Scarlet issues

[Jim Coulter]

As I put my Scarlet into action I am slowly finding several issues along the way and I would really appreciate if anyone has some work arounds or suggestions. Apologize in advance if this has already been posted before. When I encounter a problem either with the camera itself or with the post production workflow I usually try to troubleshoot the issue myself or I check with local friends who work with the Red One or Epic. Here is what I have so far...

I recently found out after doing some tests and also some research that you cannot create Quicktime proxies in Redcine X for SCARLET or EPIC. Is that correct? My friend that owns a Red One said that RC-X only creates the proxies for Red One and that Scarlet and Epic have not been enabled yet.

This severely degrades my ability to establish an efficient workflow while editing SCARLET X files. Does anyone know when will RED have the Redcine X software updated to allow it to create the high, medium and low res proxies? This seems like it should be a priority.

When I try to export them now the Quicktime movies are just gray screens.

Also I cannot get my SCARLET to PLAY BACK audio after having just recorded it. In order to check to see if my audio sounds good I have to put the SSD card into Red Station and open Redcine X to verify. Very time consuming and not sustainable.

Is the SCARLET audio playback working? Has anyone had any success getting it to play back from the camera through the headsets? And if not when will it be? I saw that Red put out a a new version of the SCARLET firmware but I did not see that the audio issue or the Quicktime proxy issue was addressed.

Thanks for any information you have regarding these issues.

 

[Brad Allen]

Hi Jim!

I'm not sure about the audio issue (it could be that audio playback isn't enabled in the latest build). Someone else can chime in there.

Regarding proxy's though, what your friend says is simply not true. You should be able to create proxies of Epic and Scarlet R3D's from Redcine-x with no problems. I definitely have with EPIC footage - haven't tried with any scarlet stuff though.

How are you trying to export them at the moment?

Edit: My bad - I thought Jim was referring to creating Quicktime files for an offline edit - not actual Red Proxies...

 

[Jim Coulter]

Hey Brad- Thanks for the info. I have been following the procedure in the RC-X manual. Page 85. At the bottom of the page and into page 86. Quicktime wrapper (MAC) Generating FCP XML. I have tried using this instruction to export the M files for ingest into FCP. It creates a series of Quicktimes but they are all GRAY. No picture.My friend had the same issue and he uses RC-X on a regular basis using this method and has had no isssues. He has shot and edited with the Red One for years, in fact he was one of the first to own one. He says he works with the M files (which are really just pointers to the R3D file) in FCP and then moves his project into COLOR. Once he finishes grading the footage he re-conforms the higher res files into FCP at 1080 x 1960.

Is there a step I'm not doing correctly or am I leaving something out? Is there a better workflow? Thanks for any help!

 

[jimhare]

Hi Jim,

There is no audio playback in the camera yet so no mystery there. It will come, just not there yet.

Regarding proxies, the QuickTime Component has not been rewritten for Epic so proxies will not work at the moment. Brad, were you talking about RED Proxies or simply making QT files for offline in RCX? Creating proxies on Epic/Scarlet footage will just give a grey box.

To tell you the truth, Proxies are cumborsome and outdated. Your best bet is to create offline ProRes LT files in RCX and editing in FCP. They will be SOOOOOO much faster and more responsive compared to working with Proxies, and all of the naming/timecode is preserved so you can go back and grade later if you choose.

Proxies will probably be enabled at some stage, but I wouldn't edit any other way than creating easy-to-edit offline files.

 

[Jim Coulter]

Thanks Jim for confirming that there is an issue with the GRAY QT files. So what you suggested is exactly what my friend suggested but he said that unlike the M Proxy the LT files take longer to export and will not conform (re-link) the way the proxies will. But what you're saying is that they in fact will. At what stage do you conform to a higher res file? Is it after you grade the color in FCP Color? Is there a manual or tutorial that explains your process step by step? That would really be helpful.

 

[Jake Bastian]

You may want to consider moving to different NLE and grading software - I'm pretty sure that at least FCP doesn't support 5K or Epic (maybe Scarlet) files which means Color most likely won't either. You should think about picking up a copy of Davinci Resolve Lite (free) and use that instead. As long as your LTs are named the same as your R3Ds they will relink no problem.

 

[jimhare]

Jake is correct. The best way is to edit in FCP then save an EDL or XML (depending on whether you use MultiClip) and grade in Resolve. Don't need any third party bits, just the free version of Resolve. This will give you the best results and most control.

 

[Uli Plank]

I don't think proxies will ever come, Apple doesn't care.

Switch to another NLE or generate offline ProRes. It's pretty fast in 720p with reduced de-Bayer settings.

 

[Brad Allen]

Hi Jim,
Regarding proxies, the QuickTime Component has not been rewritten for Epic so proxies will not work at the moment. Brad, were you talking about RED Proxies or simply making QT files for offline in RCX? Creating proxies on Epic/Scarlet footage will just give a grey box.

Ahhh! I see. I just meant creating offline files to use as proxies in an edit. Not R3D proxies! My bad there - sorry guys!

I agree with Jim though - if you're using FCP then creating ProRes files seems to be the way to go. Or switch to Premiere or Avid and ingest natively....

 

[Jeffrey T. Morgan]

Ok, now Brad is at a point I found myself at, where exporting anything from RCX doesn't seem to work. Regardless of preset, etc.

My edit workflow is to take the R3D's right into Premier Pro, but it would be nice to have an efficient wat to create offline files in batch form, like lots of people do with RCX. I am pretty savvy and rarely have a snag I can't solve, but RCX is just not a tool I like (for now).

 

[Arnold F.]

Broadly speaking, this type of audio problem makes things so much worse in a business where we're slowly doing away with the folks who do sound!

 

[Jim Coulter]

All great comments and suggestions. Thanks to everyone for chiming in. I will be experimenting with each suggestion to see what works best.

 

[Andrew Salter]

For editing make the jump and go to Premier Pro 5.5.2. This morning shot some quick tests at RC7 uploaded files on to my iMac with promise thunderbolt HD, drag in or import Red files, full 4k play back real time at half resolution, right click the clip in the project window go to source settings, opens up RED R3D Source Settings, alter how you wish. Clip on time line drop on colorist ll for fine running, secondary grading. Its so simple and straight forward. Once happy with edit, render timeline and export through media encoder. Leave use max render setting and frame blending but tick use previews.

That simpler.

FCP7 is dead, far too slow.

 

[Mike Garrick]

As a long time FCP 7 user I totally agree ...it is dying. I now run Premier 5.5 it is a pretty seamless transition. Yes some features are in different places but at least they are there, unlike FCP X.

 

[sam karr]

Went from fcpx to premiere too. I love it.
Does anyone else experienced some jello/rolling shutter effect? When handheld, with a 50mm lens, there is some jello/distortion sometimes. I'm new to red so i'm wondering if i should expect zero jello from my cam or a bit when handheld without any rig.

 

[Bob Gundu]

It's a CMOS sensor so it will still be there. Much better than DSLRS though.

Bob

Went from fcpx to premiere too. I love it.
Does anyone else experienced some jello/rolling shutter effect? When handheld, with a 50mm lens, there is some jello/distortion sometimes. I'm new to red so i'm wondering if i should expect zero jello from my cam or a bit when handheld without any rig.