Workflow with Avid DS

[Scott Simmons]

Has anyone had any good luck going to an Avid DS with DPX (or maybe tiff sequences) from RedCine?

My understanding is that the Avid DS can see DPX sequences but you have to have a later version to read timecode and headers and such from a DPX sequence.

Of course there are always uncompressed Quicktimes I assume.
Thanks to any DS gurus out there!

[gbalaji]

Has anyone had any good luck going to an Avid DS with DPX (or maybe tiff sequences) from RedCine?

My understanding is that the Avid DS can see DPX sequences but you have to have a later version to read timecode and headers and such from a DPX sequence.

Of course there are always uncompressed Quicktimes I assume.
Thanks to any DS gurus out there!

Avid DS is available for 45 day trial version here - http://www.avid.com/forms/info.asp?iTrackingID=WEBDSASSIST.

I downloaded and imported the edl. Learning how to conform exported dpx files for edl from Avid Xpress Pro, which I use to cut offline from proxies using MetaCheater. If you are well versed with Avid DS, you can download and pass on your feedback.

Will get back to you once it works for me.

[Andi Loor]

Here is a workflow published by Igor Ridanovic at the Google DSlist:

Here is a RED 2k workflow. I posted it on the DSWiki too.

RED ONE to DS Nitris 2k Workflow

This workflow is tested and valid as of 2/14/2008. Things are changing rapidly on the RED side so there may be improvements soon.

The DS side of the workflow is very straightforward. Once you generate DPX files and an EDL you can conform the whole thing easily. However, there are problems with DPX output on the RED side which prevented me from getting a 100% conform. Read on.

This is how the process works.:

1. Offline Edit

RED records 12 bit RGB RAW files in proprietary R3D format. Assimilate Scratch is the only system capable of loading these files at the moment. In order to offline with these files you have to create reference proxy Quicktimes using RED ALERT which is one of the free companion applications available at red.com. The reference proxy creation is instantaneous. You can use the proxies to edit in FCP.

2. Create DPX files

Another free companion application is REDCINE. It is very similar in functionality to RED ALERT but it can load multiple R3D clips and export DPX files. You can either export all of your footage to DPX, you can manually pick and chose the takes you need or you can use a smarter approach with a program called RedTrip from http://www.redhax.net/wiki which will select the clips you need.

Once you lock picture you export an EDL and XML from FCPRO. Process this XML with RedTrip. It will create 2 new XMLs. One of them is called "REDCINE." When you load all of your source footage into REDCINE and load the new XML from RedTrip it will discard all the takes that are not part of the locked cut. At this point you can generate the DPX files. On an 8 core Mac it took 24x the running time to create 2k full aperture files. I have a feeling that the process slows down as it progresses.

3. Conform in DS

Load all DPX files in your local VideoStorage. Create a sequence that matches the DPX files in terms of size and bit depth. Load the EDL in a text editor and truncate all the source reels to 4 characters. For example, if the original source name was something like A001C002… rename it to A001. Save the EDL, load it in DS and follow the standard DS DPX conform procedure. DS will link to the DPX files.

4. Issues

REDCINE is mangling some information in the DPX headers. I have not tested enough to see if there are any patterns. The problem is that when the field which is used to identify the reel name is messed up DS or any other conform box can't properly associate the file with the EDL.

The other problem is that the reel names in the DPX header are only 4 characters long (hence the A001 change). You will certainly run into duplicate time codes with such a naming convention. The A001C002… name syntax comes from RED camera where "A" is the "A" camera, "001" is reel 001, "C002" is clip 002 and so forth. The full name also includes the date. The EDL can include up to 8 characters, which would minimize the occurrence of duplicate time codes, but the REDCINE puts only 4 in the DPX header. These REDCINE issues may be resolved in future releases. You will need heavy manual matching to fix the issues until then.

Igor Ridanovic

Andi Loor

[lordoff]

Hi!
I love dswiki. Great resourse, thanks to creators!
:poster_oops: Here is update from 5/20/2008 about RED & DS workflow:
http://dswiki.wikispaces.com/Red

Thank you Igor! Good work!:greedy:

[dmax]

Igor's workflow is great, but the update was me :-)

[Igor Ridanovic]

Hi!
I love dswiki. Great resourse, thanks to creators!
:poster_oops: Here is update from 5/20/2008 about RED & DS workflow:
http://dswiki.wikispaces.com/Red

Thank you Igor! Good work!:greedy:

dmax has run into some significant TC related issues and updated my workflow at the DS Wiki. Make sure you read it before you start pulling your hair.

[lordoff]

Oh, yes Mr.Declan!
Your update is very important about TC issue!
Thank you for sugestion!
I like your smart description, good explanation for edge timecode and TOD.
I waiting our RED to test workflow with my beloved Avid DS
/"Softimage DS" some times I will prefer :-) /

[Nigel Hadley]

Has anyone had any good luck going to an Avid DS with DPX (or maybe tiff sequences) from RedCine?

My understanding is that the Avid DS can see DPX sequences but you have to have a later version to read timecode and headers and such from a DPX sequence.

Of course there are always uncompressed Quicktimes I assume.
Thanks to any DS gurus out there!

Hello,

Well here at Digital Vision we have full support for R3D files in all our products and we can now export MXF and DNxHD files.

A simple workflow would be;

1 - Load all R3D files into Nucoda (probably Data Conform) export DNxHD 36 for offline in a Media Composer
2 - Offline in the Media Composer
3 - Send final AAF to DS and also to Nucoda Film Master for grading
4 - DS starts on the effects whilst Film Master simultaneously does the grade
5 - Export final uncompressed MXF files from the Film Master into the DS storage - The DS will automatically relink to the latest versions of the files.

Regards

Nigel

[Igor Ridanovic]

Anyone interested in Film Master oriented workflow can view videos from their demonstration at the January meeting of RED Los Angeles User Group (http://www.kappastudios.com/?page_id=21). The YouTube channel is: http://www.youtube.com/user/REDLAUG

[Nigel Hadley]

Thanks for that Igor - I have also posted links to them on our own YouTube site at;

http://uk.youtube.com/user/151Wardour

Regards

Nigel