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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Transcode QTs with Compressor....

Chris Parker

Chris Parker

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if i want to transcode the _H files using compressor to make self-contained proresHQ files to do my offline with, are there any settings i need to be aware of? Like....

1. Do I need to set the framerate at anything in particular?

2. Do I use the preset for ProResHQ progressive frames?

3. What color space do i use (i am thinking the 'preserve source' checkbox)?

4. Are there any settings that would prevent me from later using my EDL from my offline in final cut to then take into scratch OR Crimson to make my DPX files that will be then sent in for colorizing?

5. Am I free to move the new ProRes QT files around to different hard drives, separate from the original .r3d files? Will this cause any problems when i want to bring my EDL into RedCine/Crimson for the DPX generation stage?

Finally, what is the benefit of doing it this way rather than simply cutting from the proxy files generated from the camera?
 
skipdivils said:
if i want to transcode the _H files using compressor to make self-contained proresHQ files to do my offline with, are there any settings i need to be aware of? Like....

1. Do I need to set the framerate at anything in particular?

2. Do I use the preset for ProResHQ progressive frames?

3. What color space do i use (i am thinking the 'preserve source' checkbox)?

4. Are there any settings that would prevent me from later using my EDL from my offline in final cut to then take into scratch OR Crimson to make my DPX files that will be then sent in for colorizing?
Click to expand...
As long as the framerate is not modified, any settings and any codec will work. I simply select the default Prores setting in compressor and create a droplet with the preserve source checkbox yes.
skipdivils said:
5. Am I free to move the new ProRes QT files around to different hard drives, separate from the original .r3d files? Will this cause any problems when i want to bring my EDL into RedCine/Crimson for the DPX generation stage?
Click to expand...
Crimson can find your R3D's anywhere and on multiple drives.
skipdivils said:
Finally, what is the benefit of doing it this way rather than simply cutting from the proxy files generated from the camera?
Click to expand...
See my post here:
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10295&page=8

IBloom
 
awesome help guys. thanks. i will be creating a droplet in mere moment, and using the default prores setting to make these new files for the offline edit.

one other question though. i am finding that my transcoded prores QT files are playing back a little darker than the source files. in compressor, the preview pane makes it seem like my new QTs will be a little darker than the original? any tips here?
 
skipdivils said:
awesome help guys. thanks. i will be creating a droplet in mere moment, and using the default prores setting to make these new files for the offline edit.

one other question though. i am finding that my transcoded prores QT files are playing back a little darker than the source files. in compressor, the preview pane makes it seem like my new QTs will be a little darker than the original? any tips here?
Click to expand...

Increase the brightness in the camera metadata. Is one solution.

Ian
 
so just do it in camera then? i considered increasing the brightness in the compressor droplet i am creating....but wondered how that would affect any of the metadata....also don't want to increase my transcode time in this step if i can avoid it....

is this something that is normal (clips transcoding out a little darker than the original source footage)?
 
skipdivils said:
so just do it in camera then? i considered increasing the brightness in the compressor droplet i am creating....but wondered how that would affect any of the metadata....also don't want to increase my transcode time in this step if i can avoid it....

is this something that is normal (clips transcoding out a little darker than the original source footage)?
Click to expand...

Quicktime is notorious for mangling gamma....
As long as the prores proxies are just proxies, then just do whatever to make them usable. The real color work will happen when you return to the R3D's.

Ian
 
that's what i thought. i know as offlne proxies, anything is fine, just want to give the editor the best looking offline proxies i can, without taking up too much time in the transcode....

will probably just go with the 'in-camera' solution, to keep it simple....
 
skipdivils said:
...will probably just go with the 'in-camera' solution, to keep it simple....
Click to expand...

Betcha you won't :-)

Changing the camera settings would also change our on-set monitoring making everything look too bright. I know we aren't supposed to be judging exposure from the monitor, but I think subconsciously we all do it.
 
shit. i thought you guys would say that crewpix. i was hoping that you could bump it up a little in camera, and know that since it will be such a constant thing throughout the job, you'd know what is happening.

we should do some more tests then, to make sure the editor will be happy with the footage he gets for his offline, AND that you guys are happy with what is happening on set...

i can add some brightness in my transcode, but at that point, maybe our editor would want to cut on files that are have a one-light done to them in redcine???

more testing on shots that accurately simulate your shooting conditions and planned exposure settings, etc. will answer our question though.
 
skipdivils said:
shit. i thought you guys would say that crewpix. i was hoping that you could bump it up a little in camera, and know that since it will be such a constant thing throughout the job, you'd know what is happening.

we should do some more tests then, to make sure the editor will be happy with the footage he gets for his offline, AND that you guys are happy with what is happening on set...

i can add some brightness in my transcode, but at that point, maybe our editor would want to cut on files that are have a one-light done to them in redcine???

more testing on shots that accurately simulate your shooting conditions and planned exposure settings, etc. will answer our question though.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind this test was just about the nuts and bolts of workflow.

I would like to another test that has more to do with a dailies "look". I'd love to come up with just a really simple "S" curve that we could apply. Really general, but consistent.

Is there a way in REDCINE to create a "look" and save it? I.E. apply certain color/contrast and curve settings, then save that look to apply to future files?

We should be able to let everyone know what we are up to soon enough!

Dylan Macleod
Cinematographer
Toronto, Canada
www.dylanmacleod.com
 
yes you can copy a look at paste it to all the shots, and that is a good idea. i could use crimson/final cut/redcine to put a 'one-light' on all the footage, but that would require a second round of processing. no biggie though. that way, the editor would be working on nicer looking footage.

ideally, we'd be able to create a look before you went on REDCine and load it into the camera via SD Card and that .look would appear on your on-set monitors while you shoot. sure would be nice to be able to QUICKLY toggle back and forth on set with the 'RAW' feed and the .look feed.

i am hopeful that by the time you are shooting, there is a stable build that allows the use of the .look files.....
 
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