Harmonizing full HD, HDV, and MiniDV in FCP - feature doc

Dear everyone

It's been awhile since I last posted about our film "Imagination", which was all shot on film and edited digitally in FCP. With all of the glitches and problems in that project, you'd think we would learn not to go and mess with digital formats, but here we go again..!!

We shot a feature documentary recently and are trying to figure out a proper work flow in Final Cut (6.0.5). We shot this with:

Sony PMW-EX-3 (fully 1080p HD, 24p)
Sony HDR-FX1 ("1080p" HDV, 24p))
Canon XHA-1 ("1080p" HDV, 24p)
Canon VIXIA HF11 ("1080p" Flash, "24p" - still having problems transferring into usable QT

and alas...Mini DV footage shot with the primitive Sony VX-1000 and Canon GL-1 cameras.

I guess the real question is whether to edit all of the segments in separate timelines (EX-3 footage, HDV/Flash HD footage, MiniDV and then export each one into a quicktime and re-import it into a master full 1080p timeline where the EX-3 footage lives (???) Am I right?

Then there's the issue of having mostly 24p, then 29.97 DV footage to contend with. I'm sure the DV footage will have to be vignetted because of it's comparably small size in a 1080p project, but it's a aesthetic we're going for (Mini DV seems the new Super-8)

We're sure people have worked with multiple formats before, so there's got to be a solution for us...although I'm hard pressed to find it.

Thanks

~ Jeffrey

If there's already a solution in these forums, something please direct me there!

Thanks

Well, one issue is that many of us make a living with our workflows. We get hired BECAUSE we know what to do. To then post our solutions all over the forums for everyone would be shooting ourselves in the foot. But I will say two things:

1) Get out of the GOP format as soon as you can. All of the HD formats you have are GOP formats. ProRes is the codec of choice.

2) Capture everything as ONE format...even your DV. You will need to upconvert your DV footage to HD. Best solution for this would be HD capture card. Next best would be Compressor.

Now I have said too much. But not anything that hasn't been said before.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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Thanks! I still don't get the secrecy thing, though. I am an audio post professional and I gladly share all of my "tips", as I want the prospective films to be as good as they can. In the end, it's never about the money, it's about the film itself. I would hope you'd get hired for your talent, not your work flow knowledge anyways!!!

But thanks again

These days, with all the HD confusion and crap out there, your workflow knowledge is GOLD. And often is the thing that gets you hired. Because you know what to do when no one else does.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

I see..

so now I have the task of scouring the internet for the answers I could get from you or someone else on this forum instantly.

Seems like a waste of time, but I guess I'm left with no other option. Which Apple ProRes setting should I use? Can this answer at least be given?

ProRes 422 (HQ) really is only for very high end things, like HDCAM SR or film out. Normal ProRes is fine for HDCAM...and even lower end HDCAM SR.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]