FCP 7 and RED footage import

Hi There,
System specs:
MacBook Pro, OS 10.5.8, 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
FCP7, QT 7.6.2

Editing a short shot on the RED camera. Just wanted to confirm that in order to bring the files into FCP, I have to transcode them using FCP Log & Transfer. I am bringing them in at Apple ProRes 422 with the intention of exporting a current settings QT for color correction elsewhere.

Is there a way to import the .R3D file directly from the drive provided from production (which contains a folder for each take that has the .R3D pointer file and 4 different res QTs)?

Thanks,
Vince

>I am bringing them in at Apple ProRes 422 with the intention of exporting a current settings QT
>for color correction elsewhere.

That sounds wrong. You should be color correcting off the R3D codec, as that will allow you access to the metadata to adjust camera settings. Basically, you cut in ProRes, then offline the files and recapture native, then send to Color.



www.strypesinpost.com

In FCP 7 there's no need to recapture native. You can use CinemaTools to create a database of your R3D files. Then send the ProRes edit to Color 1.5. Point to the CinemaTools database as your source directory and Color and you'll be grading 4K R3D native. If you plan to do a color correction elsewhere you could still use Color to make a DPX output of your project. Or you could export an EDL from FCP and send that along with your R3D files to whomever is doing the color correction. Lots of different ways to tackle it- number one thing is confirm with the color correction people- how they want it.

Noah

Final Cut Studio Training, featuring the HVX200, EX1, EX3, DVX100, DVDSP and Color at [www.callboxlive.com]!
Author, RED: The Ultimate Guide to Using the Revolutionary Camera available now at: [www.amazon.com].
Editors Store- Gifts and Gear for Editors: [www.editorsstore.com]

Thanks, Noah.
I understand there is no need to recapture native, but I do need to capture ProRes for my offline edit in FCP7, correct?

Quote

You should be color correcting off the R3D codec

Not necessarily. A lot of Red workflows I've encountered us Red Alert to do a "best light" color correction on everything before batch-converting it to ProRes, then applying the final look to the ProRes. It's the equivalent of shooting on 35 but doing tape-to-tape grading with SR.

The bottom line is there's no single correct Red workflow, I don't think.

>but I do need to capture ProRes for my offline edit in FCP7, correct?

Yes, you should.

Ah, so you don't have to recapture anymore. That's cool.

>The bottom line is there's no single correct Red workflow, I don't think

Heck. There's no correct workflow for anything, actually, as they're usually circumstantial. CC-ing native provides you with the most amounts of option, but rendering will probably be faster in ProRes.



www.strypesinpost.com

In FCP you're not 'capturing' anything but you're transcoding. It's either to ProRes or to Native. (or working with Proxy, which I wouldn't recommend because while it does work it's not the most stable workflow in the world). Here's how to get started:

[www.peachpit.com]

I personally think the RAW grading from the R3D's is more warranted for film and 2K and above outputs. If you're working strictly in HD or below, you might get away with a pure ProRes color grade and no one is the wiser.

Heck a lot of productions are cutting DV offline in Avid, then conforming to HDCAM. They never touch the R3D's after they're shot. A real crime btw...

Apple and RED have published various parts of the workflow as well but I like to think my book boils it down to the most easy to follow directions:

[www.peachpit.com]

-Noah

Final Cut Studio Training, featuring the HVX200, EX1, EX3, DVX100, DVDSP and Color at [www.callboxlive.com]!
Author, RED: The Ultimate Guide to Using the Revolutionary Camera available now at: [www.amazon.com].
Editors Store- Gifts and Gear for Editors: [www.editorsstore.com]

Okay, for the OP, as far as editing native, I recall a friend trying it, and it was stuttering on playback on 4K, so I won't advise it.

I meant "recapture", as in offline/trim the sequence after the edit, then "batch capture" native. That was the way FCP used to handle it.



www.strypesinpost.com

strypes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Okay, for the OP, as far as editing native, I
> recall a friend trying it, and it was stuttering
> on playback on 4K, so I won't advise it.
>
> I meant "recapture", as in offline/trim the
> sequence after the edit, then "batch capture"
> native. That was the way FCP used to handle it.

Sure- you can still do it that way. But with the native support for R3Ds at 4K in Color 1.5, it's no longer necessary.

Noah

Final Cut Studio Training, featuring the HVX200, EX1, EX3, DVX100, DVDSP and Color at [www.callboxlive.com]!
Author, RED: The Ultimate Guide to Using the Revolutionary Camera available now at: [www.amazon.com].
Editors Store- Gifts and Gear for Editors: [www.editorsstore.com]