Workflow for mixing XDCAM, HDV and H.264 from Go Pro cams

Hello forum,

I will be editing a project that has 3 different HD acquisition formats. There is a total of about 160 hours of footage of which 100 hrs is XDCAM, 50 hrs HDV and the rest H.264 via Go Pro cams. Total available storage for this project is 10TB so transcoding everything to Pro res 422 would not be an option, if my calculations are correct. What are some alternatives? Considering Pro res lite but the transcoding times could also be an issue as there really isn't much available time. I'm thinking to edit with the original acquisition codecs for XDCAM and HDV on a Prores timeline setting and transcode the Go pro cams (H264) to prores lite. Would this work or would it be too unstable? There will be an online/coloring before delivery. Please advise. Thanks!

I have done several similar types of projects. I often do the same thing. So, your idea seems pretty good.

If space is available I will transcode HDV or XDCAM footage into ProRes 422. If space is tight, I may use ProRes 422 (LT) or leave the footage as is.

Regardless, I will always edit in ProRes 422 or ProRes 422 (HQ) sequences, depending on how much I manipulate the image in FCP (filters, color correction, etc.). I then export the final output to ProRes 422 (HQ), though the standard version may work just fine. Testing the workflow on a small amount of representative media is always helpful.

Anything recorded as H.264 will definitely be transcoded into ProRes 422 (LT) or ProRes 422 before editing.

So, your ideas are sound (IMO).



-Dave

Same here. Always transcode the H.264 to ProRes, but if you don't have the space or time, wing it with the other two on a ProRes timeline.

That's not to say there won't be trouble. And rendering. Which loses you time at the other end.

If I were you and I had the slightest possibility, I would get a night-monkey in to transcode everything to the same codec to save the later headaches. If there's no possibility, then you just have to do what you have to do. I personally don't use HQ though. Those export and render file sizes are usually too over the top for my needs.

What they said. Night monkey or not, I'll prep up a droplet to get that done on my way out of the office.



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