Getting Scene Files from footage?

Luis Caffesse

Luis Caffesse

Admin
So I have a shoot, and I have to match footage from a previous shoot.
The thing is, I don't have the scene file saved (yeah, I know).

BUT - I do still have the original files pulled off the P2 cards from the first shoot (Contents folder and Lastclip.txt).

So I'm wondering, is there a way I can pull the scene file info from the P2 files?
I tried loading the original files onto my P2 card - but I can't write to it.

I'm on a Mac, using FCP.

Any ideas?
 
So I guess there is no way to do what I want - or was my question unclear?

If anyone has any ideas - please let me know - I'm shooting in an hour.
 
I think this has come up before and it was a no - just the frame rate and recording info is in the metadata - no access to the chroma, pedestal, etc. I would take some of yesterdays footage and put it on a p2 and try to match the camera from there.
 
I'd love to - but I can't write to the P2 card for some reason.

Not a huge deal as I'm shooting in my house - so I can always bring up the footage on my monitor and match it.
Just thought it would be nice to know I was matching it exactly - ah well.


Thanks jdajda
:thumbsup:
 
You can also use "Print to tape" or whatever your editor calls the operation to output the project to the DV port, and record it on the camera to a P2 card.
 
But would either of those options lead me back to my original intent, which was getting the scene file for the footage I shot?

If I could manage to get the footage back onto my P2 card - can I then get the scene file info out of it (on the camera)?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no - unfortunately.
You know I've never paid much attention to the 'metadata' bells and whistles in the MXF files - because it was never really necessary for anything I was doing.

So when this problem came up, I sort of figured the scene file info would be in the 'metadata' that I always hear mentioned. I'm kind of surprised that with all the info we can get our of our footage, the scene file info isn't included.


(I wound up eyeballing it today when I shot - did a side by side in FCP later, and it looks like I got it in the ballpark at least).
 
No, you can't determine the scene file settings that were used from the video, regardless of whether it is the original recording to P2 or something "printed" back to P2. The information is simply not there.

I think it would be a worthwhile enhancement to allow the camera to record the scene file settings in the P2 metadata. Until something like that becomes available (if ever), it is best to document the scene file(s) used for a shoot and store it with the masters.

Your best bet is probably to try to contact the people who shot the original video and see if they can recall what settings they used.
 
THoff said:
Your best bet is probably to try to contact the people who shot the original video and see if they can recall what settings they used.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I was the one who shot the original video.
;)

I've just been shooting alot lately, and this one slipped through the cracks without saving the setting to the card. No big deal in the end - I eyeballed it and everything looks fine.

TimurCivan said:
no yo ucant man.... but thats an AWSEOME idea.
Click to expand...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this would be a good idea.
I'm actually kind of surprised that the Metadata doesn't include the scene file settings.
 
One reason why it doesn't is because you can change the scene file dial during a shot. So if you changed your settings mid-shot, what would the metadata report?

There's probably no way to store all that info per frame.

Further compounding the issue is: scene file settings are relevant for an HVX200 or HPX500, but would have no bearing on an HPX2000 or HPX2100 or HPX3000 or any of the other P2 cameras. So incorporating it in the metadata for one might mean incorporating it for all, and the other cameras have maybe 10x as much info.

You'd have to be able to store all that info per frame, and that probably means creating a new format; the DV100 data stream was already SMPTE-codified so they couldn't extend it for firewire streaming, and the XML metadata is a one-file-for-the-whole-video thing, not a per-frame thing.

If you needed something like this it might be possible with AVC-Intra or some future codec, where the designers could implement it right from the beginning. But it probably couldn't be wedged into the existing codec since it'd need to be wedged into every frame, and the frames are already full of data. They did put shutter speed and iris into every frame, but that was codified in the DV spec from day one, so that wasn't an issue.
 
i havent had the good luck of using a VARICAM/F900 class camera yet, and from what i understand, there like 10x as many menu settings and image tweaks. is this correct?
 
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