I started creating this as a very simple overview for the various post production options projects can take advantage of when working with RED footage – this is the first draft.
Producers, Directors, The various executives and semi-technical production and post production personal are reaching out to us at RED on a constant basis to get a basic understanding of the tools and processes required, so hopefully this can help as a resource those shooting and Posting RED can direct those people to as a starting point.
I hope this will spur some discussion both here and offline that can help the various parts of the industry get the information they need to work most efficiently and create the best results from the RED for any type of project they may be working on.
Simple Post Production Options for RED ONE
Start with R3D's - backed up so there are at least 2 copies of the RAW REDCODE Media
Use the tools Available by RED (RedRushes, Red Alert, REDCINE, RedLine) to generate appropriate files for offline editing, broadcast HD editing (hybrid offline/online using 1 set of files) and finishing/color grading media for final delivery.
- Apple FCP & Color Workflow simple overview: Edit natively with QT pointers to the R3D files or with rendered ProRes media in FCP 6.0.5 / Finishing & Final Color Grading Natively with REDCODE RAW files or with Rendered ProRes media in Apple Color
- Adobe CS4 Workflow simple overview: Edit natively with R3D files in Premiere Pro 4.0.1 / Finish Natively or with rendered online media in After Effects 9.0.1
- Avid Media Composer and DS Workflow simple overview: Edit with DNX QT or native DNX MXF media in Media Composer / Finish Natively or with rendered online media in Avid DS
Post Production Pathway #1:
All Desktop, All Apple hardware and FCP Studio 2 workflow:
Start with Apple FCP 6.0.5 with the RED FCP Studio 2 Installer package loaded from the red.com/support website
Drag and Drop the _M proxies (1k resolution) for a no render, instant offline editing workflow
or
Render in RedRushes or the Log and Transfer interface directly in FCP 6 to ProRes 422 media in either 2k or 1080p from the 4k REDCODE media - and edit offline or online/color correct in Apple Color for Broadcast quality finishing directly from those files.
or
Use the Native R3D QuickTime wrapped RED workflow, by ingesting using the Log and Transfer interface directly in FCP 6 using the native setting preference. Then offline with these QT wrapped REDCODE files in 2k and do final Color Correction by sending the FCP project over to Apple Color, accessing the full bit depth and dynamic range of the original R3D files. Send the color corrected project back to FCP for final output.
Post Production Pathway #2:
Adobe CS4 (Premiere Pro 4.0.1) All Desktop PC or Mac hardware workflow:
Start with Premiere Pro 4.0.1 with the RED Adobe CS4 Installer package loaded from the red.com/support website
Natively Import (Drag and Drop) R3D files into Premiere Pro, set up the project resolution based on the power of your computing hardware and edit offline in either 1/2k, 1k or 2k resolution from the 4k native R3D files
or
Render in RedRushes (Intel Mac platform only) or directly in the Premiere Pro interface to MJPEG files at 1080p or 2k and use those files to do offline editing (and in some cases online editing) and finishing
then
Send Premiere Pro Project to After Effects 9.0.1, reset project parameters to 2k or 4k for grading and finishing, and create final deliverables for TV or Theatrical Finish
Post Production Pathway #3:
Avid All Desktop PC and/or Mac hardware workflow:
Start with Avid Media Composer or Symphony
Generate DNX HD QuickTime Movies using RED Rushes and the associated ALE file to send that media into the appropriate Avid project bin with the proper clip information, Or generate Native MXF files from the R3D media using MetaFuse for editing.
Edit offline or online in Media Composer or Symphony, depending on the quality of the DNX HD media you've created.
Send Composer project to Avid DS for finishing and color grading, work with the Native R3Ds and Render completed project for delivery, or work with DS Online Media formats, rendering the edited project footage before finishing in DS.
All Roads Lead to the Finish:
There are a number of DI solutions that support RED files natively, and there are likely more that I have not mentioned here that have a native support pathway for R3D files, and many companies are actively working on their integration.
Of note:
Assimilate Scratch has been working with RED native files since the initial launch of the RED camera (along with Apple) for Color Grading and Finishing, and have a number of viable workflows for tapeless end to end, as well as more traditional tape based layoffs from RED files to HD tape for editing ingest and HD finishing.
DI, Color Grading, FX / Compositing & Finishing Systems that are currently working with RED files natively (not a complete list):
Quantel
Digital Vision
Avid
AutoDesk
BaseLight
DaVinci
Nuke
Digital Fusion
Depending on your preference of tool, these companies (and others that people can mention as this thread develops) have systems that have robust support for working directly with R3D files, as well as rendered DPX files (typically created as RedLog or PD685 Log files) that fit well within the comfort zone of these tools for grading and finishing. A number of these systems also have the ability to bring in EDL's XML's and AAF's to conform from the offline edit to an HD, 2k, or 4k finish.
The ever changing nature of Computing Technology:
The processing and prepping of files for editorial and finishing from the REDCODE RAW native footage is computer based, and takes advantage of the ever increasing power of today's processors. Many of the RED shooting formats can be played back at various broadcast quality resolutions in Real Time on today's fastest machines,
In addition, creating finishing files for a HD, 2k or 4k finish are becoming more efficient all the time, and companies from individual one system owners, to small boutiques, to medium sized post companies, to the largest post companies in the world are servicing clients RED jobs of all scope. One of the significant advantages to working with RED files is it's truly scalable nature, from one single computer to a full on Render Farm for quick turnaround jobs with multiple deliverables.
Originally Posted by TedRed
