Big Varicam in FCP issue
 

Hey everyone,

I'm not big on posting a lot here but read incessantly - and I hope DVinfo users might have the answer to a big challenge I'm confronting.

I'm looking for a post workflow breakdown for footage shot on the Varicam at 25p over 60hz - with some 50p thrown in for good measure ;-) - using FCP6.

I've just wrapped after directing a short drama here in the UK. We pulled all the stops out to shoot as high end as we could for very little money and ended up managing to get the Varicam requested by the DoP. But the post house - despite pulling out all the stops and working through till 6am this morning - were only able to get the decks and frame rate converter they'd hired to pull in the rushes at 60. They've told me 60i. I believe they meant 60p.

Basically my position is that things are now mainly in my hands. I usually cut myself on FCP - have 5 years TV experience cutting with various NLE's - but I'm totally new to HD. If any errors have been made in the digitizing so far I need to fix them asap or if indeed the process has been done correctly so far I need to assure myself that I'll be working the proper FCP workflow when I take over.

I know shooting 25p with 60hz hasn't got a lot of native support, but if anybody has a workflow - no matter how costly - that works for the edit process I'd be incredibly relieved to hear it. This project means an enormous amount to me.

Cheers,
Marco

Double check with your P.H. and make sure they ingested progressive not interlaced, that would be your first task.

FCP6 can mix/match frame-rates but the non-native rates will require rendering - unless you ingest all the footage into ProRes and even-up the playing field. It really depends on who's doing the editing and what resources are available on that system. If it's your P.H. that's the mainline editor then let them decide on workflow; if you're doing the rough and final cuts then my suggestion is ProRes.