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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Smoke on Mac trial - Rocket

Unless you have some understanding of the discreet/autodesk systems environment, I would STRONGLY recommend the FXPHD classes to gather a basic idea of what is what.
 
Frank Cueto said:
Unless you have some understanding of the discreet/autodesk systems environment, I would STRONGLY recommend the FXPHD classes to gather a basic idea of what is what.
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Smoke on Mac is not a software one is learning quickly just because one has been an editor for ages. It's thinking very differently in a Franco-Canadian way which I now really like. It's all but intuitive. Plus it needs some deeper knowledge regarding colour and compositing to leverage its power.

When I purchased it one year ago a Smoke user community was hardly existing. By then Grant Kay just has started his very comprehensive tutorials which now give you a fairly deep insight into Smoke capabilities: http://www.the-area.com/blogs/discreetuk

Now, with all this support I'm sure that Gunleik will learn Smoke in a heartbeat.

I don't have a RedRocket (yes I know...) but even without a RedRocket and a modern GPU and CPU (I use Smoke with a MacPro from 2008 and a 5600fx) it's a filmmakers dream machine.

Gunleik, let me know how you find Smoke.

Hans
 
Hans von Sonntag said:
I don't have a RedRocket (yes I know...) but even without a RedRocket and a modern GPU and CPU (I use Smoke with a MacPro from 2008 and a 5600fx) it's a filmmakers dream machine.

Gunleik, let me know how you find Smoke.

Hans
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I've been saying this for years, but no one would believe me...now that its more affordable (and a free 30 day trial) maybe more will give it a try.

It is our go to system.
 
Thanks for the tips.

I sort of postpone the download/install a short little bit just to get some tips and background... :-)

I'll go read now, but hafta ask... Does Smoke conform edls (or maybe even XMLs...)?
 
Greg M said:
I've been saying this for years, but no one would believe me...now that its more affordable (and a free 30 day trial) maybe more will give it a try.

It is our go to system.
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Yes. And I hardly understand from a filmmakers point of view how one invests tons of bucks, quid or euros into lenses, tripods, monitors and whatnot and is still walking doubtful to the client knowing that not all has been squeezed out of the R3D footage and the film generally.

Smoke is not only about VFX or colour (the Colour Warper is very powerful) but also about sound. Smoke is the first NLE I've been working with which has a good compressor, a convincing reverb and equalizer plus a retimer that solves 25/24 fps issues in a heartbeat. With Smoke you can show your client a finished film project that has substantial sound WITHOUT the need for a sound studio in the first hand. When all the oil on the water is poured and the film is finally approve the walk to the sound studio is a delight (OMF out in Smoke works very well) and the client hardly hears the difference.

Hans
 
Gunleik Groven said:
Thanks for the tips.

I sort of postpone the download/install a short little bit just to get some tips and background... :-)

I'll go read now, but hafta ask... Does Smoke conform edls (or maybe even XMLs...)?
Click to expand...

Smoke does have a FCP XML importer that works, for the most part, perfectly. It takes very little to get a proper conform. I believe one of Kay's tutorials goes through the process pretty well.

I have to say, since we've obtained our Smac, my life is much less stressful.
 
Gunleik Groven said:
...I'll go read now, but hafta ask... Does Smoke conform edls (or maybe even XMLs...)?
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Yes.

It loves FCP XML and ProRes4444.

This is a brief recipe how we ALWAYS have a great conforming experience:

1. Conform your project in FCP, regardless from which NLE it originally has been created in. Use Automatic Duck if it comes from Avid. May be that 2011 is now working well with AAF, 2010 did not.

2. With FCP's media manager create a folder which contains all used media. Please make sure that all video clips are ProRes4444/ProRes HQ (422). Conforing to DPX is possible, of course, but needs and extra step after the conforming from FCP. PSDs must be imported separately, flattening the timeline is not needed, text and DVE effects are ported to Smoke's Soft Effects equivalents.

3. Export the FCP XML into the same folder where all the media that has been created by FCP's Media Manager for the conform resides.

4. Start Smoke. Create a new Project which meets the desired resolution, e.g. 1080p25.

5. In Smoke's WireTap choose the folder with the media and copy it in to a library which you created freshly for this reason. If your project is based on 10 bit DPX/ProRes HQ set in the XML menu the bit depth to 10 bit, if it is ProRes444 set it to 12 bit. After that pull the XML into this library. Now load the library onto the Editdesk and your film will be assembled like it was in FCP.

6. All the effects you added in FCP have been ported to the corresponding soft effects. This, of course, applies not to all of them. Text, for instance, has to be redone (except the wording) and most of the Axis effects need to be worked over. But this is the reason why you put your project into Smoke: to polish it and to leverage Smoke's superior tools.

Please check out Smoke when you have a week time because you cannot explore its virtues and capabilities in a few hours in a packed week.

PM me when ever you have questions.

Hans
 
Greg M said:
It is our go to system.
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In my time as a freelance commercial director Discreet always has been THE to go system. Quantel's Henry was never my cup of tea. By then Flame was the cool kid (and still is). Now, at this price point, Discreet power is available to the private filmmaker. Great times.

-----

I think with Autodesk/Discreet it's a bit like 35mm regarding the target group. Many of the newcomers never touched 35mm and Flame/Smoke in a post boutique. For a majority the name Discreet is not as tuneful as it is to me. For me in he 90ies sitting in a Flame suite and bothering the operator (they call them selfs artist - some are) and knowing that an hour costs 1k was an uplifting experience; or spoiling, depending on your character. Now it all changed to the better: everyone can acquire 35mm-like footage. And the great post tools from then are now available on a Macintosh. Wow.

Hans


Hans
 
As Hans said Gunleik, Smoke isn't a system that's learned quickly. It's very deep software, but once mastered it's very, very fast and extremely flexible.

I'd also endorse Frank's shout regarding FXPHD, absolutely priceless stuff when it comes to softening the learning curve. I wish it had been available when I started on Smoke!

An awesome tool; the difference from finishing on desktop is night and day. :coolgleamA:
 
Angus Mackay said:
I'd also endorse Frank's shout regarding FXPHD, absolutely priceless stuff when it comes to softening the learning curve. I wish it had been available when I started on Smoke!
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FXPHD hasn't be available for me either when I digged into Smoke (and it was a deep, deep journey). So I cannot comment on that. But I guess it's a great idea. When in the near future new staff will learn Smoke in my facility I will take the short cut and send them the FXPHD route.

Hans
 
Hans, do you have the Euphonix MC color panel for the Smoke? Lim
 
Hans von Sonntag said:
FXPHD hasn't be available for me either when I digged into Smoke (and it was a deep, deep journey). So I cannot comment on that. But I guess it's a great idea. When in the near future new staff will learn Smoke in my facility I will take the short cut and send them the FXPHD route.

Hans
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Hans, this is exactly what I did. It saved the individual in question a lot of greif and got him up to speed really quickly. Remember though that they have expert courses too; a few terms back they had the one and only CE Raum as a professor. I learned so much from that course.
 
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