Sending Trailer Footage to a Colorist

[John-Clay]

I've never color corrected RED footage before and I have a client who would like me to color correct several trailers for a film they shot with RED.

I've looked all over online and on RedUser and haven't found a concise answer that addresses my specific situation. Please forgive me if the answer has already been talked about on this forum somewhere, I'd be very happy to know where!

Here is the info I have:
They are editing the trailer using offline 2K files (I'm assuming ProRes) however, they want me to color the trailer using the original R3D files. We are both using Final Cut Studio 3. I've read tons of stuff about XMLs and Media Manager, but I don't need all the archived R3D files, I only need the ones for the footage they used in the trailer.

My Confusion:
All the articles and white papers that I've read seem to assume that the Colorist is at the same location as the hard drives with all the archived RED footage. I haven't seen any info on how to send someone only select footage for online work.

My Question:
What is the best way to go about sending someone an XML and raw RED footage for Color work?

 

[Charles Angus]

I would make an XML of the edited trailer sequence.

I would then manually copy all of the R3D (in their folders) and the offline proxies referenced in that XML to a shuttle drive.

I would export a low-quality confidence check version of the edited sequence and copy it to the shuttle drive.

I would give the shuttle drive to the colourist, who can open the XML, reconnect to the R3Ds, watch the confidence check picture-in-picture with the onlined version to verify accuracy, and get colouring.

 

[John-Clay]

Thank you for your reply, this step by step simple explanation is exactly what I have been looking for! I really appreciate it.

 

[Ravi Kiran]

This is what I do when coloring with the R3Ds in Apple Color:

I use Monkey Extract to copy just the R3D files used in a project to another drive. Export an XML from FCP and import it into Monkey Extract's "Copy RED Footage" function. This way you don't have to manually copy the files and possibly miss something.

Then, once you have done this, do the following in Clipfinder to replace the QTs with the proxy files so you can send the project to Color:

http://205.234.135.241/forum/showpost.php?p=492220&postcount=52

 

[Charles Angus]

This is what I do when coloring with the R3Ds in Apple Color:

I use Monkey Extract to copy just the R3D files used in a project to another drive. Export an XML from FCP and import it into Monkey Extract's "Copy RED Footage" function. This way you don't have to manually copy the files and possibly miss something.

Then, once you have done this, do the following in Clipfinder to replace the QTs with the proxy files so you can send the project to Color:

http://205.234.135.241/forum/showpost.php?p=492220&postcount=52

Sounds good - I don't have Monkey Extract, and don't know if the OP does, so I thought I would just recommend something that would definitely work no matter what. I figured manual would be ok, as a trailer is almost definitely under 1 minute.

Monkey Extract sounds handy, I'll have to look in to that.

 

[Ben Brainerd]

Sounds good - I don't have Monkey Extract, and don't know if the OP does, so I thought I would just recommend something that would definitely work no matter what. I figured manual would be ok, as a trailer is almost definitely under 1 minute.

You can do the same thing using Clipfinder. In the preferences, check "Disable Safe Mode", then import your XML. Do a "Replace MOV with R3D" (Maybe not essential, but I've always done it. YMMV) Once your clips are all locked onto the R3Ds, Do a "Prepare Clip Directories for L&T". (Only works if you have safe mode off) This will move all the clips you're using into a folder of your choosing, ready to be copied to an external drive easily.

WARNING: Note the word *MOVE* in the previous step. As soon as you're done copying, you need to return the files to their original locations using "Restore Clip directories after L&T", otherwise you'll end up with a whole bunch of broken links in your original project.

 

[Nick Shaw]

In Clipfinder you can just import an XML, then select all and copy in Clipfinder and paste in the Finder. No disabling of safe mode required!

 

[Ben Brainerd]

In Clipfinder you can just import an XML, then select all and copy in Clipfinder and paste in the Finder. No disabling of safe mode required!

Wow. I feel kinda sheepish. Totally forgot about that bit of Clipfinder functionality.