Speed changes with HVX

Pro Swooping Tour

Pro Swooping Tour

Active member
I'm looking to make cool varible speed changes with HVX footage. I want full speed footage to slow down to 48 or 60P with a ramp. I know a little about time remapping in FCP but what are the best settings with the HVX.

I have shot footage 720/60 with aquistion on 60P to produce full speed videp that can then be slowed down with frame converter in FCP. In FCP it will only let me frame convert (slow mo) a entire video clip, not a piece of a clip.

So, what is the best work flow? to produce a clip that starts full speed and then ramps to full HVX 48 or 60P?

Thanks...Jim
 
You're not going to like the answer: the HVX200 doesn't allow you to change the framerate while shooting.

But I also cannot imagine that FCP doesn't let you use keyframes to do a time remapping on selected portions of your video. Then again, I don't use it, but I would be surprised if it couldn't do this somehow.

Worst case you cut your video into multiple chunks and change the speed on each chunk individually.
 
FCP allows you to remap speed and time through out the clip.

Select the clip you want, and go to the "Motion" tab on your preview window. Go to "Time Remapping" and then select "Variable Speed" under the "Settings" menu.

You'd need to shoot it with an HVX slow motion setting and then increase the speed in FCP to bring it to normal motion.

After that, you can play with the speed all you want.
 
Used Twixtor in the past

Used Twixtor in the past

I haven't used it in a while, so likely not the most recent version, but last time I used it I loved it. I mainly used it as an AE plugin. Thought it was a great tool for speed adjustments. I haven't really played w/ FCP's built in stuff in a while, I know around 4.5 or maybe 5.0 they did a solid upgrade to it. I just haven't really given it that much of a look. So basically, back in the day at least, I think twixtor was an invaluable tool. In today's day and age, not sure quite so much as NLE's have developed quite a bit.

cheers.
 
Pluimer said:
FCP allows you to remap speed and time through out the clip.

Select the clip you want, and go to the "Motion" tab on your preview window. Go to "Time Remapping" and then select "Variable Speed" under the "Settings" menu.

You'd need to shoot it with an HVX slow motion setting and then increase the speed in FCP to bring it to normal motion.

After that, you can play with the speed all you want.
Click to expand...

I know I can change the speed of a clip within FCP but it add frames and frame blends. I'm looking for the best way to go from full speed to HVX slow motion (48/60P)?
 
I can speed 48 or 60P footage up but it looks steppy and not natural. Just looking for the best way and the best workflow for producing full speed to HVX smooth slow motion with a ramp. Like a "Matrix" type look and feel. I have seen guys do things similar with "Time remapping" and "Twixtor" but how do I do it with real framerate slow motion?
 
As I wrote earlier, you cannot change the framerate on the HVX200 while you are shooting. You can change Scene Files using the dial while shooting, but if they use different framerates, the new framerate is ignored. You have to stop and start recording to use a different framerate.
 
You can try shooting everything at 48fps @ 1/48th, then for your main footage you'd drop every other frame (which would give you exact 24fps imagery) and for the slow-mo section you'd play all 48fps @ 24fps.
 
Gotta do it in post

Gotta do it in post

Pro Tour,

You answered your own question really...

I have seen guys do things similar with "Time remapping" and "Twixtor"
Click to expand...

Speed ramps (not just speed changes) require post. They are not shot in camera. How to best achieve the look you want depends a lot on you, as its you who is deciding what is 'good' and what isn't. So you need to try the various different routes and make your choice.

You may need to do a combination of shooting to achieve what you want (ie Barry's comment). You'll just need some really solid cutting work. While the 'Bullet Time' (from the Matrix) is said to be not too hard to achieve in post, do remember, they had the luxury of acheiving it with a umm 'sizable' budget.

Additionally, did you watch the Shake video that someone posted a link for? The creator of the video does an excellent job showing you how well the interpolation ability in Shake is compared with FCP (which does the blends that seem to be undesirable for you). Shake has just nose dived in price, btw.
 
Thanks Varicamlife, you made this nice and clear for me. Which do you guys think does a better job of speed changes in post.....SHAKE or TWIXTOR?
 
I did a test with some footage shot with HVX 200 at 60 frames a second. When I bring it into FCP and use Time remapping the end product looks no different then footage from a cheap mini DV camera shooting 30i. Time remapping frame blends and stuff so shooting slow mo footage with expensive HVX 200 doesn't seem like an advantage.

So, I can't change the frame rates during shooting with HVX 200 and in post time remapping duplicates frames and gives a ghosting appearance. I would love to know how I could use my HVX 200 to produce 60 frames a second footage that could be used in post to create full speed scenes that change to slow motion to create smooth speed transitions.

Does anyone know if FCP reconizes that the footage was shot let's say 60 frames a second instead of just normal NTSC? I mean, why does FCP and Time Remapping duplicate frames for slow mo if it has 60 frames a second to work with? I am very, very, very confused and disappointed I don't know how to use my new HVX 200 and FCP to produce the look I want...
 
You are not going to get good results with an editer and time remapping. You need to use AE, Shake, Combustion, etc. to get good results and you will need to experiment a lot to get it smooth depending on the number of frames you start and finish with.
 
Don't know how to do it in FCP; in Vegas you'd drop the 48fps file on a 24p timeline and tell the footage to play back at 200% speed. Be sure to turn off frame blending or anything like that; it should just play every other frame and give you a direct simulation of 24p acquisition/playback.
 
Im useing the TIME REMAP in edius broadcast version 4.01
I think if you used this and figured out how to use it like I did
adding multiple keyframes.
I think you would be very impressed in achieving exactly what you are asking for.
Barry have you had a play with this feature yet?
 
If you're looking to take one clip and put numerous speed changes into it, use the slice tool and cut stuff at the points where you want it to change speed. Then apply the speed changes to the smaller clips. The best results will come from slowing down regular 24p footage. Although the motion won't be as smooth, you'll get the effect you're after.
 
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