VFX workflow advice

[Tommy Oliver]

I've tried to figure out a proper workflow but haven't, so any advice would be much appreciated.

We cut in FCP 7 using proxies and plan on grading on a quanel pablo using the native .r3d files. It would as simple as conforming typically but we have a number of vfx shots to composite so I'm not sure how to make that happen. What do I hand off to our vfx artist who's working in After Effects and 3DS Max? What should I get back?

Any help or links would be most appreciated.

 

[Chris Puerstl]

Hi Tommy

If you want to you can provide your VFX artist the R3D files they are a direct import into after effects. The final out put can not be a r3d file anymore but you can pregrade the shot before you send it to him or leave it as it is. We use the r3d directly into after effects and for our output from after effects we us DPX files and grade those.

 

[Marc Wielage]

Tommy, what's the ultimate delivery for the film? 4K or HD?

You might want to read Michael Cioni's blog post on what they did with Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and note his comments about the amount of DPX VFX files in the film.

 

[paulherrin]

ask the artists what they prefer. it's that simple - they'll know what to do.

 

[Donald Strubler]

EDL your cut out to DPX frames with 8 frame handles on head and tail. Seems to work well in every production. If you happen to change your cut more than 1/3 of a second, you can give your artists a new range, Beats the heck out of wrangling R3Ds. This way you keep your workflow lossless until mastering.