Non-Destructive Workflow: How do you handle unique RMD files?

[Will Luker]

We are implementing a MAM and new folder structure, and I need some advice. We want to be able to color-correct and color grade our footage, but I also want to make sure that it's non-destructive and doesn't impact other projects that may reference the same media.

How do you guys handle this? We instantly backup (archive) all files upon ingest, including the RMD files, but I don't want to have to pull from tape if I can avoid it.

Do you copy all the media and then grade and end up with duplicate r3d files? Do you just rename the RMD file and save each version with the original media? Is there a better way?

I don't think we will be doing tons of hardcore color grading right away, but I want to build the structure to do it now so we don't get caught off-guard later.

How do you do it?

 

[Dermot Shane]

typicaly i ignore all metadata other than exposure/temp/iso when gradeing, and use the offline cut for visual refrence as that often has futher color and effects beyond what the DiT created with the RMD, added and approved by the director and producers

in short the RMD's are of more value to the offline editor and largely ignored by the colorist, when i'm the colorist

i work off the camera orignals, and use ACEScct color science 99% of the projects, again the tools use to support the various display refered workflows are of little use once the raw data gets into linear light

when we export a graded project it's normaly to 10bit DPX or 16bit TIFF for mastering/titleing/versioning downstream, again no further use for the RMD's - they did their job and have been nothing more than archival fodder for a long time

 

[Marc Wielage]

typicaly i ignore all metadata other than exposure/temp/iso when grading, and use the offline cut for visual refrence as that often has futher color and effects beyond what the DiT created with the RMD, added and approved by the director and producers.

I work exactly the same way. RedLogFilm (and/or Log3G10) can yield lots of range for the final grade. Getting the exposure / color temp / ISO correct is important; in some cases, I'll come down a little bit if we're unnecessarily clipping out the highlights and I can recover the info there, but generally I leave the Raw settings alone and do all the initial setup in the first couple of nodes or layers.

 

[Will Luker]

Thanks for the input. I'll backup / hang-on to the old RMDs just in case, and if I find people made copies of the footage (and subsequent different RMDs) I'll rename them and save them with the original so they're backed up in case we ever need them again. I appreciate it!