[Kai Cheong]

Disclaimer: I have practically NO IDEA how these work – but I did discover this new gizmo off my Twitterlist… might give some ideas:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_photo?ie=UTF8&search-alias=photo&field-brandtextbin=3Dstereo%20Lens

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]

Since you have only 45 mins of footage, I’d recommend you use the 90min Best Quality preset [rather than 120min] in Compressor – and as suggested earlier, to encode the audio as .AC3

It’ll probably take quite a while to encode your .m2v and .ac3 files on your MacBook Pro. With my early 2008 model of MBP, I took about 1 hour to encode a 45min video. It’ll help if you have an access to a multi-core Mac Pro which you can set up QuickClusters for.

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]

Personally, I’m usually a little too quick to say ‘no problem!’ to clients’ [ask my director, he usually turns and looks at me with concern/horror when I’m on the phone :P] – because I know most things CAN be done… it just might take a whole lot of hassle, time and research.

But when you’re running a business and doing this professionally, sometimes you need to be a bit more measured in what you promise. In general, we act in good faith and help out whenever we can, if we have the time and resources. But sometimes, we need to bite the bullet and turn down the often last minute requests to throw in a freebie or make that change on something that’s already prepped for delivery.

Though a new client we took on recently told us of something that really takes the cake: they asked the production house that did their previous corporate video how much it would cost to get the masters from them. They replied something along the line of a four-figure amount for one SCENE. Whoaaaaa. It’s nothing spectacular or involves talents… basically straight up interviews with the clients’ own partners. Kinda gives the rest of us a bad name… and end up making clients write ridiculous T&Cs like “unlimited revisions” because they’ve been burnt before.

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]

“It’s not you, it’s them”

😉

Often, there are 101 variables that are neither within your control nor dependent on your professionalism, skill level, reel, wealth of experience, charm etc.

I could empathize with the biting feeling when you first find out that you’ve been rejected in spite of giving a good shot with the pitch. I mean, “Hey, we’re nice, professional people and we’ve got this KICKASS concept at a great price!”

We have quite a fair bit of experience being contacted by old and new potential clients who need some help with coming up with the specs for an upcoming project [because they’re required to call a tender] or provide a rough costing. Generally, we take it as an opportunity to make a good impression and just help them out. Sometimes, this involves going down to talk them through – mainly to help them clarify what they want.

I’d say the ‘hit rate’ for such goodwill gestures ain’t that great. But for those clients we’ve retained, we’ve definitely developed a good working relationship. But business is business – there are no guarantees it will stay that way. Not least because bosses change, contacts change jobs etc.

If we had a dedicated business person to do this, it might be less taxing. But as fragile creative types who have to do double duty, sometimes it does become quite tiring.

Sometimes, when we’re puzzled as to why we failed to clinch a bid, we do send a polite email to see if they could let us in on the reasons. Usually they’re quite polite and PC about it…

We did have the odd incident when we spent quite some time sitting with a prospective client, failed to get the job and a few months later, when their shiny new video popped online… the concept looked WAY TOO FAMILIAR (though the execution left much to be desired). That kinda sucked… we contemplated taking some action but after some deliberation, reckoned it’s not worth the trouble. Plus, we believe in karma 😉

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]

Most of the time, I just rip it to DV50 using the presets in MPEGStreamclip and it looks pretty good when I plonk it next to my other shot footage.

I’ll second keeping the interlacing as well – whatever deinterlacing should be done at the end when you’re doing your output to .MOV etc.

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]

Thanks for sharing, Mario.

We just grabbed a MXO2 Mini today [no Max, since we’re doing fairly okay with our H.264 conversions on our 8-Core MacPro using clusters]. Gonna set it up tomorrow and get it ready in time for a client sit-in on Monday. Exciting stuff!

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]

Hi Emma,

Good to hear it worked out fine and it’s just a simple fix ;] The alternative to restarting is to turn on your camera, then in FCP, go to View > Refresh AV Devices > Video Playback [choose your Firewire connection] > External Video [All Frames]. That way, you can switch between a desktop and Firewire-out preview.

As for the audio drift… do check your sequence settings match that of the camera settings [ie. 48k/16bits, not 44.1k or 32k].

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]

Sounds like the right size if you’re exporting your video ‘as it is’, with current settings, from FCP – if you’re working in DV.

But this is usually not a distribution/playback format. More like a full-quality Quicktime master file for you to keep. As Ari mentioned, there are a few options for final formats you can convert to.

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 believe you might’ve accidentally turned on ‘Image+Wireframe’ on your Viewer [is there a giant X that runs across your Viewer footage?]. Click on the square/’target’ button on your Viewer window and switch it back to just ‘Image’.

Voila?

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]

Try using one of the Quicktime 7/H.264 presets from Compressor – and for web, always turn on Frame Controls, change ‘Output Fields’ to ‘Progressive’ and Deinterlace to ‘Better’.

Slightly longer export time but great for videos destined for PC/online playback.

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