EPIC AVID Workflow - Keeping the Color Data for Conform

[Joe Q. Fava]

Hi All,
We are getting ready for a feature film planning on shooting on the Epic or Red MX. We typically have used FCP but have found that it get's to bogged down with feature films. I really want to make the jump to AVID. I wont be editing it but we will hire a avid editor. I am however in charge of the post workflow and I know the FCP inside and out but need some advice on the avid workflow.

We will be running composer 6 with a redrocket. I'd like to have the dailies graded (single pass) then transcoded to DNxHD or ProRes for the cut. I'm used to grading in RedCine, transcoding, then once picture is locked conforming back to the original .R3D and losing the CC metadata - essentially starting from scratch when color grading.

My question is, is there a way that the color grade information from the dailies firs pass is available when we do the online conform? Somehow keeping the information along the way, this could save us time in color correction since we'd be starting from a base point rather than the original.

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks

Andrew Scholotiuk
DP, Co-Producer
'I Think I Do'
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1519618/

[Grant Yoshida]

If you save an RMD for each clip your grades will still be there when you reconform in REDCINE-X.

Make sure "Automatically Save RMD Files" is enabled in the preferences before starting your grading.

[Dermot]

My question is, is there a way that the color grade information from the dailies firs pass is available when we do the online conform? Somehow keeping the information along the way, this could save us time in color correction since we'd be starting from a base point rather than the original.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1519618/

Joe;

Prolly the best way to conform a Avid show is with Avid's DS 2k/4k/DI finishing system.. send the bin (via AFE) to DS, and once in DS select metadata when it scans the r3d files - your offline grades come in cleanly

And most (not all) metadata from the cut moves across as well, so low to zero time spent re-doing stuff by eyematching, and any color corrects also come across from MC, so at least we can know what the editors were thinking while cutting... we would have to repalce these as the MC color effect is limited to 8bit, so when it moves over to DS it's also 8bit.. but it's a starting place well ahead of anything else you can use to conform a MC show in high rez
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[Marc Wielage]

My question is, is there a way that the color grade information from the dailies firs pass is available when we do the online conform? Somehow keeping the information along the way, this could save us time in color correction since we'd be starting from a base point rather than the original.

You can always load both the original R3D files and and a lower-res copy of the dailies color-correction, and run them together as a basis for comparison. This is one method to go in post.

A lot depends on your final deliverables. Is this for theatrical, or just for 1080 HD? It's a different deal if you have to deal with a film-out for theatrical.

[MichaelP]

My question is, is there a way that the color grade information from the dailies first pass is available when we do the online conform? Somehow keeping the information along the way, this could save us time in color correction since we'd be starting from a base point rather than the original.

As Grant mentioned, saving the RMD when doing the first pass will be the easiest method by which any high resolution DI conform station can use as a starting point. But in many cases, the colorist will always go back to the full range of the image to have full control of his or her needs to create the look and feel needed by the story while maintaining specifications to each of the required deliverables. Once shots are put together in context, it becomes a whole other creative process in color to balance and all that magic that colorists do. It is very similar to sound, every time I had over my cut tracks from offline, the sound editors are stripping it down, and building it back up to meet the quality and creative needs they can bring to the project. Everyone will work differently, but the beauty of RAW or ability to go back to any of the original sources is the flexibility it brings to the project.

Sending a viewing copy of the offline will give the colorist an idea of the intent, but in most cases will be able to recreate it quickly, and probably better than what was used in the offline. But you are also seeing workflows where the same colorist is creating the offline dailies as well as the final DI, and that creates a nice path of communication overall from intent on set to final master and the colorist can ensure that "look" is preserved in 601 or 709 color space for video offline to working in film and other color spaces for theatrical deliverables when the time comes.

Michael