Help w/ FCP to DaVinci workflow?

[Homestead_Tim]

I am currently assisting on a job that is being edited in FCP, graded in DaVinci or Baselight, and then conformed back in FCP from a tape source.

The edit was very basic so we used the reference quicktimes (from 4K Red files) for our rough cut. We then created an XML file and imported it into Crimson as we were instructed to do on a few other forums... This is where things got confusing.

Everything came into Crimson properly. We set up the the files to have the appropriate amount of handles and the resolution was 16:9 2K. When we went to render our DPX files it went unexpectedly quick. We weren't surprised then that our files did not export properly, they only exported about 30 -60 frames for each DPX sequence.

We then tried to export several different file types using Crimson but to no success. Everything only partially exported. Does anybody have any insight into what may have happened? We tried to check our in and out points but there was no clear end points indicated in Crimson. When we checked the xml file by re-importing it into FCP, it imported correctly.

Assuming that we at some point figure out how to correctly export these DPX files... When we go to our session, do we just provide them with an edl? Will a standard edl re-link to these dpx files normally?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Chris Vincze]

Baselight's conform tool is quite basic and needs originator folders specified correctly. So the EDL you export from FCP (which specifies the originator in the format A001C001) needs the folder name to match that. I don't think Crimson supports that yet.

Have you tried Monkey Extract? This creates new originator folders, plus a new EDL which corresponds correctly to the new folders, and is perfect for conforming on Baselights and Resolves. Monkey Extract only works with EDLs and not FCP xml files, so if you have many video layers, export them as separate EDLs.

 

[arapro]

How are you conforming back in FCP from a tape source ?
My workflow would be:
Cut in FCP from proxies
Export XML
Run XML in Crimson
Do the Crimson Thing
Open your Telecine sequence in REDCINE
Check that the sequence of shots resembles your offline
Change your format and gamma settings to your desired specs (eg.: REC709 - Gamma: Rec709)
Go t to the output menu select process in full
Select your output format (DPX10bit its the best)
Use Lanczos or Sinc Filter (Always when Downscaling eg.: from 4K to 2K)
And then Start your Render !

 

[Homestead_Tim]

Thanks Chris for all the information so far...
The info for Baselight is very helpful. I will have to look into Monkey Extract.

arapro... Thanks for the help as well. I do have a couple of questions/thoughts though.

I haven't used REDCINE yet... Do the Lanczos and Sinc Filters come with that program or is it something seperate. What are the benefits of doing the resizing with this? If they are separate apps, where would I get these?

Also, in REDCINE, is it possible to bring in a reference video to check against to make sure that the sequence is correct?

Thanks!

 

[M Most]

Also, in REDCINE, is it possible to bring in a reference video to check against to make sure that the sequence is correct?

No. Redcine is not a conforming or editing tool. It is a RAW file converter.

 

[Homestead_Tim]

That's sort of what I thought... It's just a straight forward, down and dirty, grading program. I just asked because in Color you are able to do something like that.

 

[C_Skaff]

I gues I'm a bit late. But this is how I do it.
Clients edits in Avid/FCP.
Send me an EDL (if done in Avid, get them to install Red16-edl)

I load the edl in Monkey, export it all in one clip per folder, and have monkey create a new edl with apropirate reel name that matches the folder structure.

Then I load it all into my daVinci Resovle, Conform from either folder-reelname or metadata-reelname.

The tricky part comes when I need to go to tape.

If it's a one camera, one day shoot. Then its ok. But it you have ione camera for five days. I'm doomed to get the same TC for diferent shots. (9o'clock day one, two three etc etc)

A trick there is either make a new "TK-tape" for each shoot-day. Or to ouput the clips form day 1 first on the tape, create a slate that says REEL AXXX-AXXX, so that the guy that conforms from my tapes knows what clips comes ware on the tape.


The interesting way would to have the FCP being able to conform the DPX's and understand the folderstructure/reel-names. Should be possible with Gluetools. But I haven't got it working yet. (Thats a lot easier with a Flame)

/carl