Workflow basics.

[Art Chong]

Hi guys,

I'm a newbie-indie filmmaker and I'm trying to study up on Red and its associated workflow. Hoping someone can help clarify some basics.

From what I can understand, the Red records raw movie files called R3D's, which is something like a DSLR's RAW file. I have to take these R3D's into Redcine-X and output them into something else before I take it into Premiere for editing and then After Effects for on-lining.

There's a lot of controls in Redcine-X. Some of it overlap with grading tools I currently use (which is Colorista II in After Effects) so my question is: how much grading is typically done in Redcine-X? I'm still getting the impression that most people grade in some other application, and Redcine-X is used as a front end processor or developer of R3D's only. If that's the case, why would I care about all these color and exposure controls in Redcine-X beyond setting the ISO and doing some detail recovery for missed exposure?

Thanks for any light someone could shed on this.

 

[Oliver Peters]

before I take it into Premiere for editing and then After Effects for on-lining

Actually no. If you have CS5 and a powerful enough of a machine (and fast drives), then you can bring the R3D files directly into Premiere Pro. Tweak the raw settings in Premiere or AE and then apply more grading (built-in color correction filters, Colorista II, Color Finesse) within the apps. Some people are happy with this workflow and performance and others aren't. Just depends on your tolerance. Nevertheless that is the recommended Adobe workflow.

- Oliver

 

[Art Chong]

Hmm.. let me clarify. I'm still using CS4. Does that changes things? R3D support didn't show up unitl CS5, is that rue?

 

[Tai Wah Lim]

Hmm.. let me clarify. I'm still using CS4. Does that changes things? R3D support didn't show up unitl CS5, is that rue?

Art, CS4 supports R3D, CS5 with mercury engine just support the r3d much better. See - http://www.epaper.info/products/premiere/redsupport/

Lim

 

[Mike Prevette]

To answer your original question-- There is no right answer.

I typically do a rough and simple correction in Redcine-X. Paying the most attention to color balance, exposure and contrast. While not getting to carried away as to limit my options later, but still giving the footage a good look.

Some people prefer to wait till the very last finishing step to do this. Each way is valid, and the right answer depends on the project and the people.

 

[Tim Whitcomb]

Redcine-X is the free kick ass software for checking and prepping footage. its only a first light tool used to help DP's and such to see what the processed raw will "look like" such as a linear or log file, or RedColor, Rec700. etc. RCX also is used to prepare RAW transcodes for the many editorial flavors a production may need from prores to tiffs

even better, if you have a Red Rocket card, you can use RCX to do super fast 4K full debayers and up to 4K REAL TIME playback.

With RAW, its always best to use the Caboose Effect and engineer your workflow backward from your deliverable. Film. TV. DVD. Web all have variants.

This site also has tons of incredible threads and even more incredibly friendly members (usually)

And yes, for the most part you are correct, very few people finish grade in RCX. indies usually use FCP COLOR to SCRATCH TO PABLO OR BASELIGHT, etc.. or apps like you mentioned.