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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 :)

Camera proxies in FCPX

Brandon Fraley

Brandon Fraley

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So I have a new machine (17" MBP i7), and FCPX. i downloaded the FCP/QT plugin from red.com and I'm ready to go.

I've gotten FCPX up and running, and got the proxies to play in the timeline, but my main issue at the moment is very poor performance. The _m proxies play fine, but blurry, basically exactly like they did on my previous machine (4 year old MBP) with the playback setting set to "medium". The _h proxies play, but at around 12fps... just like my old machine...

I was super excited for the speed boost all this hardware and software would offer, but right now I'm getting the exact same results that I had with my 2.2ghz core duo and with 2gigs ram, and FCP6.

What am I doing wrong?

THANKS! :)
 
hmm... well, the proxies wouldn't play before I installed the plugin, and they did play afterwards. Maybe just coincidence.
 
After writing the post i check again, not working..
 
lol weird, but totally works for me. Now just gotta figure out how to get better performance.
 
You are probably using red plugin for fcp 7
There is no plugin for fcpx
You can see the files due to the qt plugin
Try installing rcx pro beta 9 and play your r3d files in that to test performance

Or download adobe cs 5.5 demo and test premiere
 
Paul Provost said:
You are probably using red plugin for fcp 7
There is no plugin for fcpx
You can see the files due to the qt plugin
Try installing rcx pro beta 9 and play your r3d files in that to test performance

Or download adobe cs 5.5 demo and test premiere
Click to expand...


I'm indeed using the plugin for FCP7, but I don't have FCP7... I'm using FCPX. And the camera proxies load and play fine.

I already have redcine x and half res play fine, I'm, just looking for them to play fine in FCPX.

Anyone know what to do?

THANKS! :)

-B
 
The proxy codec 'trick' that's going on is probably wither not multi threaded like RC-X or not as processor efficient as an application dedicated to playback of red files. Red is moving away from proxies since they aren't a major part of the workflow like they were a few years ago, which is also evidenced by the fact that the epic doesn't create them in camera any more.

If you get realtime playback at half res, you might be better off rendering to 720p or so using half or quarter res and then using that to offline.

FCPX also does background rendering so you could try leaving a timeline open overnight and see if it improves after that.

Tim
 
Thanks Tim.

This is certainly disappointing. I remember watching guys years ago edit the _H proxies with no rendering at 24 fps. Now, 4 years later it doesn't work with the latest hardware. :(

Is there no one that is able to use the proxies effectively. If not, what is the standard RED workflow with FCPX?

-B
 
There are several ways to run it through RCX

Offline - 720p media Prores LT
export (using intelligent assistants x27)
Send FCP 7 XML to RCX And render new media
cc in color or resolve

Online only

Render 4k prores 4444
import media into FCP x
create optimized media
edit
turn on the full Rez media after you lock picture
cc in FCP X
basically what you would do with f65 media

Kipro
shoot redlog film redcolor 2 and record 1080 4:2:2 to Kipro prores files
import media
edit
finish
export


For short form you can use premier or FCP x

Long form
maybe best to stick with avid or FCP 7

Personally I have never found editing proxies to be reliable and have always created media.

David
 
David Battistella said:
There are several ways to run it through RCX

Online only

Render 4k prores 4444
import media into FCP x
create optimized media
edit
turn on the full Rez media after you lock picture


David
Click to expand...
This option works for us :)
 
Thanks for the help, guys.


What is the difference between Prores 444 and 422?

What does "Create optimized media" mean, also "create proxie media"?

And please explain "turn on full rez media after lock picture".

THANKS! :)

-B
 
In case some are interested in editing RED One / Epic / Scarlet footage in FCP X and conform/finish with R3D files in AfterEffects...

- export prores LT 720 or any other flavor out of REDCINE-X
- edit in FCP X
- use my foolcut_AE script to send the edit to AE using the conform R3D and project rescale options
- grade and finish in AE (or send to Premiere, export EDL etc)

It supports many FCP X features (time effets, compounds, audition etc), you can watch a short video demo here : http://vimeo.com/28681222

Also BM Resolve now support import of FCP X .fcpxml format to conform simple edits (and roundtrip rendered clips to FCP X)

I'm considering writing a FCPX - RCX - FCPX roundtrip app but not sure there is so much interest in such an app until RCX supports secondaries, and can import multi track timelines
 
Brandon Fraley said:
Thanks for the help, guys.What is the difference between Prores 444 and 422?What does "Create optimized media" mean, also "create proxie media"?And please explain "turn on full rez media after lock picture".THANKS! :)-B
Click to expand...
ProRes 4444 and 422 refer to the Chroma Subsampling used in the codec. 4:4:4 and 4:2:2 respectively. 4:4:4 yields a better image with more latitude than 4:2:2 sampling, which cuts the chroma information in half in relation to the luminance. ProRes includes an extra "4" in the 444 because ProRes 4444 includes an alpha channel. Anyways, 4444 is the highest level of ProRes offered, and is the best choice for your downconverted 4k —> HD media. In Final Cut Pro X, there an an option on import to create optimized and proxy media. What this will do is make a separate copy of your ProRes 4444 files and either make:ProRes Optimized: ProRes 422 Standard 1920x1080ProRes Proxy: ProRes 422 Proxy 1440x1080Using either the optimized or proxy media will make editing quicker due to it being less taxing on your workstation, and, will take up less hard drive space. Use PR 422 Standard for great quality and moderate disk savings or use PR 422 Proxy for good quality and excellent disk space savings. In any case do not render the movie using these "optimized" or "proxy" files as your source media. Always relink to the ProRes 4444 media after picture is locked. What is meant by "lock picture" is once you've got all your cuts finalized, but before color correction, "online" the project by reconnecting from the 422 media to the 4444 files. This will max out the quality. From there you can color correct in FCPX and output to HD, Web, Blu-Ray etc. :D
 
Last edited:
Thanks Alexander.

I understand theories of 4:4:4:4 and proxies and picture lock, etc. I'm more asking how I go about using these things in FCPX. For example, why would I use 4:4:4:4 for my project instead of 422? Before I received your response, I had already started transcoding all the footage to Prores 422 HQ (redcolor 2, redgamma 2, 1/2 premium debayer) which finished last night. Should I import these clips into FCPX, or something else? When I import them, should I check create optimize or proxy media? How would I go about importing high quality media, creating proxies, and then relinking with the originals after picture lock, for grading?

THANKS! :)

-B
 
Anybody know?
 
Yes

There is a way. I'll post details when I'm in front of my machine.

David
 
Thank you, David :D The help is very appreciated!

-B
 
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