4K Archive of edited footage

[nima]

Hi all,

what we usually need is to deliver 1080p files out of 4K 2:1 Red footage.
(why 2:1?) Because at the same time we would really really like to obtain a full res (4k 2:1) DPX Master of each short film just for archival purpose.. you never know. This way, if we'll ever need to go to film (or future 4k tape storage), we will have the final editing ready at full size.

So we create proxies of original R3D file with Red Rushes and export XML at the end of the editing.

The conforming process is quite blurry though..
If we conform the XLM with the original 4K 2:1 files how can we grade the final cut?
We would like to be able to apply a color correction using a 2K or 1080 visualization of the 4K file, and deliver at the end a 4k DPX file for future storage.

This is our poor man setup:

Mac Quadcore 2.93Ghz / 12 Gb ram / ATI 4870 / Dulce 4 drives in Raid 5

Monitoring options: HP Dreamcolor monitor / JVC color grading HD monitor


Things are very confusing when we think about the delivering format.
It is true that there we do not have a 5 millions dollars 4k projector, or $700 per minute for a good film transfer.. but this does not mean that it would be quite important to have a full res file of each project stored somewhere.

Any thought about this?


Thanks!:emote_headwall:

 

[Ben Brainerd]

Personally, what I would do is do the grade with full-res files.

So go through your clipfinder workflow, or however you're planning on conforming back to the R3Ds and send it to Color as a 4K project. Do your grade, then render it out at 1080 (Or whatever your final deliverable is).

Once you're done, backup your footage (Just the used footage, or the entire thing, your choice), your FCP project, and your Color project onto an archive drive, and you'll be ready to go if you ever need a higher-res version.

 

[Darren Orange]

Just do all your finishing on a 70' screen......I think RED endorses that.

Maybe soccer moms will also in the future...

 

[nima]

send it to Color as a 4K project. Do your grade, then render it out at 1080 (Or whatever your final deliverable is).

Thanks for the tip Ben,
Do you think I have enough horse power for finishing in Color?

 

[Ben Brainerd]

Thanks for the tip Ben,
Do you think I have enough horse power for finishing in Color?

That depends on what you define as "acceptable performance". Will you be able to get a grade done and rendered? Yes, I've done it. Will you get real-time, full-resolution playback while grading? No. Will your renders take a while? Yep.

You definitely *can* do a 4K grade in Color.