Overcranking

A

Archer993

Member
I have read some articles about overcranking but am still confused.

I am shooting HD 960x710 @ 23.98 fps.

I have a scene in the film where an actor is shot and I would like to see the hammer drop on the gun and the actor to fall away in slow motion.

I know I should set the camera frame rate to 50 or 60 fps but what I am not sure of is the workflow to the timeline in FCP on the Mac.

Do I merely import the clip, change the timing in menu "speed" setting, and then render? Is this the way to get he best quality?

Thanks in advance...
 
Frame Rate Convertor

Frame Rate Convertor

You need to use the Frame Rate Convertor I believe. It will shoot 24p in a 60p wrapper. So you load it in as 60p. You then use the Frame Rate Convertor tool to get it back to 24p. Then voila, you can cut it natively into your timeline as if you had just hit a 'slow mo' button for one scene.

Panasonic's web site has a d/l for the tool for free. Also it should be on the FCP 5.1 discs. I believe you'll be better off using the one on the FCP discs, as I believe there is a bug with the one on Panny's web site.

cheers.
 
I don't think you'll ever get to see the hammer drop without using CG to do it -- the time that it takes a hammer to drop (known as "lock time") is measured in milliseconds. Even at 60fps, the hammer will likely travel the entire drop distance in a single frame.
 
Ah right my bad, didn't explain it well enough...

Download or get the FCP 5.1 disc and install the Frame Rate Convertor Tool.

Digitize/Import your variable frame rate speed clips into FCP (They'll be 720p60).

I haven't found a way to do a batch process so, select each clip you've just imported and one by one go to Tools | DVC Pro HD Frame Rate Convertor. This will popup a dialog window with a few settings, all pretty self-explainatory (I keep all the checks on myself). Then click okay. It'll ask you to name the converted file its about to create and ask you where you want to save it. Deal with both of those. Hit okay. Then sit back and wait as it processes it for you.

cheers.
 
If you're using the HVX, you don't have to do anything special. Just put it in 720/24pN mode, set your frame rate to 60fps, and shoot. Import the clip to FCP and drop it on a 24p timeline and it'll work.
 
Yeah, I got confused. I have FCP set to 720p24p and drag it into the same timeline w/ regular speed footage and it works just fine. As long as you set it up right in the camera it should just pop right in - it records 60fps but it spreads it back to 24p in-camera.
 
Barry - it didn't work for some reason. I shot all day at 23.98pn. The last shot needed to be slo motion so I changed the camera to 60p and shot the footage.

Downloaded all the footage off my P2 drive and dragged selsctive clips into the 23.98 sequence in Mac FCP - the latest version. It played back at regular speed. Oh boy!

What happened? I must have missed a step.
Thanks in advance.
Tim
 
Were you still in 720/24pN at 60fps? Or did you swap the mode to 720/60p? Those are different, sounds like you changed the mode to 60p.

I believe you just have to run cinema tools on the footage to conform it to 23.976, but I'll have to defer to the FCP experts to make sure.
 
What you may have done is Menu 5 - Recording Setup -> 720/60p. That would be the wrong way to go. You'd want to leave it in 720/24pN mode.

Instead go to Scene File->Frame Rate and make sure that's set on 60fps (and set Scene File->Operation Type to FILM CAM).
 
Barry - I believe that's what I did but I'll give it another run today - hopefully the actors won't mind!!!

Thanks again.
 
Barry - you are correct sir! It was THAT easy and the results were exemplary.

Thank you very much - again. Can't wait to get the book!
 
I just got the camera and trying to use the Variable Frame Rate. When I playback on the camera is still appears to be 24fps not the 60fps I set it to as Barry described. Do you have to have it in a NLE to see the results?
 
Thanks Barry. It was the difference between the 24p and 24pn setting that made the difference. Also, how do I get your book (just purchased camera from Specialized Comm)? And one more thing, after Honolulu HVX boot camp, when will you do another one?
 
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