Blog

According to a CreativeCow thread [http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/223/9886], with the right updates art least, it is possible to pass both XDCAM EX native files and ProRes derived from them into Color.

Now I am well-confused, because:

• I had the impression that Color would only accept Sequences, not Files.
  • That impression came from info quoted in an earlier post.
• As I understand it, ProRes is part ofQuickTime:
  • A ProRes QuickTime decoder is available ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProRes_422]as of 2009-05-05).
  • “The ProRes 422 software encoder compresses the incoming video frames and writes them to a QuickTime file” [http://images.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/white_papers/L342568A_ProRes_WP.pdf]

Being fully-engrossed on PC-based projects, I am unable to verify any of these

According to CineForm NEO HD FAQ [http://techblog.cineform.com/?cat=69] as of 2009-05-05:

“Color does NOT support QuickTime codecs. Instead, Color only allows
certain codecs that have been compiled into the code to be used.  Apple
is aware of this limitation, but they haven’t been to quick to solve
the problem.”

Whaaaaat!?!?!   If so then that’s astonishing(-ly uncool).

On the Mac, Cineform uses the QuickTime wrapper, hence:

“CineForm files currently do NOT work in Apple’s Color application.”

[http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8516605�]:

<<<

Posted: Nov 24, 2008 1:57 PM

• Problem:
  • I have FCP Studio w/ Color loaded, as well as Soundtrack and Motion, however when I right click on the clip and choose the “send” to option Color is not part of the drop down menu where Motion and Soundtrack both are.
• Solution:
  • Only Sequences can be sent to Color, not individual clips
  • You can either send the whole sequence to Color or create a new sequence (command+N) copy and paste your desired clip/s and send that new sequence by either control/right clicking the new sequence in the browser>send to> Color or go to File send to>Color.
  • You can still send your highlighted clip to Color and the application will open keeping your clip highlighted but the rest of the sequence will show up too.
  • Please note that communication between FCP and Color is handled thanks to XML transfer.

>>>

In forum [http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6928965&#6928965], Christopher Landy said (March 2008): “I have a multicam/multiclip dance performance project which I have completed editing and want to grade in Color. I collapsed the multiclips (per user’s manual) before sending to Color.  I completed the grade, but when I sent it back to FCP6, I received a warning that the in/out points had changed and may effect the sequence and clips, so, I canceled the send. … Apparently Color and Multiclips don’t mix. Had to color correct the old fashioned way.”

“Final Cut 6 (with an update) will recognize XDCAM footage more or less in it’s native format. You import the footage using the Sony Transfer software and it merely puts a QuickTime “wrapper” around the XDCAM footage. It’s still Long GOP like HDV but a better codec. You can render it into discrete frame codec as you say but it is not entirely necessary. I sometimes do and often don’t. I do a final render out in a full frame/intraframe file and then send it to compressor to munch it into whatever final form I need it in.” [http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdcam-ex-cinealta/144941-new-avid-release-could-revolution-xdcam.html]