What's the best way to prep anamorphic files for offline AVID edit?

[Steffen Vala]

A photographer has asked about anamorphic desqueeze and AVID and I'm not sure what the answer is... So I'll turn to the ever knowledgeable minds here (RED-heads if you will) for advice.

Here's the "question" ...regarding the anamorphic material that was shot on R1 MX being transcoded in RCX:
" I put the Fit menu to Stretch W/H and locked the aspect ratio to 16:9. That gives me full frame 16:9. Then I'm planning on changing the aspect ratio to scope in Avid. "

My advice was to use the Framing Controls to desqueeze to Fit Width 2X and also lock Aspect Ratio to 2.39:1 and export that into the DNxHD36 that are called for.

What would you guys recommend is the best way to prep the files to offline edit the anamorphic material in AVID?

 

[MichaelP]

Avid is 4:3 or 16:9 only, so you will need to do the letterbox in REDCINE X when transcoding. By doing what you're doing, you're just doing another effect in Avid to squeeze it as letterbox for proper aspect ratio using up a real time stream and not gaining any more quality than doing it to start. Now if you are planning on exporting fit anamorphic to 16:9 for use downstream, then that's a different story.

Michael

 

[Steffen Vala]

Thanks Michael, I understand what you've described and shared it with the photographer.
I figure that if AVID is best at editing, it should stick to just editing, and leave the other lifting for RCX or whatever other post software needed in the post production pipeline for the other post work, e.g. grading, etc.