Varispeed Question

[Scott Lamoreaux]

I'm working on a fitness film where the talent will be doing a variety of workouts where I would like to have some scenes be normal or sped up and then slowed down.

If I'm shooting 60fps Varispeed What is the best way to achieve this? Increase percentage of clip to 250% and leave the slowmo portion at 100%?

 

[Bob Gundu]

Pretty much.

 

[Scott Lamoreaux]

Pretty much.

When I click the "custom" option and type in 250% it doesn't shorten the clip but seems to retime it. The only time it actually shortens the clip (speeds it up correctly) is if I choose to speed it up 2x which is only 200% (not quite normal speed or close to 24p) -- What am I doing wrong?

 

[Scott Lamoreaux]

bump anyone?

 

[jake southard]

i've been wondering the same thing.. how something will go from slow motion, to regular speed, and back to slow motion. Would also like to find out the best way...

 

[Hal Long]

Are you talking about retiming in FCP, Avid or Premiere? You should be able to bring in clips @ 100% speed and then do your speed adjustments that way. In Premiere and FCP hit Change Speed (CMD-J) and you should be okay. I have to admit that I usually will shoot in even multiples (23.98, 47.9, 71.9) but the NLE's usually don't have problems with other speed changes. The only thing to keep in ind is that if the math doesn't add up sometimes it will round higher or lower on the percentage.

To go from slow to normal to slow: import the slow-mo clip and cut in the entire portion you'd like to use. Identify the first cut point and split or razor blade the clip. Make the speed change. Razor blade the next cut and then do the last speed change back to 100% on only the last section.

 

[Scott Lamoreaux]

Are you talking about retiming in FCP, Avid or Premiere? You should be able to bring in clips @ 100% speed and then do your speed adjustments that way. In Premiere and FCP hit Change Speed (CMD-J) and you should be okay. I have to admit that I usually will shoot in even multiples (23.98, 47.9, 71.9) but the NLE's usually don't have problems with other speed changes. The only thing to keep in ind is that if the math doesn't add up sometimes it will round higher or lower on the percentage.

To go from slow to normal to slow: import the slow-mo clip and cut in the entire portion you'd like to use. Identify the first cut point and split or razor blade the clip. Make the speed change. Razor blade the next cut and then do the last speed change back to 100% on only the last section.

Example: I have a clip of a boxer hitting a heavy bag. I shot it in Varispeed 60fps (I know not that slow) but best my scarlet can handle while maintaining resolution. I want to ramp up the speed in post to have it play "normal" speed when she's hitting it and one portion slow it down right before she hits the bag then cut back to full speed. If my math serves me right I would need to increase the varispeed clip to 250% on a 23.98 timeline (100*60/24). However when I do this, it doesn't change the length of the clip in the timeline like it does if i choose the "fast 2x or fast 4x" option. In other words the clip doesn't play looking like normal speed it just looks funny.

I guess a better question to ask is how are you guys accomplishing something where an athlete for example is running at normal speed and a portion of that clip is slowed down then ramped back up to look like normal real life speed?