MC5 RED offline and online workflow

[David_D]

Hey,

I just upgraded to MC 5.0.1 on a Mac Pro 8-core.

I'm trying to figure out the ideal RED workflow with all the new functionalities of MC 5. So far, everything is fine to ingest the native R3Ds using Avid AMA feature, transcode to DnX 36 for offline edit, cause native RED is a bit too heavy for my liking and trancode time is at an acceptable speed.

Once the offline edit is completed, how do I relink to the full res R3Ds if I've trancoded, though? I would like to relink, apply a LOG curve and render out for color finishing in a Flame system, for example, but I can't relink to the full res and I can't seem to find anything in the Avid documentation.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Tom.Wong]

http://avidscreencast.com/

 

[Oliver Peters]

I did a bit of testing on this and here's what seems to work:

1. Import R3D via AMA
2. Transcode to DNxHD36 1/4 Debayer (approx 1-1 render time w/8-core Mac)
3. Edit with Avid media
4. Delete (or hide) Avid media and transcoded clips (sequence media will go off-line)
5. Relink sequence to AMA clips (must UNcheck "relink AMA by source file")
6. Change render settings to higher DNxHD and Full Debayer
7. Adjust individual source settings (RED data) for each clip as needed and refresh sequence.
8. Consolidate/transcode sequence with assigned handle lengths (make handle lengths short to reduce excess - SLOW - transcode times)

Cheers,
Oliver

 

[MichaelP]

8. Consolidate/transcode sequence with assigned handle lengths (make handle lengths short to reduce excess - SLOW - transcode times)

And add a Rocket Card to accelerate...

 

[Oliver Peters]

And add a Rocket Card to accelerate...

Michael,

That's a good suggestion and great that MC5 supports it, but it's also a dilemma. If you do a lot of RED all the time, then yes, RR is worth it. If you are only doing RED on one project or occasionally, you might get more value in spending $5K on storage or another workstation.

If you bought an RR card, you might as well skip the whole offline/online process. Export full-res files once and then edit with those. Of course, that depends on whether you have the horsepower to deal with a lot of long-form at 175X or similar.

- Oliver

 

[Tom.Wong]

would there be a difference in just relinking directly to r3d, and exporting out of MC just like that? as in, relink entire timeline to R3D files, and than doing a full single timeline dnx export, uncompressed or whatever you may have. or is there something in the pipeline that's bad juju?

 

[Oliver Peters]

would there be a difference in just relinking directly to r3d, and exporting out of MC just like that

That's basically what the process describes. You started with proxy media, so you first have to hide that media. Relink works via AMA, not direct to R3D. I believe that in order to export a full timeline, you have to transcode first. I'm not sure if you can transcode/mixdwon without also consolidating clips first. Michael?

- Oliver

 

[MichaelP]

A transcode is always a consolidate, but a consolidate does not always have to be a transcode. In the case of R3D, one cannot consolidate only as you cannot create a new R3D file.

Michael

 

[Oliver Peters]

In the case of R3D, one cannot consolidate only as you cannot create a new R3D file. Michael

I think he was actually asking it the other way around. Can you do a full-timeline mixdown from R3D media to DNxHD as one long clip?

- Oliver

 

[MichaelP]

You can take the entire timeline and collapse it, render it, and end up with long file.

Michael

 

[Tom.Wong]

does MC5 offer any kind of 4k output at all? relink to native r3d files in the consolidate process, and than render out your timeline as 4k in in some format or fashion for a 4k finish.

 

[Oliver Peters]

does MC5 offer any kind of 4k output at all?

Not with MC. Maybe via DS.

- Oliver

 

[MichaelP]

DS can conform via AFE directly to the R3D file and export DPX with appropriate LUT as needed for downstream process.

Michael

 

[Mike Sparks]

So if I'm going to compile & grade the R3d files on DaVinci Resolve, after I re-link to the original, non transcoded media, what edl would be best out of Media Composer?

Thanks

 

[MichaelP]

Davinci typically supported CMX3600 in the past. Whether it supports the 16 character source or not will be dependent on Blackmagic. EDL Manager can output a bunch of EDL types.

Michael

 

[Peter Chamberlain]

Resolve accepts the CMX3600 EDL from Avid and re-conforms the original r3d automatically permitting real-time playback and grading on the timeline. Same for MacPro and Linux Resolve. (They also accept AAF)
EDL's from FCP require the long red file name in the comments and we extract that to re-conform.
All r3d clips can use RED default settings, project based, metadata for clip based or adjusted per clip on the timeline with all parameters saved in the Resolve Project so you can transport them from Mac to Mac to Linux and back.
As of today - off the shelf current MacPro with dual 2.26Ghz CPU's decodes 4kr3d at quarter res good in realtime - the dual 2.93Ghz at half res good. Linux systems can be configured for premium decode.
Peter