ProRes to R3d Workflow question

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Level 1

5 points

ProRes to R3d Workflow question

I was wondering if anyone has a link to a clear breakdown of the workflow to color correct r3d footage.

I have received a project which I transcoded to prores, I would like to CC it now using the r3d footage instead of the prores, but cant figure out the best way to do so. I have read a couple of different workflows but they all seem really old so Im doubting that is the best way

Can anyone point me on the right track thank you.

Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Nov 5, 2010 10:53 AM

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Answer 1

JP Owens

Level 4

2,015 points

Nov 5, 2010 11:16 AM in response to btm

This has been massively discussed as to how to get back to the RDC raw media on the Creative Cow COLOR, FCP and Reduser sites. There is a whitepaper outlining two approaches on the RED support partition on their website. As far as a "clear breakdown" goes, if there was one, everybody would like to know that, because this entire approach was borne of some kind of artificial "rebellion", and workflows are mostly +ad hoc+ and chaotic. Every enthusiast has their own obviously superior approach. "Really old". LOL. Ironic. That is the entire problem with RED.

It depends on how you transcoded the original media as to whether you now have a difficult or easy task before you. RedCine, Clipfinder, Cinema Tools, Log&Transfer in FCP, all have different ramifications and for the most part, use of one may disqualify the other for several different reasons.

Good Luck.

jPo

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Answer 2

btm Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 5, 2010 11:27 AM in response to JP Owens

Thank you for your quick reply.
I was caught off guard because first someone else was doing the CC and after it was decided that I should do it I was still only CCing from the ProRes since there is 5d footage involved that account for a third of the project.

Either way can I bother you just to see if what I am thinking about as my future workflow has any, missing or wrongful steps that you can predict.

I transcoded using L&T. I was thinking of using the Clipfinder (I HAVE VERSION 2.1.16 should I get a later version ) method.

1. Cut using the ProRes files and export the timeline as an XML.
2. Open Clipfinder and select Tools->Run Conform on FCP XML File. Select the source XML (the one you just exported from FCP) and a destination XML (call it "ConformXML" or whatever you want). Enable "Replace Clips with " and select one of the proxy resolutions (I usually use H, but you can use whatever you want). Add the directory that is the master folder in which the original R3d files are located. Click OK and go back to FCP.
3. Import the Conform XML you just made and open the sequence. You should see a duplicate of the ProRes sequence, but with all of the clips being the "H" Red proxies instead of the ProRes files.
4. Send the sequence to Color.
5. Once you've opened it in Color and confirmed that everything is there, save the project.
6. Go back into Clipfinder and select Tools->Fix Looping Bug in Color Project, and select the Color project you just saved.
7. Go back into Color and reopen the project.

This seems to be pretty straight forward could I be missing a step, will my version of Clipfinder suffice or should I get the latest.

Thank you

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Answer 3

btm Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 5, 2010 11:33 AM in response to btm

I just tested this workflow but when I get into color it still does not recognize it as r3d thus not allowing me access to the RED tab.

Any ideas on what Im doing wrong?

thank you

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Answer 4

JP Owens

Level 4

2,015 points

Nov 5, 2010 11:40 AM in response to btm

If you used L&T in FCP, you should be able to re-connect an "offline" FCP project to the RDC or proxy files in the original RDM directories. There is a bit of a trick here in that if you reconnect your edit to the proxies and send that to COLOR, newer versions of it should link to the RDC and give you the red tab.

Worth a try. For sure, this works with the P proxy and you have to modify the resolution back up to 2K or whatever, but I thought I got it to work with the M and H proxies, as well.

jPo

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Answer 5

btm Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 5, 2010 12:03 PM in response to JP Owens

Ok I figured out what I was doing wrong I was following instructions for a different version of Clipfinder so I wasent checking the reconnect via box.

Now I just need to figure out how to deal with the different Rez. arghh

thank you for your help

PS : I dont have this option in my version of clipfinder:
6. Go back into Clipfinder and select Tools->Fix Looping Bug in Color Project, and select the Color project you just saved.

Can anyone explain what this is referring to, what bug is this?
thank you

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Answer 6

JP Owens

Level 4

2,015 points

Nov 5, 2010 12:21 PM in response to btm

The looping bug is an interrupt behaviour related to "spanned" files -- RED has a FAT32-type 2GB maximum file size, so for longer clips, it will create several RDC files that have to play nicely with each other and is something that COLOR doesn't respond well to.

There is a COLORFixer application available that deals with this.

jPo

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