Organizing / Naming files in the field

[Trent Pekkala]

Hello,

First time posting - thanks in advance for the help - as a relative newcomer to the Red workflow I've found reduser to be incredibly helpful.

So the issue that I'm running into - basically we're doing work for a large political agency that is adapting their model of shooting on Alexa with a Nanoflash recorder to shooting on my company's Scarlet. The idea of the Alexa/Nanoflash was to have REC709 Prores files out of the Nanoflash for quick and dirty editing (and to distribute to other agencies) and the Alexa files LogC for going back and having a more RAW file to work with if needed. So the client comes to the shoot - gets on a plane with a drive with two sets of files (or perhaps just the Nanoflash card) and edits the next day.

In adapting this to the Red workflow we've added an extra day to transcode the R3D files and apply a first light color to give them ProRes files. We did some testing and RedCine seemed like it was taking way too long to transcode the files so we ended up doing the first round in Avid 6.

So my question --- in the Alexa workflow - on set the Data person would re-name and organize both sets of files (Alexa and Nanoflash) into folders so the agency could easily edit them and then organize the footage into their library (they do a ton of political campaigns so having footage in a "stock" library to pull from is key for them) -- What is the easiest (or is there a) way to do name and organize files in the Red workflow? I know that I can rename clip names in RedCine and give them the project file - but if they open the R3D's in Avid 6 those names won't come over. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Final note: I fully recognize that the Red workflow isn't perfect for all situations - but the agency is sold on the idea of shooting 4k and only having to do one take with someone and being able to push in to a tight shot in post.

Thanks again.

[Nick Pasquariello]

Renaming the R3D files themselves, I feel, is asking for trouble. If you look at the name, it tells you a LOT of stuff. A006_C014_0502U3_001.R3D is a file I have open right now. I can tell you (in order of the letters and numbers there) that it's the A Camera (or only camera), Magazine 6, Clip 14, shot on May 2nd, and that it is the 1st R3D file (as R3D files will not go over 2GB. If they do, a second file is created, same name, but ending in _002. This will continue every 2GB for as long as the take lasts). No idea what the U3 is; I have only come to the conclusion that those last two Alphanumeric spots are random.

I really want to make sure you have a respect for the file structure that is already there when you take the information off the Magazine. It's powerful, useful stuff, if you have the sense not to alter it. Programs like RedCine-X, Premiere, Clipfinder, and many, many more know to look for specific folder and file names, and to utilize them to display allllll your clips. Or to help you conform back to allllll your clips.

Straight off your magazine, you have a .RDM (Red Data Magazine, I think) folder. What I would suggest is that you copy this folder into another folder on hard drives, and that you give that new top-level folder whatever name you'd like.

Inside the .RDM folder are all your .RDC (Red Data Clip [or shot] I think] folders. Each .RDC folder has 1 or more .R3D files. On the Red 1, this was also where the proxy files were located. So everything involved with that one time you hit the record button is in the .RDC folder. All the times that you hit the record button for one Mag are in the .RDM folder. All your .RDM folders are all your Magazines for a day. Or more.

I highly, highly recommend against altering this structure. You can do it, but I highly recommend you do not. Giving computers a file-structure that they expect to receive really helps them do the things that they are designed to do. It makes what should be automated processes way more autonomous. It makes your hair take longer to go grey, and extends your lifespan by years.

What you can do, is export and XML or EDL of a timeline that you have created in RedCine-X. This can then be imported into your editing program of choice. Just like every editor, RedCine-X has Bins, as well as a Timeline. It certainly doesn't have all or even most of the features of an editing program, but it does allow you to make a rough cut with your Red footage. You can then either transcode just your timeline, or export an XML/EDL, or save for later tweaking.


Also, you might want to look into using the Sound Devices Pix240 (or I believe, now the Pix260). Does the same sort of things as the Nano Flash, only is designed to utilize Epic/Scarlet naming structure. Set it up and hook it up correctly, and you get ProRes proxy files that are the A006_C014_0502U3.mov counterpart to your .R3D files. Very easy to conform back to, and no transcoding time. And since they plan is to conform back to the R3D raws for grading, you haven't lost anything; you've only saved some time. Since you have so many controls over the metadata in-camera now (including gamma curve), allowing you to do almost what you would have done in RedCine-X for a one-light, this may be your optimal solution.

Also also, RedCine-X will take a long time to transcode if you don't have a RedRocket. It really, truly makes the transcodes take about 1/8th to 1/12th the time to complete. (Personally tested on equivalent 12-core Mac Pro systems).

Also also also, our agency has us push in on our Reds constantly. To the point that when we do get Alexa footage, they can't understand why things look so poorly after they've had us push in.