Editing R3D Files & Sony EX1 Files BACK-TO-BACK ??

[George D.]

I know some of you people out there are going to laugh your heads off when you read this, and you're going to think I'm probably out of my mind. But, I'm doing this as an experiment to see if I can get away with it for a special project we're working on. So, what I'm looking for is input, suggestions, thoughts, and advise, on what I can do, what I should not do, and ways to make it work.

Using Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 in a Windows7 PC, I am trying to edit footage shot with our Red-One and our Sony PMW-EX1 Camcorder back-to-back. Now, of course, the quality difference is understandable, and when using the program for the R3D footage, then bringing in EX1 footage, one thing I have to do right off the bat is enlarge the Sony frame to match the huge R3D frame. As a result of that alone, the Sony footage deteriorates, and I realize that, and can live with it.

To complete the editing, is there anything I need to do to either the R3D files, or the Sony EX1 files, to help them marry together better and more seamlessly?

*Also, there are a few scenes we have shot with the EX1 against blue-screen (believe it or not), and I want to composite those over some R3D background scenes, and vise-versa. Immediately, I have noticed that the CS5.5 program does NOT like this. They will composite together OK, but as the scene moves by in the time-line, it will not move smoothly, but jerks, stalls, and jumps, even though the playback resolution is at its lowest. Besides all this, I've managed to put a very short sequence together, and successfully moved it to Encore and made a Blu-ray disc. As a pre-test, it played fine on the Blu-ray player. But, after setting up a more involved sequence, it just will NOT Transcode in Encore. Obviously, either CS5.5 and Encore do not like something, or the computer is just not powerful enough.

And, before this project is over, we are also going to edit in some Nikon D7000 DSLR video as well.

Should prove very interesting, to see all three of those types of files edited together in the same program (Red R3D, Sony EX1, & Nikon D7000).

I do not have a RedRocket because we just cannot afford it. I hope that is not the reason for the stalling, jerking, etc, etc.

Any advise, help, thoughts, or recommendations, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

.

 

[Brad Allen]

Hi George,

Just thought I would check a couple of things.

If you're shooting with an EX1, why are you editing in a 4k timeline? Why not just edit it all in a 1080p timeline? I'm guessing you're never going to be displaying the piece at above 1080p if you are involving HD cameras?

Regarding your blue screen problem, have you tried just pre-rendering the sequence to see how it plays back? Passing it through to Encore using Dynamic Link - especially if it's a 4k sequence, - would just suck the life and stability out of the programs. When it comes time to export out to blu-ray, I think you would be better exporting it out with a Blu-Ray Presest and then importing into Encore.

 

[Stefan Scherperel]

Like Brad said, Copy your entire timeline, start a new sequence, RED 1080P settings and paste the timeline there. You will have to re size your ex1 footage back to 1080P, and make sure "scale to frame size" is checked in your preferences and the Red footage will automatically scale to it. This will help your export troubles as well, as the RED footage is now exporting at 1080p instead of 4K. The image to me looks just as good, but it exports a whole lot faster, it will also allow you to preview much faster on the timeline.

 

[George D.]

Like Brad said, Copy your entire timeline, start a new sequence, RED 1080P settings and paste the timeline there. You will have to re size your ex1 footage back to 1080P, and make sure "scale to frame size" is checked in your preferences and the Red footage will automatically scale to it. This will help your export troubles as well, as the RED footage is now exporting at 1080p instead of 4K. The image to me looks just as good, but it exports a whole lot faster, it will also allow you to preview much faster on the timeline.

Well, I've tried doing all the things you two have suggested, but I guess I'm just in much too far over my head. I just cannot make it work.

I think I've successfully scaled them both to the correct size in 1080p, and tried rendering, but it still skips and stalls, and will only render about a third of the way, then just stops. To get out of the program, I even have to start the Task Manager and end it prematurely.

If I can't get even that far, how can I copy it. I'm not sure I'd know how to copy it anyway.

I guess doing this in our project is just too far beyond me, and it will not be possible. Oh well, you live and learn.

Thanks anyway.

.

 

[Brad Allen]

Hi George - sorry to hear about the troubles you are having. What are the specifications of the computer you are running Premiere on?

Is there any way I can help you remotely?

 

[George D.]

Hi George - sorry to hear about the troubles you are having. What are the specifications of the computer you are running Premiere on?

Is there any way I can help you remotely?

You are very kind Brad. Typical of Aussies. Nicest people on the planet.

I'd rather not do anything remotely, but I appreciate the offer.

I think the problem is that I just cannot composite a blue-screen shot using clips with such different qualities like the R1 and EX1. I sure do NOT want to reduce the quality of the Red footage just to accommodate Sony footage. The final program must be in 4K HD, so I just don't think it's going to be possible.

I'm using a custom made Windows7 PC, 64bit OS, 12.0 GB of RAM, with an Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU, accompanied by a 5.45 TB RAID ARRAY.

If one of the reasons that our project is failing is because we need a Red-Rocket, we can just forget that, because there is no way in hell we can afford it on top of all our other camera expenses. Just is not going to happen.

So, that is it, and I'm afraid that it's all we have to work with.

Thanks anyway for your kindness.

.

 

[Brad Allen]

Hi George,

If you're final program has to be in 4kHD then ignore my previous suggestion about working in a 1080p timeline. I had figured that you wouldn't be exporting out at 4k.

You're PC specs look fine to me. My only other thought is doing the keying work inside of After Effects, then exporting out (not using dynamic link) and reimporting those shots into Premiere. Would that be feasible?