Correct/ Easiest way to reconnect offline edit from FCP to original R3d and back?

[Nathan Goods]

I finished editing a project I was working on which was converted from original files to Pro Res Proxy, I now want to connect them to original files for grading and then would like to export a full quality pro res 444 in 1920x1080p. Please guide me in the correct steps

Thanks a lot

 

[Matt Ryan]

Get davinci resolve light (Free). Export an XML from your FCP project. Open Resolve and set up your project, import your R3D's into Resolve, then open the xml in resolve and it will automatically relink to the R3D's. Then just color and do what needs to be done, then select Render and set up the output...Done...Then you can export the xml from Resolve and open it back up in FCP and it will link to your newly rendered colored clips and will reapply all effects and transitions from your original FCP project and will not need to be rendered. Pretty simple and straight forward.

 

[Nathan Goods]

Get davinci resolve light (Free). Export an XML from your FCP project. Open Resolve and set up your project, import your R3D's into Resolve, then open the xml in resolve and it will automatically relink to the R3D's. Then just color and do what needs to be done, then select Render and set up the output...Done...Then you can export the xml from Resolve and open it back up in FCP and it will link to your newly rendered colored clips and will reapply all effects and transitions from your original FCP project and will not need to be rendered. Pretty simple and straight forward.

Can you please explain why would I use resolve instead of Red Pro? Also please remember that this is my first time using red footage as I come from editing Video camera and Dslr footage normally.

Thanks

 

[Gunleik Groven]

You can use RCX-P, but that will essentially be a primary meta-grade, not really optimum for a lot of grading situations.

If you set the import settingss to "project" and choose something along the lines of

RedColor2 (or 3 if you take the beta)
RedlogFilm
ISO 640
5000 kelvin

you should have a good generally gradeable image from most of your shots and a good way to grade them.

Resolve is a gem!

 

[Nathan Goods]

You can use RCX-P, but that will essentially be a primary meta-grade, not really optimum for a lot of grading situations.

If you set the import settingss to "project" and choose something along the lines of

RedColor2 (or 3 if you take the beta)
RedlogFilm
ISO 640
5000 kelvin

you should have a good generally gradeable image from most of your shots and a good way to grade them.

Resolve is a gem!

Thanks, as I am pressed for time I don;t think I should really use Resolve as I tried downloading/opening it and it does not even allow me to connect to a data base let alone even use the program? I might just grade in Red Cine Pro then export back to FCP for final touches. In the past I always shot flat/neutral on my video cameras and just graded within FCP and other programs like Magic Bullet Colorista, this is all really new for me.....

 

[Matt Gerard]

Resolve is very picky about video cards and the computer config. On my mac, I've got plenty of cores/ram/etc, but I have an unlisted video card I'm using (ATI Radeon HD 4870 512 MB) and Resolve crashes every time. My boss is trying out a Quadro 4000 in his box to see if it will work. I'd love to work with resolve if we can get it to work!

m

 

[Matt Ryan]

Resolve is very picky about video cards and the computer config. On my mac, I've got plenty of cores/ram/etc, but I have an unlisted video card I'm using (ATI Radeon HD 4870 512 MB) and Resolve crashes every time. My boss is trying out a Quadro 4000 in his box to see if it will work. I'd love to work with resolve if we can get it to work!

m

thats because Resolve's processing is based on gpu more than cpu so thats why you need a better gpu.

As to the OP's question, your not really getting the most out of your RAW images if you just grade in RCX Pro. It's main purpose is a first light CC before you export for dailies, etc. RCX is a "primary color correction" as it has no secondary and isolation options. Therefore any correction or adjustment made is applied to the entire image...

What you can do is import an xml into Redcine X Pro from your FCP timeline, set the gamma to Redlogfilm, color space to Redcolor3 and render out your 4444's, then relink to your new RCX renders in FCP and do color like you have in the past with Colorista. This way you will have a flat image that can be colored straight in FCP.

 

[Nathan Goods]

thats because Resolve's processing is based on gpu more than cpu so thats why you need a better gpu.

As to the OP's question, your not really getting the most out of your RAW images if you just grade in RCX Pro. It's main purpose is a first light CC before you export for dailies, etc. RCX is a "primary color correction" as it has no secondary and isolation options. Therefore any correction or adjustment made is applied to the entire image...

What you can do is import an xml into Redcine X Pro from your FCP timeline, set the gamma to Redlogfilm, color space to Redcolor3 and render out your 4444's, then relink to your new RCX renders in FCP and do color like you have in the past with Colorista. This way you will have a flat image that can be colored straight in FCP.

Thanks for the help, so quick question then should I adjust saturation as well as overall balance levels in Red Cine pro or just do it lightly and then push the levels further on the compress pro res 444 file?

As always thank you for the help as I am new to working with epic footage and want to maintain good quality
thanks

 

[Matt Ryan]

If you just change over to Redcolor 3, Redlogfilm, I'd just do a straight export as is and color in FCP (**Make sure White balance is set correctly! This is very important before you bake it into your footage for good). You wont be able to get your colors/saturation correct while viewing in log inside of RedcineX Pro without adjusting levels and then that defeats the purpose of exporting a flat image for coloring. So export it flat and adjust all the levels and saturation in FCP. Just my $.02 for the scenario you have.

 

[Nathan Goods]

If you just change over to Redcolor 3, Redlogfilm, I'd just do a straight export as is and color in FCP (**Make sure White balance is set correctly! This is very important before you bake it into your footage for good). You wont be able to get your colors/saturation correct while viewing in log inside of RedcineX Pro without adjusting levels and then that defeats the purpose of exporting a flat image for coloring. So export it flat and adjust all the levels and saturation in FCP. Just my $.02 for the scenario you have.

Ok thanks, so make sure white balance is correct, what about iso? Should I adjust all clips to 800 iso to match the cameras native settings or leave them as they were recorded?
Thanks

 

[Matt Ryan]

Like Gunleik recommended earlier I'd set it to 640ISO and that should get you optimal results. You will probably be fine with 800 ISO but 640 is a good buffer and since its a flat image both should work fine...So test one clip once at 640 and the other at 800, import into FCP, do your grade, and pick which one is optimal for the exposure and grade you are attempting. Then use that for the basis of all the clips.

 

[Nathan Goods]

Like Gunleik recommended earlier I'd set it to 640ISO and that should get you optimal results. You will probably be fine with 800 ISO but 640 is a good buffer and since its a flat image both should work fine...So test one clip once at 640 and the other at 800, import into FCP, do your grade, and pick which one is optimal for the exposure and grade you are attempting. Then use that for the basis of all the clips.

Is there a way to select all of the clips in Red Cine pro and make them all red gamma 2/3 and film log? Very time consuming to do it to each single clip when it's a 3 minute project with several cuts....

 

[Matt Ryan]

you can select edit, copy look once you make the first clip settings, then select all your clips in the bin and click edit- paste the look.

 

[Nathan Goods]

you can select edit, copy look once you make the first clip settings, then select all your clips in the bin and click edit- paste the look.

Cool, now I'm ready to export so I can send to FCP which is the proper way to do it? The option of rendering out 444 clips from from the bin must not be right as it selects I guess the entire file and says it will take like 3 hrs per file and there is like 30+??????

Help me out, thanks

 

[Matt Ryan]

yes that sounds about right time wise unless you have a RedRocket. It depends on how long the clips are and what resolution was used. 5k takes longer than 4k. Just remember it is taking the full 4k/5k image and downscaling it to 1080p, theres a lot of math involved and a lot of processing going on. It will take a while. A typical short we shot last summer rendered without a rocket for over 24hours. So yeah that sounds about right.

With a rocket 5K is a little slower than real time at transcoding, 4K transcodes in real time.

This is one of the benefits to Resolve as it uses the R3D's so theres no transcoding till the final output. As well as coloring with full RAW and R3D control.

 

[Nathan Goods]

yes that sounds about right time wise unless you have a RedRocket. It depends on how long the clips are and what resolution was used. 5k takes longer than 4k. Just remember it is taking the full 4k/5k image and downscaling it to 1080p, theres a lot of math involved and a lot of processing going on. It will take a while. A typical short we shot last summer rendered without a rocket for over 24hours. So yeah that sounds about right.

With a rocket 5K is a little slower than real time at transcoding, 4K transcodes in real time.

This is one of the benefits to Resolve as it uses the R3D's so theres no transcoding till the final output. As well as coloring with full RAW and R3D control.

I might bump down the settings then from Full to 1/2 and maybe pro res 422 hq.... Or spend the next day trying to learn resolve..... :bored:

 

[Matt Ryan]

the less the compression the less computing so keep it at 4444 instead of 422HQ. Only thing 422 HQ will get you is a smaller file size but will take slightly longer to compress and transcode. I'd say just bite the bullet and let it render and stick to what you know for this shoot. After this one learn Resolve...

Make sure when choosing resolution if you decide on 1/2 res make sure to select 1/2 res good and not premium. Premium is a fail. There are several threads that give examples. Always go with 1/2 res good or full.

 

[Nathan Goods]

the less the compression the less computing so keep it at 4444 instead of 422HQ. Only thing 422 HQ will get you is a smaller file size but will take slightly longer to compress and transcode. I'd say just bite the bullet and let it render and stick to what you know for this shoot. After this one learn Resolve...

Make sure when choosing resolution if you decide on 1/2 res make sure to select 1/2 res good and not premium. Premium is a fail. There are several threads that give examples. Always go with 1/2 res good or full.

I will learn Resolve for the Next project which is soon, final question though. Which is the exact proper way to export from Red Cine Pro? I see different options such as bin, timeline, etc.? I've been dealing with this all day and just want to export these files so I can grade when it's done.

I mean why import an xml if it is going to export the entire clip if I just need certain sections? There must be a correct way where I can export my timeline and reconnect it to fcp?

 

[Matt Ryan]

They are both the right way. If you have all the clips you need transcoded in the timeline then you can export that way.

Since you are working with an xml I'd just choose export timeline as the option since those are the exact clips you need (as long as the xml relinked correctly and all the clips you need are in the timeline). Either way just make sure you check that all the files you need transcoded are either in the timeline or in the bin if you choose those methods.

I personally always just add every R3D for the project into the bin, do the light color, then use export bin (all) and transcode.

Do 1/2 res good, prores 4444, make sure gamma correction is set to off.

Once you export these files just go back into your FCP project, select all the clips, right click and select relink, then direct them to your newly transcoded 4444files and they will relink with the proper edit, length, with effects, etc...

 

[Nathan Goods]

They are both the right way. If you have all the clips you need transcoded in the timeline then you can export that way.

Since you are working with an xml I'd just choose export timeline as the option since those are the exact clips you need (as long as the xml relinked correctly and all the clips you need are in the timeline). Either way just make sure you check that all the files you need transcoded are either in the timeline or in the bin if you choose those methods.

I personally always just add every R3D for the project into the bin, do the light color, then use export bin (all) and transcode.

Do 1/2 res good, prores 4444, make sure gamma correction is set to off.

Once you export these files just go back into your FCP project, select all the clips, right click and select relink, then direct them to your newly transcoded 4444files and they will relink with the proper edit, length, with effects, etc...

Did not work......... SMFH

This is for a Music video which has a whole bunch of fades and layers with opacities etc, the timeline exported but where dissolves are the clips just freeze for a couple of seconds and then it keeps going normal.... What a Hot mess...... For how great this footage looks I must admit that the Post Production on this is brutal if you do not have the correct hardware ( rocket card) ... Truly truly truly pissed right now