Advice needed for transcoding 4K HLG BT 2020 to Rec. 709 1080 P

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Level 1

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Advice needed for transcoding 4K HLG BT 2020 to Rec. 709 1080 P

I'm working in Final Cut Pro on a low budget feature length documentary filmed on an 8 Bit, full frame DSLR camera in 4K HLG BT. 2020. The first screening will be on a 1080 P Christie Projector. The color graded project and rendered files look perfect on an HDR monitor. When I export as 1080 P using all the correct HDR tools, the highlights are blown out and the image quality is poor. I also tried tried transcoding the HDR rendered file in Apple Compressor into a Rec 709 file and again the highlights were blown out.

Do I have to do a separate color grade in Rec 709 or am I missing something?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.4

Posted on May 14, 2024 4:40 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,210 points

May 14, 2024 7:01 AM in response to Quillnib

Just an SDR project. Keep the library wide dynamic range.

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Answer 2

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,210 points

May 14, 2024 6:06 AM in response to Quillnib

If you want Rec 709 output, you should edit in a 709 project. In the current version. HDR media placed in an SDR project will auto conform the color. You should still color correct the media in the project.

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Answer 3

May 14, 2024 8:40 AM in response to Quillnib

Quillnib wrote:

Thanks Tom,

If I am going to have both the HDR and SDR in the same library on the same External SSD, I guess in the interest of managing memory, I should be creating a Library for every scene and export the scene as master files. which I can later stitch together.

You are overcomplicating things.

As Tom said, you need just a new project (once you are done), make it SDR, copy and paste everything, and export. No need to duplicate media or libraries.

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Answer 4

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,210 points

May 14, 2024 5:52 AM in response to Quillnib

10.7.1?

HDR monitor?

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Answer 5

Quillnib Author

Level 1

11 points

May 14, 2024 6:40 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I'm working with a Pro Display XDR as well as calibrated Rec 709 monitors.

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Answer 6

Quillnib Author

Level 1

11 points

May 14, 2024 8:33 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Thanks Tom,

If I am going to have both the HDR and SDR in the same library on the same External SSD, I guess in the interest of managing memory, I should be creating a Library for every scene and export the scene as master files. which I can later stitch together.

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