DPX files vs. Other formats

Hello,

I'm primarily dealing with RED footage converted to pro res.

I know a lot of post colorists/vfx request or deliver DPX files. Pardon my ignorance but why is it better than Pro Res 4444?

If you get DPX files, can you use them in FCP7?

The last thing I did, I requested they deliver Pro Res 4444, but should I be asking for DPX?

Thanks

DPX is uncompressed. ProRes is compressed. You can only use DPX in FCP7 with 3rd party support.



www.strypesinpost.com

the other thing about DPX files is that they are image sequences,
so each frame is a self contained file.

a lot of people like that because is there is a problem with a frame, then just that one frame needs to be re-delivered, not the entire file.

on one job we had to have the media converted to DPX files first, then delivered to VFX,
(we didn't do the conversion, the post house holding the camera originals did that)
seemed silly to me as our originals were ProRes, and the DPX files were a lot bigger to send over the internet.

on the next job, we gave the VFX team a complete copy of our camera originals,
then we'd email them FCP project files,
and they would find the source media and convert to DPX themselves.


Resolve can convert to and from DPX files
if your camera orig is under 2k, you can use the free version of Resolve.


nick

I see, I'd basically like to understand the industry standard, abide by that,
and deviate when it makes sense to.

So my understanding is they would typically deliver DPX files back to the online editor.
Then, he/she would put that sequence in Resolve or another program and export it to Pro Res 4444?

If that's the case seems like an extra step with the PR4444 export, but I guess
it's good to have the uncompressed DPX?

You would then combine everything in your NLE, which in this case is FCP7.

For the final export of the entire film, what do lower budget indies export to? Pro Res 4444?

Thank you

The usual high end workflow would have your VFX vendor send the image sequence to the online editor at the post house doing your Digital Intermediate where the effects work is integrated. They use heavy iron for those, but sometimes attached to Final Cut 7 or Avid Symphony front ends, or even Resolve or Quantel hardware, to create deliverables for network.

Mastered audio also comes in. So all the separate departments and their strange and wonderful formats converge on the DI room, and that's usually worked out in advance between vendors and the post house so there are few surprises.
Preparing for that myself right now. A good post house has a prep sheet for storyline editors to follow.

- Loren

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"So my understanding is they would typically deliver DPX files back to the online editor.
Then, he/she would put that sequence in Resolve or another program and export it to Pro Res 4444? "

quite often the compile software can handle DPX files natively.


"For the final export of the entire film, what do lower budget indies export to? Pro Res 4444?"

probably.
it depends on the delivery specs
and you can also make your own DCP these days without too much hassle.


nick