Big Sequence Question

Hello All,

I'm pushing my old(der) system to the limit with a large master SD- 29.97 sequence for a long documentary (105 mins).

To color correct, I split it up into five separate sequences by copying and pasting all the clips from the main video track. I used 3-way color corrector, sometimes desaturate and gausian blur. These tracks include original SD video, large archival tiff files, and some quicktime files converted from tiff to make things run smoother.

My question is: Should I copy the new sequences back to the master sequence (which would be the easiest for me). Don't know if my system can handle all the new filters with the old graphics, subtitles (which there are a lot of), tiff files (I plan to reconvert them back), etc. Or do I need to copy the filters over one by one to the respective clips. In theory if I copy everything over, it should still connect to the original media and not lose any quality. Or , finally, do I need to break up my timeline and risk losing sync (not sure how I would conform after).

Any suggestions or previous experience before I take the final leap would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Alf

System.

FCP 5.0.4
PowerPC G5 Dual Core 2GB
OS 10.4.11
Memory 4.5 GB
Bus speed 1ghz
750 GB ESAta

I really don't see a reason why you have to split the sequence, as you are not sending it into Color.

Duplicate your original sequence, then copy and paste them in. If you have issues going to tape (eg. lots of crashes), you may want to export a Quicktime movie and go to tape with that.


>not sure how I would conform after

Conform? If you're conforming for online, then why are you color correcting?



www.strypesinpost.com

i wouldn't work in a huge sequence.
i find it much easier to work in smaller sections.

"I split it up into five separate sequences by copying and pasting all the clips from the main video track"

so you left other stuff behind?
that's bit crazy!

i would have done a tidy up prior to the grade, deleting any old clips or graphics that weren't needed,
and also making sure all graphics etc such as subtitles were on specific tracks.

and do it all in a new project that contains only the final edit sequnces. that will reduce project size bloat.

you can still do that now of course.


to answer your question:

i would then copy / paste the graded sequences back.
not too hard to keep sync in check. you'd have to paste back into NEW tracks to check sync first.
it's a pity you will lose all your video/audio links,
but it's too much work to copy/ paste the filters across individually.


nick

Re: Big Sequence Question
Posted by: A.Bejar (IP Logged)
Date: July 18, 2010 08:22AM

Hey Strypes & Nick,

Thanks for getting back.

By "conform" I meant, if I split up my master sequence, marrying it back together before outputting to tape or QT. I plan to output to digibeta or to QT file and then digibeta. I'm working with 3 way color corrector in High Precision YUV which is also pushing things.

I was planning on copying the clips from the smaller color corrected sequences back to the master, on a separate track, check for sync, and then erase the old picture clips.


I split up the sequence to color correct, main video track only , because we were having too many crashes when correcting and it was unworkable.

I have a lot of other stuff going on, that's why I'm concerned. When correcting, I found that jpg files were causing crashes and converted them to tiff or QT files. However, on a test DVD of the corrected picture sequences I'm seeing some fractals on the QT clips so I'm going to convert them back to tiffs files on the corrected master sequence, which I think will also push thing more. I'm using a lot of motion effects (it's a historical film using archival pics). I have 6 picture tracks -mostly for lower thirds, graphics and some effects. Only two tracks of audio (already mixed). So you see, there a lot of other stuff going on.

Thanks,

Alfredo

It's really not a problem. FCP is more prone to crashes when you overload it. When everything is rendered, FCP plays back the rendered files.



www.strypesinpost.com

OK, I'll give it a go.

Thanks,

alf

when you've done editing, and are starting the "finishing" stages,
which would include colour correction,
it's worth copying your edit sequences over into a brand new project.

that stops project bloat.
by that stage you don't need instantaneous access to your rushes, or older sequences.


hope all goes well.
nick

> when you've done editing, and are starting the "finishing" stages,
> which would include colour correction,
> it's worth copying your edit sequences over into a brand new project.
> that stops project bloat.

Nick was also the one who had done this experiment. By copying every single visible element from a project to a new one, and saving the new one, he actually got a much smaller project file despite having the same edits, bins, clips etc. Apparently there's a lot of junk you can't get rid of short of a copy/paste/resave.


www.derekmok.com

wow, i'll be remembered beyond my days yet!
thanks, derek.

in this case, i'm also saying that you don't really need your master clips anymore,
as the process is now not about editing footage from the browser,
but finessing what you have in the timeline.

now you'll be adding lots of filters,
maybe making duplicates of clips in stacks (for "power windows" and other effect)
possibly nesting,
and possibly making duplicates of these big sequences.

these are the sort of things that come up for me, anyway, at this stage,
and they make for fairly rapid increases in project size.

not gargantuan,
but i'm glad not to have to carry unnecessary weight around.

oh, and rendering, re-rendering and rendering again also increses project file size, i reckon,
and that's going to be happening a fair bit at this stage, too.


nick