Contrast Problems from Red Rushes

[Chris Collins]

I am exporting footage using each file's corresponding RSX file in Red Rushes. I selected "RSX" for look source and "Clip RSX" for RSX Source yet my exported image looks much more flat than what I see in Red Alert. It looks as though the color correction has worked fine, yet the contrast corrections have not. I'm viewing both on the same monitor, so what am I doing wrong? Thanks!

[jimhare]

I'd say you're experiencing the dreaded QuickTime Gamma problem. Contrast will look drastically different between QT and FCP.

Make sure you have selected ENABLE FINAL CUT COLOR COMPATIBILITY in QT prefs.

[Chris Collins]

Gracias. It looks like you're right. Does this mean that the export from final cut will definitely look as it does in Red Alert? Also, there seems to be a bit of digital artifacts in the corrected footage. Will this be a problem when exporting from final cut to color, and how can I fix this? How can I ensure that my footage will look clean when making my final export? I have seen others with this same problem, but I haven't seen it resolved.

[Nick Shaw]

Make sure you have selected ENABLE FINAL CUT COLOR COMPATIBILITY in QT prefs.

Be careful though, as all that does is make the movie look the same in QT player on your machine as it does in RED Alert. It will still look 'flat' when you play it in FCP on a broadcast monitor via a Kona or Blackmagic. To get the RED Alert look on the broadcast monitor, you will need to apply a gamma correction of 1.8/2.2 – this is assuming you are working with ProRes or FCP uncompressed QuickTimes.

[Richard Bradbury]

To get the RED Alert look on the broadcast monitor, you will need to apply a gamma correction of 1.8/2.2 – this is assuming you are working with ProRes or FCP uncompressed QuickTimes.

How can this be done Nick? There is no individual numerical control for gamma in the RSX file. Is there any way of using the controls there (Contrast, Brightness, or a custom curve for example) to achieve this?