

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

[gary adcock] “[Bruce Greene] “Unfortunately, VTR exchange is dropping frames, as is FCP. ”

when these app’s are dropping frames your disk drives are Not fast enough to play back your content.

gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows for the Digitally Inclined
Chicago, IL “

Thanks Gary,

That was my first thought as well. But I wonder why AJA TV app. can play the file without problems, but QT Player cannot?

My internal drive still has 45GB of free space, but maybe it’s just become too fragmented over time? Still, why can AJA TV play the file without seeming to drop frames?

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

I’m running a OS 10.5.8
on a MBP 2.2 GHz core 2 duo
2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
FUJITSU MHY2250BH 250 GB HD (internal)
FCP 6.0.6
Quicktime player 7.6.4
AJA software 6.0.2

I first tried using an external FW 800 drive plugged into the card bus slot, but the cardbus adapter didn’t seem to work on my MBP for some reason (not a good physical fit) and I couldn’t see the drive, though I could detect the adapter….

I then transferred the footage (it’s a single 20 minute 720p 23.98fps Prores HQ clip) to my internal HD to play from. And FCP kept dropping frames and stopping. I clicked the “don’t warn” box and now it plays, just skipping a frame 10 seconds or so.

The Quicktime player skips the frames also.

It seems weird to me as I’ve had no trouble playing 1080P 23.98frs ProResHQ in the past on this computer. From a FW drive even. Something has slowed everything down just a bit, I and I’m not sure what it is. The AJA TV player seems to get through it though.

The director of the movie has a newer MBP and his drops frames as well, just not as often.
Sometimes the MacPro Tower that I color corrected on would drop frames (in FCP) even though I was playing off an internal raid and I could never figure that out.

The dropped frames are not really an issue until now because I will be playing the 100 minute movie off my laptop through the AJA i/O to a large audience in June. And that’s what I need the 5.1 surround track for 🙂

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

Thanks again Jeremy.

Unfortunately, VTR exchange is dropping frames, as is FCP.

FCP never used to drop frames in this format. I don’t know why it is now. AJA TV application seems to have no trouble playing the files.

I wonder if there is something weird about the files now that they’ve been rendered in Apple Color to ProRes HQ? Though most of the original files were recorded by the I/O in ProRes HQ, but I never noticed so many dropped frames before.

For whatever reason AJA TV has no trouble playing the files….

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

The sound is being mixed this week.

I would like to play from the AJA TV application as FCP is dropping frames on playback.

Can a single QT clip have all six tracks?

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com

[Bruce Greene]

Thanks Jeremy. Just checked with the projectionist today and made a test. They are set up to take the AES audio and have their own D/A converter.

Anything we need to know about making a quicktime with all the tracks?

Varicam/Steadicam Owner
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.brucealangreene.com