[Kai Cheong]

Congrats on delivering the job, Kenny!

To answer Jeremy’s question: I’ve actually not thought of bouncing out to AE as a possibility. To be honest, I’m not too sure how it works. Perhaps it got to do with me not being too familiar with what AE could achieve.

To explain the rationale behind my workflow choice: the final video was screened from a 4-projector DataOn Watchout system into a seamless stretched canvas [rear projection, in this case]. So we had the full resolution of 4 SD projectors to work with [4 x 768]. We were shooting with a Phantom camera at 1280 x 800 resolution – which in itself is an odd size. So in essence, I could put 2 pieces of footage side by side to kind of fill up the entire canvas, without having to blow up the footage much and compromising on quality.

At the same time, even though we’re working with 4 projectors, we needed to factor in a 10% overlap for each projector so that the edge blending would work.

So after talking to the DataOn tech guys, the final calculations were down to the odd 2831 x 576 resolution.

If we weren’t shooting with the Phantom, we probably could’ve considered shooting 4K on the RED or something – but THAT would be another workflow challenge! That would allow us to have a real spanning image eg. a sprinter running the entire length of the canvas. Working within the constraints did force us to do some creative composition, which turned out pretty nice.

Just to find out more about the ‘bouncing out to AE” suggestion… if it’s for a project like what I’ve just finished, with a few layers of video, would I need to adjust the positions after I upscale them in AE [kinda like when you go from Offline to full-res – and have to manually adjust the positions for all the text and graphic elements]?

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.6 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

Definitely more productive with 2 monitors. As a preditor, I often have to track my own changes, do guide tracks, refer to notes that are often updated via Dropbox/email handle clients… while editing.

So I could edit with my left monitor while doing the ‘other stuff’ with the right one. And if I’m doing a long render, I can monitor the progress on one screen while doing some work on the other [no excuses for long tea breaks, unfortunately]. If I need a bigger view – I’ll just toggle Command+F12 for a quick Digital Cinema Preview.

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.6 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

I get a nice ergo chair at work – though it’s a little big/tall and I’m a little bit small/not so tall. So I’ve improvised with a small footstool though most of the time, I sit with my legs stretched out, perched on an improvised footrest.

Agree with the rest on the need to stretch once you feel a little stiff – even with a simple reaching up above your head with both arms as you remain in your seat. Really helps to realign things.

The other thing I do is go to the gym once a week on weekends [not much energy left on a workday]. As much as I would like to have a ‘beach bod’, it’s more important for me to have strong core/back – so that’s what I focus on. Back > Biceps when you’re sitting down 8-12 hours a day.

In fact, I should get going to the gym now 😉

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.6 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

I use a Mac Pro with dual 24″ screens at work and I have a 15″ MacBook Pro at home which I could edit with, too.

Wouldn’t imagine having to cut the things I do at work at home [HD, ProRes, compositions, long renders/transcoding] – but it is not impossible.

Though one thing I really miss is the amount of screen real estate I get with dual screens – personally, I would find the 13″ too small! Unless you link up with an additional monitor.

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.6 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

I believe you could rip footage from YT as either .flv or .MP4 – and the latter is of a better quality.

You can take that and put it through MPEG Streamclip [free to download and very useful], encode it to maybe DV50, go out for a coffee/lunch [depending on how fast your computer and how long the footage is], then come back and work with the now FCP-compatible footage.

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.6 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

Coming into this discussion rather late as I’m just clearing my unread mails – but I’ve recently done something in FCP with a custom canvas that was 2831 x 576 – and it is manageable.

Like you, I’ve never attempted this before. PLUS we were working with Phantom high-speed footage, with tons of speed-ramping [and masking + grading] – a new format for me. It took a few rounds/nights of conversions to go from the .CINE files to .MOV in Cinepak to finally .MOV in ProRes (HQ).

I hope you have a fast machine though – as you’ll need to be doing quite a bit of rendering. But if you don’t have many cuts to do, it shouldn’t be a big issue.

We probably could’ve done it in AE since it involves custom canvas and composition – but I’m much more adept at FCP than AE. I did have to use AE and then Adobe Encode to export the final deliverables though [because the playback system required 4 pieces of MPED-2 files, with overlaps for edge blending].

One thing important is to find out if there’s anybody on the client’s side who could assist you with the testing of the footage [depending on what playback system they’re working with] or answer more of your questions. But if the delivery specs are as they say – it’s fairly straightforward.

You can also take a look at the final results of what I’ve done here: https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/173/858100

Good luck!

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.6 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

I had a similar issue during edit today which involved Livetype. Maybe my solution would help your situation: check the AE Quicktime you’ve dragged into the browser. Scroll across to the field order column – what’s listed there?

Oddly enough, even though I’d exported a ‘no fields’ Quicktime from Livetype, when it was brought into the browser, it was tagged as ‘Upper (Odd)’. I changed that to ‘none’ and replaced the clip in the sequence – problem solved.

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.6 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

I’m not familiar with encoding via iDVD, but when I used to use Toast Titanium to quick encode DVDs, I noticed the default setting is for NTSC material – maybe that’s causing your PAL video to have its fields reversed?

If you’re familiar with Compressor and DVD Studio Pro in your FCS3, I’d recommend you author your video via that method. Gives better quality.

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.2 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

You could check for interlacing using your little Sony camcorder via Firewire out. And if you need a bigger view, you might be able to then get video out from the camcorder to a CRT TV.

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.2 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W

[Kai Cheong]

I’m using Final Cut Studio 2 and recently worked with quite a few pieces of 50p footage in a 25p timeline [we’re in PAL land].

What I found is that dropping the 50p footage in the 25p timeline and slowing it down does not give me clean footage. The way which worked was to conform in Cinema Tools [surprised by how quick and easy it was – but if you haven’t done it before, do note that it changes the original clip instantly – so remember to keep a copy of your raw footage somewhere].

The slowed down footage will then play cleanly in the 25p timeline – and I could speed it up to normal with a 200% speed change.

Not being familiar with AVID, could you just drag and drop – and it’ll play nice?

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 10.5.7

8-Core Intel Mac Pro 2.26GHz | 8GB RAM | FCP 6.0.2 | Mac OS X 10.5.6 | 3.0TB CalDigit VR | 2 x 24″ Dell S2409W