3:2 problems. Between the Devil and the deep 0,0,255 sea.

I pulled a Beta SP archival segment into FCP 5.0.4 and produced a nice H.264 from the work. Unfortunately, the 3:2 segment in the middle didn't come out so well.

[www.kozco.com]

The problem is the segments on both sides of this one were prepared at 29.97 and look perfect, so I can't de-3:2 the whole thing back to 23.976. I also can't (that I know of) prepare a QuickTime with two different framerates.

I can't be the only person (not editor) who's had this kind of trouble. We will probably prepare two different QuickTimes for the client as an emergency measure.

FCP 5.0.4
QT 7.2.0
OS-X 10.4.10

Koz

Any way to use Cinema Tools to conform the frame rate?


www.derekmok.com

<<<Any way to use Cinema Tools to conform the frame rate?>>

To what? And it's plural framerates.

I'm planning on de-3:2ing this segment back to 23.976 maybe with Nattress??? We have a license for the Standards conversion which includes 3:2 tools.

I've never touched CineTools in my life, so that will be an adventure, won't it?

But past this job, what do normal people do when they have a 3:2 segment in the middle of an NTSC show?

Koz

If you can figure a way to start your capture on an A frame and if you are performing any edits in this sequence to be able to do it on an A fram, you should be able to do it. As far as capturing your 3:2 sequence, do it 4 times on 4 consecutive frames. One of them will work for you.

I know where the A frame is with no question. The problem is that H.264 QuickTime exports with 3:2 seem to look pretty awful. The obvious solution is to pull the 3:2 out with The Tool Of My Choice. I'm sure that will produce a very nice exported QuickTime, but in the wrong framerate.



I see there is no CineTools forum, so this is a good a place as any...

I opened CineTools and imported the clip (above ^) following the instructions. By accident, I started the sequence with an A frame, but CineTools provides a method of pointing to it no matter where it is.

[Clip, Reverse Telecine..] is gray.

This could not be a simpler project. What else is it looking for? I know CineTools is genetically programmed to cut a Major Motion Picture with multiple tracking Key Codes, but Warner Brothers hasn't call me yet. I need to make it work with one simple 4 second clip.

Koz

OK. CineTools hates H.264 video. It will load, but that's all it will do.

So I pushed a PhotoJPEG version of the BetaSP capture into CineTools and no combination of settings gives me straight "progressive" playback. There's always at least one frame in five with clear interlace damage on playback.

And it's weird damage, too.

Straight 3:2 looks like streaky sideways smearing on objects in motion and it comes and goes in a 2 out of 5 rhythm. The de-3:2 damage looks like that but it changes depending on where in the frame you are. Some portions look clear and some look smeary and interlaced. Most of the time there's only one frame like that.

I can make it much worse by choosing wrong settings, but it never gets better.

It is a little disturbing to read the CineTools instructions. They assume a correct, professional telecine session with edge codes and perfectly aligned timecode with frame burn and the A frame clearly marked. If your project drops you clean into a video-only show, you may have a much tougher row to hoe.

Here's a Photo Jpeg version of the 3:2 clip--taken right from the BetaSP. Now you got what I got. (2M download)

[www.kozco.com]


I'm talking into the wind, right? Nobody knows anything about CineTools.

Koz

Cine-what?

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Didn't anybody get the color joke in the title?

Koz

I did.

<<<I did.>>>

One in a row. Las Vegas is holding a show for me.

Thank you, thank you ladies and gentlemen. I'll be here all week.

Koz

I was thinking the word "deep" might be redundant.

Try the veal. Tip your waitress.

<<<I was thinking the word "deep" might be redundant.>>>

Then I'd have to change the numbers. That's primary blue, hardly deep. Royal, maybe. Deep would be more like 0,0,128.


Anybody been able to fix that clip I posted?

Remember the original question?

Koz