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When multicam-ing in FCP 7, one user reports <<I have found it much better to convert the 5D footage to the XDCAM EX codec instead of converting the EX footage to a ProRes 422 as the file sizes are absurd and there is still a gamma shift problem)>>.  It’s the gamma-shift that would bother me.

Additionally the user explains how to convert DSLR footage to XDCAM-EX format:

• http://mrmagicproductions.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/multi-cam-editing-with-a-sony-ex1-or-ex3-and-5dmk-ii/
  • To Convert the DSLR Footage:
    • Copy the exact file structure from the 5D card to the desired place on your hard drive.
      • Example tree should read:  5DCAM/”DCIM”  ”MISC” (both of the previous words in quotes are two separate folders as one will see in the native card structure)/100EOS5D/”MVI_0001.MOV”  ”MVI_0001.THM” (Again…multiple files in this folder)
    • Open MPEG Streamclip (Just google it to find and download the free program) and go to “File”, “Open Files” and select as many of the .MOV files from your hard drive that you need to convert for a multi-clip.
    • Go to “File”, “Export to Quicktime”
    • At the top of the dialog box where it says, “Compression” choose one of the XDCAM EX compression methods that fit with how your footage was shot.
    • Example:  I shot at 1920 x 1080 at 24 frames per second so I will choose, “XDCAM EX 1080p24 (35Mb/s VBR)” since this also matches the settings of the EX footage.
    • Make sure your frame rate in Streamclip on the lower right area is set to 23.98 if you shot at 24fps in your session
    • Click “Make Movie” and select your target destination
  •  The following will explain how to get the footage into FCP
    • After using Log and Transfer for your EX footage, simply select “Import” under the “File” menu and browse to your new media.
    • Double click your EX clip so it opens in the Source window.
    • Go to a point you would like to use as a sync point, stop playback and hit the letter “I” for “In-Point”  Repeat this exact process with your 5D clip.
    • Select both your 5D and EX clip in the Project area where your clips are listed, right click and select, “Make Multi-Clip”.
    • Select for the clips to be synced using In-Points and you now have a multi-clip.
  • Editing in Multi-Cam Mode
    • Drag the new multi-clip into the main timeline.
    • In the main timeline, click the “RT” button to the upper left of the video tracks.  Make sure that “Multi-clip Playback” is checked.
    • In the source window, look for the button with two playback heads and an “X” between them.  It is located at the top of the window directly in the center.  Click this button and choose, “Open”.  This will sync the source and canvas windows.
    • Double click your multi-clip in the main timeline; this should open both camera views in the source window.
    • Click anywhere in the main timeline and hit the space bar.  You should now see both videos in the source window playing and available for you to click on the angle you want.
    • When you’re done you should highlight everything in the main timeline, right click and select, “Collapse Multi-Clip”.  Don’t worry, you can easily turn it back on to continue multi-cam editing; this will just save on RAM.

I have a Sony XDCAM-EX clip at 1280×720p25 to be transcoded to ProRes, so it can be used as source for iMovie (for another user on another machine).

In principle it should be very simple: go on Mac, use Compressor to transcode the XDCAM footage to ProRes.  But as usual, things are pernickety…

Sequence:

• First tried dragging the XDCAM [.mp4] file into compressor.
  • Not recognised.
  • Likewise the BPAV folder.
• Next, I transcoded the XDCAM footage to “MXF for NLEs” format, using the Mac version of Sony Clip Browser
  • Not recognised.
•  Next, opened the XDCAM Transfer app.
  • In this app, open the XDCAM’s BPAV folder.
  • The footage displays OK but how do I export it to a QuickTime [MOV] file?
  • Looks like I can’t.  It only offers to export to an [MP4] file.
  • Instead, I guess I’ll have to open it from FCP.
• FCP
  • I opened a random existing FCP project.
  • The footage is 720p but the project/sequence settings are arbitrary (unknown to me)
  • FCP: File > Import > Sony XDCAM…
  • It imported to somewhere … but where?
  • FCP Browser: file > RightClick > Reveal in Finder
  • It was at [/Volumes/GRm HFS+/_Media/_Projects/2010-05-30 (Esp) Alison Doggies/020 Source/Sony XDCAM Transfer/SxS_01]
• File System:
  • In other words, at whatever destination was last used by some app - presumably XDCAM Transfer or possibly FCP
  • The destination path was in fact specified in XDCAM Transfer, under its Menu: [XDCAM Transfer > Preferences > Import]
  • Moved the file instead to [/Volumes/GRm HFS+/_Media/_Projects/2009-11-22 (JRM) Lady of the Silver Wheel]
• Compressor:
  • Open it in Compressor
    • Drag it to the “job-strip” (my term) in Compresor.
  • Compressor displays data about that clip (e.g. 1280×720, 25 fps)
  • Select jobstrip settings:
    • Select Setting
      • Settings: Apple > Formats > QuickTime > Apple Pro
        • Name: Apple ProRes 422
        • Description: Apple ProRes 422 with audio pass-through. Settings based off the source resolution and frame rate
    • Apply (Drag) Setting to Jobstrip
  • Destination
    • Leave destination unspecified.  Then it will be the same folder as Source.
  • Processing (transcoding) of this footage (1280×720p25) took about 3 minutes (on MacBook Pro 2009).
  • Result was not that much bigger than the original:
    • Originally recorded [.MP4] file: 1.19 GB
    • Rewrapped [.MOV] from XDCAM Transfer: 1.14 GB
    • ProRes [.MOV] from Compressor: 1.97 GB

I attended, working on one of the camera units.  Had a great time, learnt lots, at all sorts of levels.  Even how to make good use of the Movie Slate application on my iPhone!  Link: http://www.fstopacademy.com/

Migrating Media (and Projects) from FCP to Avid:

• http://michaelkammes.com/editorial/getting-final-cut-pro-projects-andor-media-into-avid-media-composer/
  • Very nice article with schematic diagrams explaining cost-free methods and why, despite those, Automatic Duck is worthwhile.

Free open-source pro-class NLE: http://www.lightworksbeta.com/ .  Well-received by many.  Glimmers a little bit like FCPX, but more flexible user interface, including keyboard-compatibility options with AVID and FCP7.  Register to download it (just over 40 MB).  Further links:

• http://www.lightworksbeta.com/
• http://www.advancehdtv.com/index.php/item/lightworks-a-new-nle.html
• http://forums.creativecow.net/archivethread/134/313499
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightworks
• http://lightworks.wikidot.com/
  • Unofficial Site to help the Lightworks (Beta) NLE community share tips/tricks and documentation.
  • Before using this Wiki, read the following:
    • Lightworks Quickstart Guide
  • Maybe also read the following (longer documents):
    • Lightworks Guide 2010
    • Install Guide
• http://community.avid.com/forums/p/96606/553421.aspx
  • Avid users discussing Lightworks etc.  Seems a reasonably good reception.
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/t/82697.aspx
    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gCDFfXUcGk
• YouTube
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gCDFfXUcGk
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu9kgRLQ7n8
• http://www.interlab-net.com/docs/lightworks/Press_Releases/LWKS_PR_NTFS.pdf
  • LightWorks courses at London’s NTFS

• http://www.videocorp.cl/minisitio/hdv/pdf%20HD/editores/
  • Covers Adobe, Avid, Final Cut, Sony Vegas.
  • But references Sony Clip Browser 2.0, a version which is well-superseded (I currently use 2.6).
• http://pro.sony.com/bbsccms/assets/files/micro/hdtapelessworkflow/brochures/25633_AVID_Media_Composer_R2.pdf
  • References Clip Browser 2.0+

Some people have reported problems:

• http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12881918&tstart=0
• <<I upgraded to 10.6.6 from 10.6.4. I installed 10.6.5 a few weeks after it was released and cause under exposing in all Final Cut Studio programs so I downgraded back to 10.6.4. I was hoping that 10.6.6 would solve this issue but it has not!  >>
• http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2710542&tstart=0
• << while I edit, I got a “Out of Memory” Error and an “Invalid Operation”. Can’t reopen the sequence on my MacBook but it opens with no problem on a Mac Pro.>>
• << Did a fresh install of 10.6.6 and no luck. Still the same error. Reverted back to a vault version of the project and worked slowly with it. No errors so far. Seems if I import in a particular PSD file, that out of error message comes back eventually. >>

Based on other people’s experiences, I am always wary of new versions of QuickTime.  I haven’t tried this one, and don’t intend to.  Some evidence of potential problems:

• [http://www.lafcpug.org/phorum/read.php?1,260877,261037#msg-261037]
  • Problem:
    • … when I exported my sequence using the Prores Codec, … it changed the colour of my sequence, adding a reddish hue/ saturation to it.
    • On my search round the web there seems to be quite a few people with this issue, but is there any fix for it ?
  • Likely cause:
    • QT 10 (QT X) is the worse thing Apple has unleashed to the Apple audience. It is NOT ready for release…and why it is on these systems…really only for consumers, but still…not ready.
  • A proposed fix (if QT X has already been installed):
    • Look in your UTILITIES folder for QT 7. Move that into the APPLICATIONS folder. Right-click on QTX and COMPRESS it. Then trash the app. This way you still have it, but it won’t be available as an application, and any QT file will default open with QT7.
      • This “hack” was advised by Apple to Shane Ross.  Pretty credible then…
    • Alternatively, use the Get Info dialog to set all QuickTime movies to open with QuickTime 7 Player
      • (although for some reason if you set a WMV to open in QuickTime Player 7, Flip4Mac keeps changing it back to QT X).

On MBP, I tried starting-up Compressor but its icon just bounced up & down (on the task-bar) for ages.  Attempts to right-click it revealed a “Not Responding” condition.  So I searched for a solution.  I discovered a check-list Compressor: Troubleshooting basics at http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1888?viewlocale=en_US.  From that check-list, the fix that worked was to delete my account’s Preferences for Compressor, as follows:

• In the Finder, go to ~/Library/Preferences
  • (where the tilde (~) represents your Home folder).
• Remove the following files from the Preferences folder:
  • com.apple.Compressor.CompressorSharedService.plist
  • com.apple.compressor.Compressor.plist

I discovered the checklist at http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1408723, which also gave some more tips.

Steps: (may be useful for making a checklist?)

• (Day-book 2010-08-16 12:30)
  • Did it at office.