[Kai Cheong]

Guessing your MacPro is a multicore system, you can speed things up by setting up your clusters for Compressor in Qmaster. Works very well on our early 2009 OctoCore.

Good, simple tips here:
https://lfhd.blogspot.com/2009/05/qmastercompressor-troubleshooting-tip.html

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

We’re using a CalDigit VR 3TB via an eSATA extender [extender is supplied – but one caveat: the supplied extender is too short for the early 2009 MacPros. It kinda connects but will pull tautly at the port.Sso you might want to ask whether they’re shipping with a longer cable OR buy one from somewhere else] connected right into our MacPro. So far so good. I’ve been using it on a few short HDV>ProRes corporate projects.

Fast, helpful responses can usually be found at the CalDigit forum on the Cow itself.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

I agree with Roy: communicate with your client on this. Depending on the nature of the video, some of them might not mind. But slapping it on and then delivering the final product to them might likely get you a ‘request’ to give them a ‘clean’ copy.

Not sure whether it warrants offering a percentage discount, though. Would the target audience of your clients also be potential clients of your service? Do these videos have a good reach?

For a few projects we worked on, which are screened in public/to big groups, we have included a simple ‘Produced by [logo]’ at the end, together with the other sponsors’ and clients’ credits.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I’m gonna forward this over to my DP and maybe he’ll have a better idea on how we could avoid this on our next shoots.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

Hi Manuela,

To down-rez HDV to DV, my personal experience would be to:

1) Export your sequence from FCP using ‘current settings’ [ie. as HDV and not to do your DV conversion yet]
2) Send the exported QT movie to Compressor and encode using a standard Anamorphic DV PAL preset [should be under the ‘Advanced’ formats]
3) Bring the encoded movie back into FCP and drop it on an Anamorphic DV PAL sequence.

Good luck with the festival.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

If the format of the footage is interlaced [eg. DV] – then it will appear as interlaced on a computer monitor because computer monitors are progressive.

A proper way of monitoring would be through an external TV/broadcast monitor, which will display the interlacing correctly. The poor man’s way would be to connect a MiniDV camera via Firewire to your Mac and preview your video through it.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

What we use on shoot currently is a lightweight 8″ Ikan V8000W monitor, attached to our Sony Z1-P camera using component cables [we got the 2m one – not too long or too short]. It also takes S-Video and HDMI.

It’s a decent monitor for it’s price range – though we kinda just realized it’s STILL a little overscanned [no underscan function]. Which presented some problems when we were shooting with a Letus adapter recently.

A lot of our shoots also involve running around but nothing overly adventurous yet. My director likes being close to the DP while shooting, so he could point out some details when needed. That’s why the cables are still ok.

So far, we haven’t hurt anybody [or equipment] in the process…

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

I’m with Mike – Wow, no plodding VO with run-on sentences to cramp your style?! Awesome!

Though that doesn’t mean it should be without a structure.

To add to the others’ suggestions, as you scrub through your rushes, do keep an eye out for interesting expressions, emotions and interactions of the students that might not be part of the supposedly ‘good’ takes. Probably unrehearsed, natural ‘performances’ of genuinely happy and relaxed people. Sprinkling some of these shots into your video might be a nice touch.

Not sure what’s the style of the rest of the shots, but if the shots you have are a little ‘dirty’ [with some foreground, slightly free framing etc], it might lend a bit more realism to the message. Personal preference, perhaps.

Have fun with your shots!

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

I’m on 2 x 24″ Dell 2408s now – working mostly in FCP and some Photoshop.

Liking the dual monitors setup as I can reference scripts and notes on one monitor [with my mailbox or Word open], while making changes on my FCP on the other.

I remember reading somewhere that having multiple monitors do have a positive impact on productivity… and the visual example given was of, I think, Al Gore’s office.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2

[Kai Cheong]

I’ve been using a pair of Dell 24″ 2409 monitors now and pretty happy with them. Bought them after reading good reviews from other editors. They have DVI, VGA and HDMI connections and I got them for about US$250 – they were on sale at my region’s Dell online store [I’m in Asia-Pacific].

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
—
Now ‘LIVE’! Check Out The Intuitive Films Blog @ https://intuitive-films.blogspot.com
At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
—
MacBook Pro 2.4GHz | 4GB RAM | FCP 5.1.4 | Mac OS X 10.5.2