How to use RedcineX Pro with LUT and FCPX ?

[Viel Jean Philippe]

Hello,
First, excuse me for my english, we are french and don't speak well english. We are beginner in the RED environnement !
We have a Scarlet W and editing in FCPX. We wan't to know how is the best workflow and how adjust the settings of our camera to edit with FCPX and how apply some LUT ? Our goal is to record in "flat" to apply a LUT after.
Today, we are recording in mode lagacy - color space Dragon Color2 - Gamma curve Red Gamma4
In menu "overlays tools" we don't enable the "RAW" button setting. Then, we expose the shots normally, not overexposed,not underexposed. The result is that we don't have a flat image but not a very colored images.
After shooting, we try to apply a LUT directly in Redcine-X Pro, save the projet and after import the rushs directly in FCPX. We don't copy them, we just let the original rushs at their place.
But in fcpx, we can see that all the basic color correction (iso, tint, white balance....) are applied, but not the LUT correction (for example LUT from Motion vfx). Then if apply the LUT directly in FCPX, the LUTs are apllied well.

1) How must we adjust our camera settings and how how adjust the exposure of our images during shooting ?
2) Knowing that we are editing in FCPX, how is the best solution to apply a LUT ? in FCPX directly ? Should we use Redcine-X pro ?

Thanks for your help !

 

[Michael Tiemann]

Apple provides a step-by-step guide that's relatively recent (2018): https://support.apple.com/kb/PH12755?locale=en_US&viewlocale=en_US

Generally, you don't need to use RCX-Pro as part of your FCPX workflow. You can import your footage as described above and you can adjust exposure, white balance, tint, etc., using the RED RAW controls available in each clip's inspector (as described in the section "Adjust RED RAW settings" above).

You can also add LUTs, as described here: https://lutify.me/support/documentation/how-do-i-apply-3d-luts-in-final-cut-pro-x/

Here's a more comprehensive workflow explanation that covers not only FCPX, but other NLEs as well: https://blog.frame.io/2018/04/30/red-workflows/

Finally, a word of caution. Many, many new REDUSERs initially shoot DC2/RG4 and use their monitors to guide their exposure, with disastrous results (under-exposing by 1-2 stops). It is the HISTOGRAM that provides some clue as to exposure, not the apparent brightness of the image nor the range of contrast in the monitor. It is always best to confirm exposure choices by reviewing the shot using false-color tools such as the Video Exposure tool or the GIO scope. If you find that you have indeed underexposed your footage, chalk it up to experience. Don't blame the camera, and by all means don't keep making the same mistake while presuming that as your post-processing skills get better, you'll get better at rescuing bad footage. Expose to the right (ETTR) and you'll give yourself lots of great latitude with which to work.