[Mark Raudonis]

Ooops. Just saw your specs on the Promise raid.

I’d still say go low rez.

Mark

[Mark Raudonis]

David,

In general, yes, heavy multicam is best done at proxy or lower resolution. You don’t say how many cameras (streams) you’re using, nor what kind of storage you have. These details are critical to determining your workflow.

I’d guess that you’d have a much better experience editing in low rez than trying to go full rez.

mark

[Mark Raudonis]

Despite everyone’s efforts to create the best looking credits, all that work is often in vain.

Networks can and do employ “time compression” boxes which will totally trash anyone’s careful
calculations for “best speed” crawls. This is most typically done for syndication runs where they’re trying
to squeeze in more commercial time.

Then there’s the “no credit” policy that some cable networks have elected. You can’t win!

Mark

[Mark Raudonis]

[Erik Lindahl] “have I fundamentally missed something here? “

Yes. Project organization from the start.

I don’t mean any disrespect, but from your own description, the multi- format sources, locations, etc. sounds like an accident waiting to happen. It seems like you want MM to be smarter than you are, and just “know” how to clean up your mess. Doesn’t work that way. Garbage in, garbage out. Or, in your case, “chaos” in “chaos” out. MM works best when you follow some simple rules… like labeling media, drives, etc.

If you follow these simple rules, MM will be your friend. We use it day in and day out with a “off-line to on-line workflow”. Pay attention to how you’re introducing media into your project and you’ll be rewarded with a much better media managing experience.

Good luck.

mark

[Mark Raudonis]

We use “Ultimatte Advantedge”.
It’s expensive but if you do keys all day long, it’s worth it.
Mark

[Mark Raudonis]

Atttcus,

Making your own “personal” copy may work on a small project, but practically speaking on a big project, it’s just NOT possible. That’s the whole point of a SAN.

Just like when you get in a car and drive, you have to observe the rules of the road. So too, a large group shared media workflow. There has to be rules to follow and if someone doesn’t follow them… they lose their license to drive! For example: renaming your media at the finder level will cause everyone else’s work to go off-line. Everyone has to know not to do that. We have a sign in everyone’s edit room, “Do NOT rename your media”. If they do, they find work elsewhere.

mark

[Mark Raudonis]

Agree with all of the above, and I add this warning: Old school DVD players would put up a “static” logo of their brand if no disc was playing. That’s killed a couple of our plasmas when some knucklehead left took out the DVD and left it on all night.

Was no fun seeing “Samsung” on every light shot thereafter!

No break in process for us either, and we’ve got a bunch of Panny’s 50’s & 58’s. If you’re reasonably sensible about it, they’re OK. But don’t leave bars up for longer than necessary.

Mark

[Mark Raudonis]

In addition to all of the good suggestions above:

Have a “standardized” project layout. Create a printed version of what the “ideal” project structure will look like and post it in every edit bay. For example: Every project keeps the most recent sequence in a bin labeled “1. Current Cut”, Old cuts go into “2. Old Cuts”, Music into “3.Music”, B-roll into “4. B-roll”, etc. The numbers in front of the names ensures that the bins (folders) will sort nicely in your project.

I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to step onto a system and not be able to find where the latest cut has been saved. The key to success in a group workflow is to establish a common bin structure, a common naming structure, and a logical workflow.

Last but not least: NEVER name a cut “final”… that’s just asking for trouble. The minute you label something final… it isn’t! Someone will come up with just one more change, and then, what do you call the next version? Final-final? Yes, I’ve seen that too often. Stick to numbers. It’s safer.

Good luck.

mark

[Mark Raudonis]

You may not need an iMac to do this. I was at a tradeshow last week and they were playing back FULL HD 3D sequences off of this:

https://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-WD-Media-Player/dp/B001JZFQU4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1257796459&sr=8-1

Looked great. (This was in the Panasonic Booth… not some dinky little fly by night operation).
I was impressed.

Mark

[Mark Raudonis]

Evan,

THere are plenty of Sydney based user groups and boards that would probably be a better place to
ask this question. Google it.

mark