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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 :)

So... how do I do it?

Jannard said:
The problem is that people lock into a DPX file with less than full DR available in the RAW file. If you do that, you will NEVER get it back.

Stuff that you thought was clipped is actually still in the RAW file. Find it before committing to a transcode.

Jim
Click to expand...

This is very true. We did an a/b diff-matte test when deciding on VFX workflows between EXR and DPX, and the difference was amazing.

It IS however possible to keep the DR in the DPX, even though you will lose precission.

The "Stay RAW/16-bit linear/EXR" for online advice is a good one too, if the people handling the files have the right software and knowledge.
You need to get the info out in float from the Rocket, though to take full advantge of that. And the software itself needs to work in "true" float, if not you get a lot of info is easily capped away in the "red room" or whatever the meta-stage is called.

Often, a well developed DPX @ redlogfilm will have better practical value - as it is known - when people are in a rush and projects needs to get finnished.

If you are an all-red house: RAW is a no-brainer.
 
Red has been a revolution for this industry, no doubt about it. What we are seeing in the high end world with the introduction of Alexa, F65, even the F3 and in another level Vdslr's comes because of the "Red Effect". Unfortunately for me, I've benefited from Red in an "indirect" way: I've purchased a 6500 dollar 1/2" camera with 10bit SDI out + a cf recorder to a 10bit 4:2:2 codec, and a Full Frame DSLR with a set of 4 primes at 1.4 and 2 constant 2.8 zooms. Total price of everything was about 16K. With a budget of 20K for camera equipment, that was what I realistically could afford . Would I've loved to go RED, absolutely. As a follower of RED since the beginning of Reduser, I've always dreamt of owning a Red Camera. Redraw, 4k, and now HDRx and +100fps... I use a lot of slowmotion in my work, and this is one of the features I want most from this camera... However, an Epic should cost even beyond 30K for a working unit with CF recording and SSD recording, and of course Redrocket for my 2.8 Octo Macpro from 2008. This is just too much, way beyond affordable at least for me. I can see this been a game changer for the medium to large production companies, but for the indie filmmaker and the small production house, however, we can still only dream of having a Red System. Anyway, we down here are still benefiting for all your great work, albeit in an indirect way.

Thanks, Jim Jannard and Red Team for pushing the whole industry forward. I sincerely hope, however, that you can someday really make "that" camera, the RED camera that would truly open the gate of Raw for independents to own it. If you gave us that camera, with Raw, high frames per second, interchangeable lenses, film like resolution, at an EX3 price range, RED would create another type of revolution- an artistic revolution, of fantastic content and audiovisual creations made from artists that in today's world just can't afford to have the tools to express their talent- yes, everyone can purchase a DSLR, but its, again, a big compromise. Yes, content is king, no doubt about it. A true talent can always work around technical limitations, but that's the key word again: "work around". Red Team, give us a car that can compete on the straights as well as on the turns. Make it fully manual and with a weaker chassis, no driving aids or fancy electronics, we don't care, just make it so that we can actually be racing in all tracks vs any other racing car with a chance to win. As a racing fan, you should understand this analogy :)

Once again, congratulations to Red and what they have accomplished in only 5 years of existence. I'm definitely a fan and will keep following this amazing story. Hope to someday be part of the owner's club!
 
Thanks for great post Jim.

I've a question regarding softwares like FilmMaster, Pablo, Baselight etc., using SDK to access R3D, They are unable to access metadata changes done in RedCineX which creates RMD file from one light grade done for Offline Dailies. Current working feature film '180' (Tamil /Telugu) being graded in Film Master, which is not able to use DRX feature to bring back highlights whatever it can. Anything done in future on SDK to have full functionality of RedCine X & Storm.

This post is to understand how SDK works for managing true RedCode Raw workflow till the end of DCP / Film Out.

By the By thanks for great work being done in last 3 years to revolutionize digital cinema as well as one to one user forum interaction which no company does.

Keep rocking Red!
 
Jim, “Good Stuff”, “Good Advice”, staying native R3D as long as possible, or never leave “it-at-all” till the very end, when ready to make prints or adapt to whatever format is required for distribution. Complete your Movie in “R3D”.

Humberto Rivera
 
I couldn't agree more with The Jannard! As I was transitioning from stills to motion, I knew I had to maintain the same level of image quality if I was going to satisfy my clients and my self. Having worked for years with German glass and a 60 MP digital back on my still shoots, I knew immediately after shooting video with my Canon that it wasn't going to work for me. I downloaded RCX and that clip shot over London... I was hooked. The malleability of the files, the dynamic range... here was image quality from a motion camera that easily matched my $40k digital back. Oh man... and then... then came RC2/RG2. Damn good stuff. I know Epic is going to blow me away with HDRx, but really... I'm so pleased with the R1 that I'm happy to wait until they get them rolling out the door.

I'm shooting my first narrative short in a couple weeks (so looking forward to applying 20 years lighting experience to a great project) and going to Reducation a couple weeks after that. I think May is going to be a huge learning experience... PSYCHED!!!

The Red is awesome. Thank you Jim & Co.
 
Indeed, these are all excellent points about PICTURE when shooting RED... but please, please, please, remember SOUND is half the picture and dedicate equal time and budget. Hire a pro and your RED images
will look even better. :)
 
JIM I'd like to seriously propose that RED Studios offers a "Masters of Lighting" course. Same thing as Reducation but a lighting only course held by some of the best in the business. RED cameras & monitors would be on hand to see the results of the hands on workshops but the emphasis is all lighting techniques & education. Also so that you don't have 50 people from greatly varying levels of experience, I'd propose that Stu's book recommendation be required to have been fully read prior to arriving at the course. This would set a much more even starting point for everyone in the course.

I took Reducation in Vegas last year. After being a RED owner / operator for 3 years I thought that I knew it pretty well. I was wrong, Reducation taught me so much more. The ability to work with and ask many questions of the instructors / high end users such as Michaeal Cioni, Steve Freebairn, Ted, Mark, etc. was worth the it alone.
 
I've graded almost 15,000 clips from our Epics so far... Jim speaks the truth. Make your workflow match the camera and you'll see things you never thought you'd see. Get still frames out of pixel-peeping mode and put them up on a 40' screen the way they were meant to be seen... it'll knock your socks off.

Or you could shoehorn the footage through an HD workflow and lay it off to tape a few times. I'm sure that'll look fine too. It worked in 2003.
 
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Jim I have just one question... I know that the fixed scarlet wasnt really designed for dsmc like the epic... But me being someone who donates my time to teaching people how to shoot and dp'ing on local production company projects, it is a passion for me, not a day job... and that is the way I want it to remain... I dont ever want this to be my "JOB" I always want it to be my "LOVE". So on that note, THE ONLY reason I currently shoot od dslr's is because I do video, and professional photog. So the one question is, will I be able to use the scarlet with my flash photography lights I.E. Alien bees and prophoto... will there be a way to hotshoe my cybersyncs and use them for stills? or will I just have to sell all that gear, buy video lights, light it like a scene, and just take frame grabs like you guys have been doing. I dont care either way... just want to know what im in store for... so I can prepare for the AMAZINGNESS that is RED...
 
Jannard said:
So here is the secret... stay in RAW. Open with REDcolor2 and REDlogFilm or REDgamma2. Grade the crap out of it. Then output whatever you need. Do this in any number of apps that support the SDK. Pretty easy stuff.

People get lost by transcoding to an RGB codec (usually DPX) too early on in the process.

If you are going to output to film, a film print LUT is the very last thing to do. If you are not sure what to do at this point... call Michael.

Jim
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Thanks for the recommendation.

Ohhh.... You mean THAT Michael. Yeah, I guess he "gets" this stuff, too. But there are some others out here who "get" it, too, and have finished many, many Red projects. Not necessarily me (although I think I probably qualify...), but folks at places like Company 3, Park Road, Colorworks - you know, the people who have finished most of the higher budgeted Red projects.

No offense to my friend Cioni, who as you know I happen to like and greatly respect, but there ARE other people in the post industry who are quite competent and experienced with this stuff. Just saying......
 
KETCH ROSSI said:
Nicely put, even I that I'am just learning Editing (finally) do the same that I have been doing since switching form Film to digital in Photography.
I NEVER downrez my images, always work on RAW til it is DONE, then EXPORT to what ever format necessary to showcase my work... ;)
Click to expand...

Not owning a RED camera (yet, hopefully), I haven't had a chance to really play with R3D's to the point of making a finished product, but, if it's not giving away any secrets, what would be the typical workflow for a novice who has a Windows 7 machine and Premier Pro CS5 on a project with no FX. I'm not looking for a course, just a quick run down. Does CS5 handle RAW? Or should I be doing everything in RED software?

Coming from a stills background, I LOVE that RED shoots in RAW, and I agree 100% that it seems crazy to get out of RAW at any time before the final export.
 
I had a lengthy talk with Adobe recently, and I said to them, "We want to keep everything RAW for as long as we can, all the way until the end. If we have to transcode anything, we have failed. We have compromised."
 
Steven Hammer said:
Not owning a RED camera (yet, hopefully), I haven't had a chance to really play with R3D's to the point of making a finished product, but, if it's not giving away any secrets, what would be the typical workflow for a novice who has a Windows 7 machine and Premier Pro CS5 on a project with no FX. I'm not looking for a course, just a quick run down. Does CS5 handle RAW? Or should I be doing everything in RED software?

Coming from a stills background, I LOVE that RED shoots in RAW, and I agree 100% that it seems crazy to get out of RAW at any time before the final export.
Click to expand...

Sorry Steven I have no clue of Windows work flow, but it will still apply the same thing stay in RAW as long as you can till is time to export the finished, graded, sharpened product ready to print.
 
Perry Wilson said:
Jim I have just one question... I know that the fixed scarlet wasnt really designed for dsmc like the epic... But me being someone who donates my time to teaching people how to shoot and dp'ing on local production company projects, it is a passion for me, not a day job... and that is the way I want it to remain... I dont ever want this to be my "JOB" I always want it to be my "LOVE". So on that note, THE ONLY reason I currently shoot od dslr's is because I do video, and professional photog. So the one question is, will I be able to use the scarlet with my flash photography lights I.E. Alien bees and prophoto... will there be a way to hotshoe my cybersyncs and use them for stills? or will I just have to sell all that gear, buy video lights, light it like a scene, and just take frame grabs like you guys have been doing. I dont care either way... just want to know what im in store for... so I can prepare for the AMAZINGNESS that is RED...
Click to expand...


I'm in the same boat with similar questions. Would be interested to hear how Scarlet will be able to produce still images likes DSLR - will we have to pull them from footage? Just confused.
 
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