Questions about film outs and editing.

[Jonathon Laing]

Hey guys,

Im still learning a lot about the film industry. So I may sound like an idiot, anyways here goes:

When editing in Final Cut Pro, you can only edit in 2k resolution correct? Maybe a little higher, how ever my point is that it's limited to a small amount when compared to what you can shoot at nowdays. So when you shoot on film and digitize it, it's normally a resolution that FCP can't work with like 5-6K, correct?. So whats the point of shooting anything higher than the resolution limit that FCP can work with? Obviously there is a process or way around it, but I just have no idea what it is.

My guess is that you edit, grade and do all the post stuff in 2k. Then once your've done with that you some how apply all of that data to the original higher resolution footage, so that when its time to do a film out, it's at its highest possable resolution. This is just a wild guess.

So to boil it all down, could someone please explain to me how industry proffesionals would edit footage on FCP that was shot at 28k, and do a film out in its highest possable resolution.

Hope you understand what I'm confuse about :)

Thanks :)

[John Portnoy]

Movies shot on film telecine their negative to either standard definition or high definition for editorial. It's called "offline." Once picture is locked, keykodes from the negative are turned over to the facility finishing picture (Digital Intermediate facility), which scans the negative selects at either 2K (generally) or 4K. The scans are assembled based on the offline cut and color timed. Virtually no one offlines with 2K scans, because the cost of scanning all the negative shot is prohibitive.

Movies shot digitally (there's no such thing as 28K; the Red is the highest resolution non-specialized camera out there at 4K) can choose to work with the native files, but generally downconvert the files to HD or SD resolution, and then conform the high-res files at the end of the process.

[Jonathon Laing]

Movies shot on film telecine their negative to either standard definition or high definition for editorial. It's called "offline." Once picture is locked, keykodes from the negative are turned over to the facility finishing picture (Digital Intermediate facility), which scans the negative selects at either 2K (generally) or 4K. The scans are assembled based on the offline cut and color timed. Virtually no one offlines with 2K scans, because the cost of scanning all the negative shot is prohibitive.

Movies shot digitally (there's no such thing as 28K; the Red is the highest resolution non-specialized camera out there at 4K) can choose to work with the native files, but generally downconvert the files to HD or SD resolution, and then conform the high-res files at the end of the process.

Hey kandyd, Thanks a lot for clearing that up for me. I know there isn't 28K yet. I just used it as an example.

When one works with Red footage thats been downconverter to HD, how exactly do they conform the high-res files at the end? Is that something FCP can do?

[John Portnoy]

There is a workflow for Final Cut Pro where it can pass the Red files through to Color for color timing, but I don't recommend that workflow unless you're finishing HD.

For a long time, a company called Assimilate had a deal with Red to be the only provider of software to conform native Red data. Those days are behind us now, and more companies are announcing native Red compatibility.

There's a product called Clipster that's used all over Los Angeles that can debayer and play out native Red data; most of the manufacturers of color timing hardware support or have announced support. Certainly within a year finishing Red for film won't require any specialized companies.

[Dan Hudgins]

Certainly within a year finishing Red for film won't require any specialized companies.

What part of the DI process do you think cannot be done by the filmmaker himself at home now?

My DI system goes from film scan to film out, so what part is lacking in your mind?

[Peter Moretti]

... Certainly within a year finishing Red for film won't require any specialized companies.

I think the operative word is "require."

[John Portnoy]

There are just more manufacturers coming on line with gear that's compatible. As that happens, the likelihood that the place you choose to do you DI won't have some of it decreases.

[M Most]

Certainly within a year finishing Red for film won't require any specialized companies.

It will still require specialized knowledge and talent to be done well, however.