Post Issues... Need Help BADLY!

M

morisato

Active member
THE BACK STORY:

I'm working on a documentary that's a BIG BIG BIG MESS! The footage was shot in NTSC, PAL, HD720, HD1080, and HDV. Oh god, this might get a bit confusing. The producers want to deliver the final product in HD 24p and the editor wants to offline SOMEHOW. We've already captured the NTSC and so the editor would like to offline in 29.97. The producers want to convert the PAL to NTSC then uprez the used stuff to HD, but the editor wants to uprez the PAL stuff to HD first, then downconvert the HD to NTSC. It could go either way depending on which way would cost more. We're offlining with FCP and will most likely online in Avid.

THE PROBLEM:

The HD720 and HD1080 were shot with the HVX onto P2 cards. I have the original P2 data on an external drive which I have imported into FCP. Now, this is where the problem comes in. Due to the random naming process Panasonic implemented into the files, we cant rename the files without having to do MASSIVE renaming of the FCP file, the quicktime file, and the MXF file. That's one problem. If we online in Avid, we need to keep the original MXF, an so altering the names of the quicktime files will eliminate the possibility of onlining in Avid. The other problem we have is that the HD must be downconverted to NTSC to offline, but needs to retain the original timecode so that when we online, the cuts would be correct. I have NO IDEA how this could be done. The HVX manual says that if I use the p2 to miniDV transfer function, with proper settings, I could transfer over the original timecode of the source HD720p24 with the footage at DV25 @ 29.97fps. This is the only option I see available, but at the same time, it's very impossible for my situation. I would need to rent a HVX and a P2 card, transfer the P2 data from computer to P2 card, play it on the HVX to offload it onto a miniDV tape, then capture the miniDV tape into FCP. Though it's the only way I currently see possible to get a NTSC version of the HD footage that retains the original HD timecode, it is impossible because I just dont have the time to do that for ALL the HD footage. Can anything be done in FCP or a 3rd party program that would help me? The editor is so frustrated with this that he's about to walk off the show. HELP ME PLEASE! The main problem is time, then it's money, so if there's a program that can do it, the producers are willing to buy it if need be, but if it can be done in FCP, then they would rather not pay. I'm looking at you Barry. You have the answers! GIVE THEM TO MEEEE!!!!! .......please......
 
Morisato,
Media manager in final cut will downconvert HD to DV or any other format - I just tried it. It's under file-media manager. You need to recompress the project files to whatever format you choose in the drop down list. It seems to need the fps to be the same in order to keep the timecode the same on your offline.
P2 Log from imagineproducts.com will allow you to rename the file in the "user clip name" box, it will then generate a quicktime file and a FCP xml file with the same name.(final cut can use this xml file or the quicktime).
I would imagine that the avid could use the quicktime rather than the original MXF file or just online in FCP ( not what the editor wants to hear ). However, to do this step you will have to reimport the P2 footage throough P2 log. It's a great product and well worth $99.
Let us all know if this helps,
Shane.
DP of "a scanner darkly" in theatres next week.
 
It's good to know that others cant seem to find a solution as well, but that's not really a good thing for me. From my understanding through reading the HVX forum for quite some time now, FCP uses quicktimes and avid cannot use quicktimes, avid uses MXF.
 
morisato said:
It's good to know that others cant seem to find a solution as well, but that's not really a good thing for me. From my understanding through reading the HVX forum for quite some time now, FCP uses quicktimes and avid cannot use quicktimes, avid uses MXF.
Click to expand...
I thought that I was giving you a solution rather than suggesting that there is no solution, read my post again. Avid can use quicktimes, in addition to many other formats.
Shane
 
The dvx100 or rather 3 of them.
Check for the article in American Cinematographer in July.
Regards,
Shane.
 
Okay, so we've decided to do this. We've decided to rent a DVCProHD deck and run the HD stuff onto a tape. Then downconvert that HD master tape to NTSC submasters for the editor to cut in 29.97. Does anyone know any issues of doing it this way? Any possible issues of timecode when we online it? From my understanding, transfering 24P P2 data onto a DVCProHD deck would convert the frame rate to 29.97 just like when you edit on a 24fps timeline and output it to a DV tape. So the DVCProHD tapes will have a workable framerate for the editor (29.97) and when we online it, we can do a pull-down to return it back to the original recorded framerate of 24. Any problems?? And I could have sworn I read somewhere on this forum that said to save the original MXF files if ever moving from FCP to Avid. Why would you save the MXF files if you could use the quicktimes?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top