Color Issues or User Error?

[Kevin Wild]

Okay, this is perplexing. We've successfully used the FCP to Color to FCP workflow for 16x9 footage. Now, I'm trying some clips for 2:1 and I am very confused. Here is what I'm doing:

-Shot 4K, 2:1, 23.98, Build 17
-Use L&T set to "Native" to bring in clips to FCP
-Edit sequence with matched settings per clip (2048 x 1024 ProRes422HQ though clip shows as REDCODE

I Send to Color. Now, I want to Color Correct and send back to FCP as a 1920 x 1080 clip/sequence, right?

In Color,
-Under Project Settings, I change "Res Presets" to 1920x1080, "Render File" to QT and "QT Export Codecs" to ProRes422HQ.
-I render and send back to FCP choosing "Yes" or "No" when it asks "match seq settings to render settings" Either way results in a frame that does not equal the 16x9 aspect ration in FCP. (It's smaller than the Canvas.)

So, I kept all the same settings, but went into Geometry and scaled to .95 so that the frame's height matched. In theory this should crop the image's sides when I render it out.

I render it and send to FCP choosing "Yes" or "No" when it asks "match seq settings to render settings." Either way now results in a frame that is LARGER than the Canvas and under the motion tab is scaled to 105.26. When I scale it back down to 100, it's small again.


So...if you're still following this, has anyone gotten 2:1 to work in FCP to Color and back to FCP, forcing it into a 16x9 sequence? If not, how are you working it back into FCP?

Thanks for any help!

Kevin

[Kaku Ito]

Kevin,

When your source is 2:1 which is 16:8, as what you have selected at this point give you 16:9 letterbox within 16:9 framing.

You have to resize your clips within Color in the geometry, resize to crop the sides to fit the vertical size fit the 16:9, then it will be cropped within 16:9 instead of getting black bars on the top and bottom.

[Kevin Wild]

Thanks, Kaku, but what if I want to "fit to horizontal" like it lets you choose in RED Rushes and RED Cine?

I guess Color is locked to "fitting vertical?" I'll have to do some more tests, but I have not found a way to crop the edges and "center cut" to 16 x 9 from the 2:1.

Thanks!

Kevin

[Kaku Ito]

Fit to horizontal will end up fitting the horizontal so 2:1 material in 16:9 results in letterboxing.

There's no automatic center cut choice in Color I think. You have to manually resize in the Geometry, set one of the clip then use copy then select "all" to paste.

[Kevin Wild]

Yes, that is what is not working. You cannot get it to center cut even by manual sizing at all. I haven't been able to get it to work...

[Kaku Ito]

oh, no, really?

I guess I have been dealing with 16:9 as 16:9 and 2:1 as 2:1 then.

After installing a fresh system, I will test that for you in my side.

Best,