24fps Image Sequence output to Digibeta NTSC

Hi... I'm not from LA but I would really appreciate it if you could help answer my questions below...

I need to output the Targa sequence files generated from USanimation to a Digibeta deck. Since the targa files are based on a 24fps format, what software will you recommend to do 3:2pulldown? AfterEffects?

After applying 3:2pulldown, I import the files into FCP and output to Broadcast monitor via Pinnacle SDI breakout box. The problem is there is a noticeable difference in the color of the picture and I think the breakout box is causing the problem. Do I need to adjust any settings in Final Cut Pro to achieve the correct color? or I should get a better breakout box? what would you recommend? AJA, blackmagic, etc?

It would be really helpful if you could give me a step-by-step procedure on doing the 3:2pulldown and outputting to Digibeta.

Thanks in advance!

First I'd use quicktime pro to make a movie from the targa sequence. Import the image sequence and set frame rate to 23.98fps, as this is the NTSC video equivalent to 24fps. Set the video export codec to whatever your Pinnacle hardware uses.

You can now add 3:2 pulldown in either of two ways. As you say, if you have after effects you can use that to add 3:2 pulldown, or if you don't you can use a plugin I wrote for FCP called Standards Conversion which does a 3:2 pulldown too.

Now you can safely output to tape. But because computer graphics are in RGB space and video in Y'CbCr space, there could very well be differences in the final output, especially as TV monitors have a different gamma to that of a computer monitor. You should use the 3 way colour corrector to make the final piece look correct to your eyes on the output - I doubt there's anything wrong with your hardware unless it's completely night and day different.

Graeme



[www.nattress.com] - Plugins for FCP-X

Or, it could be you're suffering from the 1.2 Gamma shift that FCP and probably QuickTime, et al adds to imported graphics.

I posted about this before. It's fine as long as you stay inside the Mac family, but it will drive you nuts if you don't.


You can help by changing the gamma of your stills before you enter Mac-Land. Add 1.2 gamma if you need brightening and .833 gamma if things are too bright. The only way I know of doing that is in Photoshop: Image, Adjust, Levels and change the 1.00 value. You can run Photoshop in Batch mode and let it sit there cranking through the graphics one at a time.

You can't get there with the two or three- way color correctors. They don't have enough handles. You can get close, but it will never match.

Good luck.

Koz

OK, now that it's probably too late, there is a tool buried in the Effects tab that will work.

Effects, Image Control, Levels.

In and Out are 50 and both tolerances are 100. Change the Gamma number to 1.2.

The images should gracefully get darker and do it exactly opposite the way that FCP made them brighter. I could find no errors.

Do Not Use:

Effects, Image Control, Gamma.

It's very simple, but there is a messy assumption made with that tool and it doesn't work right--or it does something I didn't like.

Sorry I was so slow on this. Gamma controls are a total mystery to most Mac people so I had to design test patterns and tools to figure out what I was doing--or what it was doing.

What *I'm* doing is still something of a mystery.

Koz