any one used Baselight?

[Bruno Centofanti]

We used Baselight to do non-linear colour grading and worked fine. I'm pleased with it.
Did any one used Baselight too?

Cheers,
Bruno Centofanti

 

[David Battistella]

This software is a great tool. I have been really impressed with what Cinebyte in Toronto squeezes out of the r3d footage for filmouts.

Really. Really. Impressed.

David

 

[John Tissavary]

I love Baselight. It's my favorite turnkey system out there. 40+ simultaneous streams of uncompressed 4k... all I can say is wow.

But as has been an ongoing discussion on this board, the popular assertion that one DI system is better than another at grading is misleading. Name two established DI systems out there, high or low end, and you'll likely find they're using the same internal bit-depth and color math for grading operations.

The primary differences between systems are hardware capabilities, i/o, software feature set, panel support, and software interface.

When it comes down to color, my obviously biased opinion (but not without experience) is that the colorist is the only significant difference between grading on one system and another. If you're talking strictly turnaround times, resolutions, delivery/playout options, etc... - then there are really good reasons to pick a particular vendor and product.

But in the end, the ability to 'squeeze out' nice pictures from r3d is down to the abilities of the colorist, not the hardware or software they're working on.

regards,

John T.

 

[arapro]

I ve got two ! baselight 2 and baselight 4 ! and a northlight scanner. I find them really powerful and easy to use. Great for grading and film outs 1 Waiting til day it can support native r3d files, cause by having two of these, buying a scratch just for red seems crazy !

 

[Robin Moran]

So the Baselight is now capable of reading R3D files directly?

 

[Martin Tlaskal]

So the Baselight is now capable of reading R3D files directly?

We support them on the MacBook Pro version of our upcoming point release of 3.3. We're waiting for the Linux SDK so that we can add support to the majority of our systems.

 

[Sanjin Jukic]

We support them on the MacBook Pro version of our upcoming point release of 3.3. We're waiting for the Linux SDK so that we can add support to the majority of our systems.

I would like to get the MacBook Pro version of your upcoming point release of 3.3.

How?

 

[Jonas Rejman]

@Martin

Does this mean, that one will be able to quickgrade for dir/dop on set on a MacBook Pro (like in speedgrade) and then take those looks as a base for a final Baselight grading? Will this work in at least 1K realtime?

From what I understand, Baselight is linux based. Ergo, one will not be able to carry the looks over to the grading station, as if they are created from r3ds, they could not "hold" in the r3d->dpx "processing" of the digital negative?

Would you mind to enlighten me here a little?

 

[Martin Tlaskal]

I would like to get the MacBook Pro version of your upcoming point release of 3.3.

How?

Hi,

The easiest thing to do would be to mail info@filmlight.ltd.uk giving your details and the sales guy from the appropriate region will get in touch. Alternatively just PM me with you're details and I'll forward things on directly.

Regards,

-Martin

 

[Martin Tlaskal]

@Martin

Does this mean, that one will be able to quickgrade for dir/dop on set on a MacBook Pro (like in speedgrade) and then take those looks as a base for a final Baselight grading? Will this work in at least 1K realtime?

From what I understand, Baselight is linux based. Ergo, one will not be able to carry the looks over to the grading station, as if they are created from r3ds, they could not "hold" in the r3d->dpx "processing" of the digital negative?

Would you mind to enlighten me here a little?

Hi Jonas,

In short, yes, that should be possible. On the MBP, your Sequence strip will contain UI allowing you to modify the R3D metadata, essentially defining the "processing" from R3D RAW to RGB. You can then layer any of the Baselight grading operations on top of this. I can't test it right now, but I believe 1k performance on a MBP is pretty reasonable, but it's something we're still working on improving further. If you then use these same R3D setting to generate your DPX files, it then becomes valid to apply the grades as the RGB data is the same. Copying these grades is very easy in 3.3, we have a feature called "multi-paste" which allows you to copy grades from one timeline to another based on matching metadata between the two (eg source timecode and tape namer etc), even if the filenames are entirely dissimilar.
This deals with stuff like keyframes/motion events/opticals etc.

In terms of the Linux-based Baselights, I know that RED are working hard on a Linux SDK, so hopefully we should be able to offer native R3D grading on that platform in the not-to-distant future. It's not just us who are keen on this, Da Vinci and Autodesk are in the same boat, so I'd guess it's a high priority.

Regards,

-Martin

 

[Jonas Rejman]

@Martin

Thank you for the explanation. If you have time, please check your PM.

 

[Dave Blackham]

There is no doubt Baselight is a great tool. Its big weakness was its inability to import data from a layered timeline with media via a network. I am told that's now fixed so import from FCP is possible in a layered form. If a proper round trip is possible then that would be fantastic. If it can read R3D's then it could make it the tool of choice for Grading.

Apple's Color has a huge advantage in its ability to process layered time lines but has other weakesses which I hope Apple are sorting out.

Dave
UK

 

[DeaneThrussell]

just used baselight at the mill in london. Edited on Avid used automatic duck to get it to fcp. Fcp to crimson,automatic duck to import the roundtrip to aftereffects and did the comping there at 2k then pushed out dpx to baselight...awesome to say this least. In my mind the best workflow i've done so far. To see red projected at 2k is breathtaking

 

[Martin Tlaskal]

There is no doubt Baselight is a great tool. Its big weakness was its inability to import data from a layered timeline with media via a network. I am told that's now fixed so import from FCP is possible in a layered form. If a proper round trip is possible then that would be fantastic. If it can read R3D's then it could make it the tool of choice for Grading.

Apple's Color has a huge advantage in its ability to process layered time lines but has other weakesses which I hope Apple are sorting out.

Dave
UK

THe next point release of Baselight 3.3 includes support for conforming FCP XML files, including those with multiple layers. It can conform R3D files directly using XML. This R3D support is Mac-only at present but will be available on all our systems as soon as the Linux SDK is released.

-Martin

 

[odnamra]

just used baselight at the mill in london. Edited on Avid used automatic duck to get it to fcp. Fcp to crimson,automatic duck to import the roundtrip to aftereffects and did the comping there at 2k then pushed out dpx to baselight...awesome to say this least. In my mind the best workflow i've done so far. To see red projected at 2k is breathtaking

I'm working on a feature and we want to shoot RED and edit on Avid. We're looking at purchasing a baselight EIGHT, but the above quote is a little confusing. Why did you need to go into FCP/Crimson?