corrupted r3d files Please Help!

[nima]

Hello, I am having a big headache problem here.
I have 3 red files that appear to be corrupted.

The post production facility that is working on the DI project called me due to some media that was missing while conforming our project.
That sounded weird as I used PPCS6 project manager to create a new project with the final cut timeline and no errors occurred.
I went back to my workstation to copy the missing media in an external hard drive in order to bring it to the post house tomorrow.
The files they requested won't copy and I keep getting an error message saying OSX cannot read or write the files.

The strange thing is, I am working with Premiere CS6 on my workstation and everything seems normal. I have no problems with the timeline, all files are online and I can even open the "corrupted" r3d file directly from the media browser and play it without getting any error.

Although the post house is not able to open the media and on my hand I cannot copy the RDC folders without getting an OSX error message.

The files, which are very important clips in the final cut, are divided in different r3d segments. Some segments can be copied between hard drives, others will report an error.

I have a backup drive with the same media, same errors.

I am not sure if there is a fix for such a problem, but if there is a possible solution please let me know!
We were supposed to start first light this coming friday and as today I have no idea how to solve this issue.

Thanks!

 

[ericyoung]

If they are OK in your timeline, they are at least readable on your own machine.

Check those clips playback all the way through in Redcine-X Pro.

If they do, I would use Redcine-X Pro to re-export them - either by Trim Export and setting In & Outs right at the beginning and end of clips, or possibly just a frame lost at each end if Trim Export doesn't allow that.
If that fails, try exporting at highest quality possible to ProRes4444 or DNxHD lowest compression as an alternative source to use.

If they don't, but you get it freezing or flashing corrupt frames, you may be able to use Trim to recover all the footage, except for the corrupt frames, by setting appropriate In and Out points around the problem frames.

You should also contact Red Support directly as they might not pick up on this thread for some time.

 

[nima]

Thanks Eric,
you gave me some hope.
Unfortunatelly REDCINEX will stop during exporting. At list that confirms that there is one or more corrupted frames.
I can't understand how I could edit the footage between two workstations, exporting the timeline, without realizing that I was working with damaged media.

What I can do is trim each clip down to the frame that gives an error, and then to the next.

I am not very familiar with REDCINE, I always wanted to work with it... but I wish I was in a better situation.
Does RCX maintain the camera TC and file name (unless specified)?
I am trying to understand if the post house will be able to sync the clip back with their EDL.

Thanks! This is better than suicide

 

[David Battistella]

Here is what I would do.

1. Take those three files in premiere and create a 4K timeline.
2, Put those files in the timeline and render out a RC3 REDLOG FILM QT MOVIE or high quality equivalent (as a backup)
3. Open the files in RCX.
4. Use trim R3d to export the sections you need for the cut.

David

 

[David Battistella]

I am not very familiar with REDCINE, I always wanted to work with it... but I wish I was in a better situation.
Does RCX maintain the camera TC and file name (unless specified)?
I am trying to understand if the post house will be able to sync the clip back with their EDL.

You can do what you suggest here.

Get a crash course in this software and use the TRIM r3d command to split the clips up as mentioned above.
DO a 4K QT backup as described above.

David

 

[David Battistella]

PS.

This is a real names forum.

David

 

[ericyoung]

Redcine-X Pro is fairly straight forward to use to trim R3D clips.

Navigate to clip in Redcine-X Pro Browser. Doubleclick the clip to see it in the Viewer.
Mark In & Out Points with "I" & "O" keys (Ctrl-Click or Rightclick on the In/Out Icons to clear In/Out Points)
Select the Export Tab at the bottom.
Select + in the bottom right window to make a new Export Preset. Give it a sensible name.
In the Format Tab, select R3D Trim as the "File Format". Adjust Setup Options if desired.
Select Output Location > Base Output Folder
In the Options Tab, Select 0 handle size, and Absolute Timecode to retain the existing camera Timecode.
Save the Preset and it should appear in the Preset List.

Select "Clip In Viewer" as the Export Source in the bottom right window.
Click Export Button to export the Trimmed R3D.

 

[nima]

Thanks guy,
I will follow those steps. Thank you very much.
Tomorrow the files will be checked by our editor (who often collaborates with RED studios in LA) and hopefully I will have more informations about the damaged media.
I am aware that media can get damaged all the time, and I mean any time of media or file.
Although today I discovered the same issue in 4 more reels, coming to the conclusion that the 35% of my r3d media results damaged.
It is very strange, considering that the raid drive I'm working on does not have any problem, and the media was handled and checked by our DIT before starting.
I would be curious to know if this is a commune problem with long r3d clips divided in 2 or more 2Gb segments.

 

[ericyoung]

Clips don't have to be all that long to be divided into 2GB (or 4GB in Epic/Scarlet) chunks, so segmented files are very common, but your problem does not happen often if proper data verification is carried out.

Did your DIT actually use checksum and visual verification of the backed up files? Finder copies and Spot checking is faster, but won't pick up small bursts of corrupt frames.

Curious why your RAID drive on your workstation apparently plays the clips OK.

 

[David Battistella]

35%.

I find that hard to believe unless the data was not copied properly at the onset.

Using r3d data manager or double data for copying would report bad frames at the time of copy.

Was it originally captured to SSD or red drive?

Was it a rock concert or helicopter shoot? Those are the two situations, with severe vibration, where I could imagine 35% dropped frames, either that or bad cables or poor copy practices.

David.