Making Z1 video look like film

[jnolla]

Ok, so no 24p, so now what? How, and what software must I use in order to make the video look like film?

Shoot 50i, convert to 24p in NLE, then....

Magic bullet? FCP color correction, for those using Mac? What's the next step? Before 24p there where some films that were shot in 50i, how can I get that film look in 50i?

Thanks.

[J.R. Hudson]

I mean this with all sincerity and in good natured fun; a DVX100 would really make your project look filmic. Sigh............

Can 50i be deinterlaced to 24p or will it be 25p? (I don't know)

Magic Bullet will help; Color Correction with a high contrast/brightness ratio and levels (Watch the IRE)

[scharky]

I have found that vegas does a very good job of converting 60i to 24p. 50i seems to require to processes to get it to 24p, first a deinterlace to 25p, and then a 4% slowdown to 24p. I personally have not been impressed with the CF24 mode on either the FX1 or Z1, but some people seem to like it. I would however, try shooting CF25 and then slowing down to 24p. I would think that would give the best results. Try some tests and see what works best for you.

[jnolla]

John, in all honesty, I know the DVX will be the perfect fit.

But I want HD. Please note the want, rather than need. I don't want to start the argument on what the market is all about at this time.

I would like to wait for the HDX, but it doesn't seem as if the price for HD, in the HDX, is going to be around my ballpark. Not including the P2 card's price, and the storage needed for that compression scheme.

That being said, I still need help.

[J.R. Hudson]

No argument whatsoever jnoola; I admittefly was being mischievous and having fun.

I am curious for sake of the cat on how this achieved.

Barry?!

[Hyperbolic]

Hmm. A confusing initial question here in some respects. Other than not having 24p, working with the Z1 is like working with the DVX or any camera. You pretty much have to do the same thing with Z1 or FX1 footage as you would with ANY digital footage to "make it look like film." All digital work requires color correction (which magic bullet shortcuts, but I prefer to tweak myself scene to scene b/c blanket corrections seldom do the trick), and you're going to have to get good at it no matter which cam you use.

You don't get 24p with the Z1, but you do get a crapload more resolution, which lets you filter and re-filter with abandon, especially if you're going SD for output.

All good NLE programs will let you color correct. My advice would be to simply get *any* cam and start working as it takes a while to get really comfy working in post. The Z1 requires no more work than any other (other than maybe a 24p conversion), nor any less.

[Barry_Green]

If you're shooting on the Z1, I'd probably say to shoot in CineFrame 25 mode. That'll deliver the temporal feel of 25fps film, and even though it's lower resolution than you could have gotten in interlace mode, it's still as much vertical resolution as a PAL DVX or XL2 would give.

Then go on the same path Hyperbolic recommends.

[SergejIvanovits]

First of all try to make your recording as you would do it with a filmcamera. Use glassfilters and the same light and light blocking as in film.

I found Vegas to be a very good and cheap software to do color correction. It has a realtime preview. You don't need MB to do cc. Premiere 1.51 is also very good. Pinnacle has realtime color correction and realtime effects, I prefer this one.

Just one thought about 24p. If you are in Pal land don't force 24p with a 50i camcorder. Filmtrasfer is a frame by frame job. Use 50i with a whatever you like deinterlacer or 25p.

[jnolla]

Macaddict had a good article Secrets of the Pros (Jan/03), where thay had a good tutorial from Outpost Digital, in how to achive the film look by color correction. Sadly, I don't have that issue anymore and the article is not availble for download.

I'm just looking for differrent opinions on how people actually achive the film look. I use FCP.
Thanks

[ShannonRawls]

I personally have not been impressed with the CF24 mode on either the FX1 or Z1, but some people seem to like it. I would however, try shooting CF25 and then slowing down to 24p. I would think that would give the best results. Try some tests and see what works best for you.

Hey Scharky....

What's up buddy....Hey, remember, the CF24 mode has to be processed to look right. Out the box, on CF24 mode the image in the viewfinder is rather stupid looking and ugly. But so does a Panavision film camera when looking at the field monitor on-set while making a movie. *smile* Just long as you know that that's not the final product. Once you process the footage...it becomes gorgeous 24p footage. Trust me, I know because I have done it.

many people place the camera on CF24 and make a final judgement. You cannot do that with the Sony HDV cameras.

Take a look here to see more about that discussion:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthre...?threadid=39554
and
http://www.creativecow.net/forum/re...692&forumid=162

- ShannonRawls.com