7D FCP editing and HD projection outputting

C

chrisxtharp

Well-known member
Im getting ready to start Editing process in Film School.Alot of projects jumped on the 7D bandwagon along with my self (cause i bought one, i have yet to edit one though).

i wanted to see if there was anything i should know about how to go about starting to edit in FCP (easy set up ect?) and Ending up in HD file fit for HD projection.(via Harddrive to a HD projector)


im looking around and cant find any turorials specific to the 7D most are 5DII.

one classmates has already butchered (interlaced and Compressed) some of my footage and i have to re-edit the project and i want to make sure it look close it not at good as the raw footage.
 
ProRes

ProRes

Convert to ProRes
Convert all h264 files to ProRes. You can use mpeg streamclip or compressor for a batch.
Just convert to same frame size and framerate as you shot in camera, but with a ProRes codec.

Edit in ProRes
After conversion you can drag and drop a clip into the fcp timeline, say yes and it will match properly.

Grade in ProRes
Apple Color, After Effects and Magic Bullet all are great tools for correcting/grading

Output in ProRes or H264
If you want HD output to a HD screen, beamer or monitor.
You can use

a. dvi out. 2nd output from your graphics card.
b. through an AJA, Decklink or Matrox output board.
All these 3 work great with FCP and have different models depending if you want HDSDI, HD Component and/or HDMI

For just playing a movie on a beamer a 2nd DVI output will be fine. Audio will come out of the built in output of your mac.
 
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I am not an expert in this field.
But it seems to me there is only so much you can do to source images with only 8bits of data. (256 discrete brightness levels.)

Any grading in which you respect those precious levels should be reasonably successful.

But some grading operations are going to stretch apart those precious levels. The histogram will be full of gaps and result in posterization of the image.

For instance, taking a flat/neutral image, with lots of detail, and then applying an aggressive grade, crushing blacks and blowing out whites, then you are losing data at the top end and the bottom end.

The remaining surviving brightness levels will have to bridge the gap between black and white. In a colour space this posterization will create false colours, which will turn smooth gradations of tone into stepped and noisy areas.

The general advice is to shoot flat. And as a rule of thumb it is not bad advice.
But with 8 bit data, if you intend to grade it to look like Domino, the best-looking outcome will happen if you shoot raw images that look like Domino.

C.
 
Indeed. Shoot flat, no extra sharpness in the picture style. Better underexpose than over.

Then convert to a codec that has a high colorspace.

Like ProRes.

This won't get your footage better but the quality of your effects wil get better.

Check this video out.
Awesome grading with 7D
http://www.vimeo.com/7199178
 
So im looking at Mpeg steamclip and i see 2 Prores 422 options which one is better?

also what about using apple FCP uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2 or apple xdcam HD422 1080p24?

yeah ive been shooting everything flat after seeing that dynamic range tutorial. i actually ran into issues shooting infront of a white background in a studio (much like the mac commercials) cause shooting low con make everything super ghosty looking so i flicked back into regular mode and it looked great.
 
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