[Dino]

I can appreciate the frustration of having the application focus shift with an errant mouse click. Having worked extensively on both Mac and Windows systems, I prefer the Mac approach. In my experience, the ability to have visible a finder window, web page, text document or other app while working in the Avid (or Final Cut) has proven very useful. CMND TAB is a quick resolution when the focus strays. CNTRL TAB on Windows.

[Dino]

You mention using a Canon camcorder for playback and then getting a Panasonic error message? Your best bet is to play the tapes in the camcorder they were recorded on. If that doesn’t work you might be lost. I’ve had some success with screwy DV tapes in a DVCProHD deck.

[Dino]

Your computer is still super fine for SD work. I have had this problem myself in the distant past. Sorry this is happening to you but glad to hear I wasn’t the only one. I don’t remember what the particular set up was then. Probably Final Cut 4. I’ve had an AJA Io though I cant recall if that was the hardware I was on at the time. I would say do the usual: delete preferences, a cold reboot. It might be time to reinstall the machine.

[Dino]

Go with the XL2. The audio capabilities alone are enough to make the difference. With a severely constrained budget, the best thing you can do for yourself is capture good audio. Mediocre images are tolerable, unintelligible audio is hard to overcome. Put together a kit with a few different microphones, windscreens, a cheap boom, mic stand and a good pair of closed headphones.

I’ll assume you are working in PAL. PAL DV makes a much better picture than NTSC, something many of the contributors to this forum don’t get to experience. This camera also has true widescreen chips so you can go 16 by 9 without sacrificing quality. Get a filter kit for the surfing. A polarizing filter and maybe an ND grad will make a big difference. Bring a tripod as you will probably push to the end of the zoom plus it keeps your camera out of the sand and water in between takes.

Tape is still the king of convenience and reliability, especially in the field. Dealing with the file based format of the HF10 could be troublesome with a limited crew and resources.

[Dino]

I would download again. Might be a corrupt or damaged file.

[Dino]

The fault here lies fully with Sony. It is their format which requires third party support to work with any system. Installing FCP on a Mac includes the proper QT components. They are not free. Installing Premier includes enough support to have it work at least in Premier. Installing Vegas includes enough support to have it work at least in Vegas.

Avid is not behind. The media on the original XDCam disk format is natively Avid compatible. Sony made the decision to have the EX media compatible with nothing. Regardless of what you are editing with, you must first convert the media using one of the variety of differently abled pieces of Sony software. The files you have were made for Final Cut. They are not intended to work with Avid. They are not intended to work with Windows. Just like you wouldn’t expect Avid media to work natively in Final Cut, this is Final Cut media and should not be expected to work in Avid.

The proper way to create Avid media is to work from the camera original files. Using the awkwardly named Sony XDCam EX Clip Browser Version 2 software, you can create Avid native media. If they can supply the camera original files, you might find success with that.

Don’t think of what you have as just QuickTime files. It is Final Cut media, intended for use within Final Cut. An Analogy might be tape formats. If a client came to you with a project shot on a tape format for which you have no deck, is the client wrong? Just like you would find a solution for those tapes, you need to find a solution for the files. 80 dollars seems like a cheap answer.

Ideally production should work in coordination with post. This is rarely the case. As the proliferation of non-standard formats grows, it is often a shooter for hire or some kid with a laptop that gets to make some rather critical decisions. Decisions that lead to major headaches down the line. Many of the producers and directors out there are still from an era that when making a choice for how to shoot would work from a list that looked something like this:

Camera Format Choices (pick one):
1) Beta SP

These folks simply don’t realize the world of hurt they are heading into. It has become more important than ever for post to chime in during the pre-production stage to make sure that what is decided at the beginning actually fits the intended post process. That, or you can just resign yourself to the fact that you will rarely get what you want and are prepared to adapt to what comes.

[Dino]

Bob,
Thank you for the defense. I thought I was being fair and your unique ability to cut to the heart of things has removed any doubt I may have had.

Marsha,
Since I was already working on a response, I’ll offer this.

I am sorry you found my advise, dishonest? From your original post I was able to discern three facts. 1, you want to make a movie. 2, you want to use consumer level equipment. 3, you want it to hold up as a theatrical presentation. Would it have been more respectful to just offer simple words of encouragement even if the outcome would potentially be you being disappointed in your hard efforts?

In my situation the idea of a ‘cheap’ video package for film production starts at around $50,000. I’m actually a fan of the the budget Panasonic 3 CCD cameras, but only in relation to their immediate competition. There is just not any one camera that gives carte blanche to make a ‘film’. Unfortunately, so many factors that come to play on these choices that your question could have been, how do I make a movie? Not something that can be reasonably answer in this medium.

In your last post you say we are not offering information. What could we offer? No one will suggest a specific camera as you state you have no money to make a new purchase. No one can provide any specific production advise as none of your questions lead towards anything specific. No one will provide any technical details as you offer no evidence that you would even want them. Finally, calling Bob a liar will not engender anyone to your cause.

I have two bits of advice.

Lighting. Proper lighting is perhaps the most important part of creating a good image. Good lighting conveys what is important and diminished what isn’t. Good lighting sets the emotional tone. Good lighting provides an image that can be contained within the limitations of whatever camera is used.

Cameras. The thing is, most TV and Film is not shot with equipment the filmmaker owns. The equipment is rented. If you only need a camera for a week why pay to have it forever? Work out a detailed shoot schedule and hire the right kit for your particular needs.

[Dino]

I’m going to start by saying something slightly harsh. It sounds like you are asking for permission to removing everything that could be considered professional (equipment, skill, experience, process) from your production and then for us to tell you that you will still end up with professional results. That will not happen. Amateur efforts will yield amateur results.

DV can yield from atrocious to surprisingly good results. The same goes for HD. The biggest variable is often the skill, experience and dedication of the people doing the work. Ignoring limits or poor efforts can make even 35mm film look like garbage. Definitely though cheap, mediocre technology has some very absolute limits that no level of intention will overcome.

The camera is just one of many pieces on a long journey to quality results. It seems you are not ready to start that journey. Since you offer so little in the way of your specific intentions I wont pretend to offer specific advise. I suggest you look for help locally. If you are in school, use that as a resource. If you have hopeful filmmakers as friends, look into setting up a situation where you help each other out with equipment and staffing. Spread the costs and share the struggles. If you are truly independent, there are probably community services available. Perhaps a college or outreach organization has a program. They may focus on working with kids but if they have equipment they could very well extend services to locals at very low rates.

As much as a solid script and a clear intention are paramount to making a good film, at the end of the day, film should be a sensory experience and bad picture or sound will severely limit the potential to effect an audience.

[Dino]

Avid provides no sane conversion between 24 and 30. If you are in an SD project, you might be able to save your logging. 24 (23.976) uses 29.97 timecode as that is what is on the tape. If you’re working in HD, this will not work.

Export the footage bins as ALEs. This is tricky as you need to have the right headings active. Open them in a text editor. There are items that should identify the frame rate. You might want to open a 29.97 ALE as a point of reference. I can’t tell you exactly what to change off the top of my head. Hopefully you can find the proper items that will let you import the ALEs back into a 29.97 project from which you can batch digitize.

If there are already sequences cut, the best I can offer is export an EDL at 29.97. Bring this into your new project and use it as a template to re-cut the footage.

Alternately, wait a year. Media Composer 4 better address this or Final Cut (unfortunately) really will win.

[Dino]

I just updated a system to FCP 6.0.5 in 10.5.5. Perhaps you need to update QuickTime to 7.5.5? That is required for the FCP update.

If that still doesn’t work try manually re-running the 10.5.5 combo update:
https://support.apple.com/downloads/Mac_OS_X_10_5_5_Combo_Update