Why use P2 technology - how do you log?
Can anyone explain to me why they use P2 technology? When we shoot our DVCAM footage, we log in FCP on a Powerbook, we mark all the good takes, then digitize based on what we've already seen. We don't need to re-log everything in the edit suite, we just start cutting with known good footage. Scene numbers, take numbers are already entered, and we're ready to go.
With P2, you record your footage, wait 8-10 minutes to copy the files to your laptop, then import the clips, with no markings; you don't know what the good takes are, you don't have any scene or take references, or useful in or out points. These all need to be added in FCP or P2 Log. You have to review all of the footage you've shot again, decide if the take is good or not (which can be fun if you've had 7 or 8 takes and it turns out take 5 was the 'good' one). This strikes me as an incredible waste of time, something we don't have the luxury of with ever shrinking budgets. I expect you have to keep some kind of paper log, (welcome to the 1980's) with an unpredictable file naming system, so that you know what you have when you're ready to post.
So is this really a good solution? Yes, you don't have to digitize. But you do have to log everything, which is very simple as you shoot in FCP, but you can't merge the P2 footage with a log kept in P2 Log or in FCP. Which brings me to my question: Can you create a log for P2 footage as you shoot, that can be brought into FCP without having to review the footage again or do a lot of post production typing?
To me, this is the Achilles heel of P2 production. Anyone have any thoughts? We don't shoot a frame without a scene number and tape number, we shoot 50 good shots a day from about 150 takes per day, and at about 60 days a year, we need to keep track of what we shoot as we go. I estimate at least a 1/2 day of logging for every day of shooting with the P2, and frankly, I don't have 30 working days in my year to create logs that I can easily make while we shoot.
P2, on the surface, looks great. But P2 and any direct to disk technology, to me, looks like a big step backwards in terms of workflow.
Fire away, folks.
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8) Non-linear since 1994
With P2, you record your footage, wait 8-10 minutes to copy the files to your laptop, then import the clips, with no markings; you don't know what the good takes are, you don't have any scene or take references, or useful in or out points. These all need to be added in FCP or P2 Log. You have to review all of the footage you've shot again, decide if the take is good or not (which can be fun if you've had 7 or 8 takes and it turns out take 5 was the 'good' one). This strikes me as an incredible waste of time, something we don't have the luxury of with ever shrinking budgets. I expect you have to keep some kind of paper log, (welcome to the 1980's) with an unpredictable file naming system, so that you know what you have when you're ready to post.
So is this really a good solution? Yes, you don't have to digitize. But you do have to log everything, which is very simple as you shoot in FCP, but you can't merge the P2 footage with a log kept in P2 Log or in FCP. Which brings me to my question: Can you create a log for P2 footage as you shoot, that can be brought into FCP without having to review the footage again or do a lot of post production typing?
To me, this is the Achilles heel of P2 production. Anyone have any thoughts? We don't shoot a frame without a scene number and tape number, we shoot 50 good shots a day from about 150 takes per day, and at about 60 days a year, we need to keep track of what we shoot as we go. I estimate at least a 1/2 day of logging for every day of shooting with the P2, and frankly, I don't have 30 working days in my year to create logs that I can easily make while we shoot.
P2, on the surface, looks great. But P2 and any direct to disk technology, to me, looks like a big step backwards in terms of workflow.
Fire away, folks.
MacBook Pro Mac OS X (10.4.8) Non-linear since 1994
