Basic Raw Editing in Resolve

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Hi All, I'm new to Resolve and I'm looking for some help. I was testing the Ursa 12K on my last shoot, and I now have many terabytes of footage to sort. My normal workflow with R3D files, is to import them into Redcine-X, adjust iso, curves, saturation, etc. so they look nice. Then I save everything to rmd files before I bring the footage into Final Cut and create proxies.

I can't open the braw files in FCPX, so I am using Resolve, but I am not sure how to set up the project correctly (what to choose in Project Settings > Color Management and Project Settings > Camera RAW). I can view and export the shots as rec.709 by applying the embedded LUT in Project Settings > Camera Raw, but I need to adjust ISO etc. and I'd prefer to add curves, contrast, etc. to my own taste then save to a sidecar file.

Any tips or links would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[rand thompson]

Robert,

John Brawley would be about the best person to ask on the Braw workflow. But I will try.

You can setup your Project settings the way you want to. You can leave it set on "Camera Metadata" and bring in the footage as is or "Project" to set any and all parameters that you want to apply to the entire project.

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Thanks Rand! Appreciate the screenshots. And once everything is set up in Resolve, is there a way to adjust raw settings of individual clips and save those settings to the clip or to a sidecar file? It would help if I could also copy and paste raw settings between clips.

 

[rand thompson]

Robert,

I'm trying to find some Braw footage to download to show you, give me a few minutes.

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Robert,

I'm trying to find some Braw footage to download to show you, give me a few minutes.

I will upload a short shot for you

 

[rand thompson]

I will upload a short shot for you

Thanks Robert!


Also,

Braw Footage especially 12K braw is not going to be easy to playback on your computer unless you have a good setup. So you might want to try different combinations of Playback proxy setups and either "Optimized Media" or "Proxy Media"

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Here's a file for you: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TxyH9D3U9rhsLpVpjirk1Xp5xpb30RcO/view?usp=sharing

Regarding playback, I've had to make proxies because I am playing off an external drive and the 12K 8:1 footage is pretty huge.

 

[rand thompson]

Here are the Settings I used

 

[Robert Hofmeyr]

Thanks Rand. That looks great. Nice and natural. Is there a way to save those settings back to the braw file, and to copy and paste them to other clips?

 

[rand thompson]

Robert,


In Theory there is with the "Update Sidecar" button at the bottom of the screengrab. However, it doesn't appear to work the same way we are use to with Redcine-X or Now we can do the same in Resolve as with redcine-X. When you re-import the file back into Resolve, the image still looks the same. I have used the project settings below but still no luck. So I will check for the correct way to apply the updated sidecar.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

Rand, such an elaborate answer. My kudos for your contribution.

 

[rand thompson]

Thanks alot Cristian!

 

[rand thompson]

It seems everytime I try to post additional info. I get logged off with an "Internal Server Error 500" message. I don't know if its the size I chose to resize my screengrabs to or what.

 

[John Brawley]

I'm not a colourist or workflow specialist, but here's another way you can go.

The way Rand has explained here is a global way of setting up two use BRAW for a project.

You can also adjust, copy and update the side car on a clip by clip basis in the grading tab.

https://flic.kr/p/2m27zK7

On the bottom left here you can see it's defaulted on the RAW camera tab to "project" or the global settings as Rand showed you how to do.

You can then choose the "clip" option here....

https://flic.kr/p/2m24HqT

After this I then chose the default EXTENDED VIDEO in the game section. This is a good 709ish starting place for the 12K files.

https://flic.kr/p/2m24HrE

Once you have a grade you like you can use the "grab still" function (right click on the image". ( I also graded here, looks like this was just after sundown ? late in the day?)
https://flic.kr/p/2m23EUW


This will save a still to the gallery on the left and you can then middle mouse button on the still while the timeline is on a new clip and it apply that grade / setting. Bottom left of that original RAW tab is also the update sidecar button too.

https://flic.kr/p/2m23EVh

JB

 

[John Brawley]

It seems everytime I try to post additional info. I get logged off with an "Internal Server Error 500" message. I don't know if its the size I chose to resize my screengrabs to or what.

Yeah I just spent 30 mins trying to post screen grabs and wanted to scream because I got the same errors. I just went to an external host.

JB

 

[rand thompson]

John,

Yeah!, It seems you can post text explaining the workflow. You can post screengrabs explaining the workflow. But if you Use text to further explain the screengrabs in the same post, you get the good ole Internal server 500 error message. And if you try too many times you can't log back into Reduser for about 20 or more minutes.

 

[John Brawley]

Here's a file for you: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TxyH9D3U9rhsLpVpjirk1Xp5xpb30RcO/view?usp=sharing

Regarding playback, I've had to make proxies because I am playing off an external drive and the 12K 8:1 footage is pretty huge.

Are you sure ?

Resolve is very good at being optimised for BRAW playback. I use a 2017 MacBook Pro and can play back, edit and grade 12K BRAW no problem. No proxies needed.

JB

 

[rand thompson]

John,

You did an excellent job of explaining above. Also, if you don't want to transfer the raw settings from clip to clip, you can "Right-click' in the Stills gallery window and select 'Copy:Grade Perserve Camera raw settings"

 

[rand thompson]

John,

I was kept from posting some of the exact same screengrabs with the server 500 error. Now it seems I can

 

[rand thompson]

Gen 5 and Gamut Compression


The reason why You would set these two settings in the "Project Settings" is so that You won't have to remember to do them for every clip, it will be done for all of the clips for the entire project. These are two settings that I know I personally wouldn't change for any clip.

Gen 5-is the latest and greatest Color Science for BlackMagic Raw.

Gamut Compression-Helps control any Colors from going "Out Of Gamut"( Not Broadcast Legal).



Here is a sample Braw file that I graded. I Increased the Luminance of the image with a custom Luminance curve and Corrected away some of the Yellow/Orange in the Curtains in the backgroung. But I also increased the Luminance and Saturation of the "REDS" in the chairs in the image. You can see how with "Gamut Compression" on the "REDS' in the chairs stay relatively "In-Gamut" (legal). However with "Gamut Compression" turned off, the "REDS" in the chairs are now "Out Of Gamut" ( Illegal Broadcast Colors)

Before

After

With Gamut Compression turned on

With Gamut Compression turned off