Failing at Apple workflow...Help please

[Julius Jockusch]

Help,

So I’ve been reading through the forums for the last few weeks and as of yet I haven’t had one successful attempt at editing or grading the footage that I have without converting & downressing it via red rushes first.

These are the workflows that I’ve read of and the problems that I’m running into (correct me if I’m wrong about anything).

I using a 8 core 2.6 ghz G5 with 12 gigs or ram.
Newest FCP, with RED Final Cut Studio 2 Installed (after I updated FCP)


The best workflow I’ve read of is this one,
QuickTime M proxies in FCP -> color -> render to ProRes 422(HQ) -> send to FCP
(Render 10-bit material in high-precision YUV)
(Enable 4:4:4 chroma filtering)


The other workflow I’ve tried is this one,
FCP log and transfer with redcodex set to native -> edit -> export to PorRess 422(HQ) or -> send to color -> render to ProRes 422(HQ) -> send to FCP
(Render 10-bit material in high-precision YUV)
(Enable 4:4:4 chroma filtering)


It sounds great, but these are the problems I am running into:

Originally I was using 3k footage shot at 30 fps, from what I’ve read this is a bad idea. The FCP timeline doesn’t support this format & color doesn’t like to render it at 2k, but instead does it at 1.5k. I never got to the color step with my 3k footage, so I figured the only solution was to render it form 3k to 2k via redrushes. It works but takes a long time. I figure 3k is out the window not worth using. So I went to www.redrelay.net to get some 4k footage and do some test’s with that. I downloaded Blue Screen - Daylight
“Firestone/Bagley” which is 4k at 24fps. I’m thinking at this point, easy this should work; well I go into red alert to make proxies to test with FCP and every time I tried to make proxies it crashed red alert. I have yet to get proxies out of that clip. Next I tried to import the r3d via Log and Transfer in FCP, but every time I tried to drop the file/folder into the Log and Transfer box it wouldn’t come up with anything after scanning the folder. (anyone know why?) So next I grabbed A002_C012_080125_001.R3D “Chico Majo Walks” from www.redrelay.com (4k at 24fps) thinking it might have just been the clip. Well in red alert I got it to make proxies and they went into FCP for editing. I made a few test cuts and then tried -> Send to Color. In color the media wasn’t linked, and nothing I did could make it link. R3D files were grayed out as aN import source, along with the .mov proxies. At this point I give up on color and tried to import the R3D via Log and Transfer in FCP, well same problem as before the file wouldn’t register in the Log and Transfer box. This is where I’m at now.

I also couldn’t find anything about shooting high-speed and the workflow that is associated with that. If I could get pointed in the right direction there to it would be fantastic.


Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

-Julius



*SOLVED* So I was on os x 10.5.4 par our I.T. guys recomendation, so the newest update for the Color wasnt working right. par update to os x 10.5.5 all is good.


Now I'm onto testing different frame rates for the moment it looks like conforming the footage to redcode rapped .mov works at all frame rates (tested up to 60) in 2k and 4k. I'm still doing some render tests, soon to move on to color to see if M proxies work and render out of there.

Thanks again Tim for your response.

 

[Tim Fassnacht]

Julius,

the only flaw I see is the possibility that FCP and Color need the full reel structure as recorded in the camera to be able to find the files. Now I could absolutely be wrong here, but from what it sounds like you've only go the R3D file, not the directory structure correct? I'd say try to get your hands on a whole reel from someone.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Julius Jockusch]

Thanks Tim,

Well that helped a little, but not quite a solve. With the red folder structure intact FCP can Log and Transpher the 4k footage with ease in redcode (native). But Color still gives nothing, at this point it seems it seems to just be a color issue. I tryed to relink the footage in every way possible, but color doesn't like any of it. Still a nice red X through the footage in the color timeline.