XDCAM 24P to 60i
 

Presently shooting 24p, editing FCP in 24p timeline. Footage looks great. The issue is when outputting to another format, in this case HDV, for show playback at event. We used compressor to change the frame rate to 60i and codec to output to HDV,out of FCP. The HDV deck would only accept the signal this way Now we have lost frames, resulting in stuttering on camera moves and graphic moves.

What is the best way to get 24FPS out of FCP to 60i without getting the stuttering?

Compressor does a pretty bad job at frame rate conversion. You need to ingest your XDCAM HD footage as 59.94i and the only way to do this is to use the XDCAM HD deck built-in frame rate conversion feature. When set to 23.98p, there is an option to add pulldown or not on the HD-SDI ouput. So of course, you would also need Decklink or AJA adware on your FCP system with HD-SDI input. With pulldown added, you can capture staight into a 59.94i project. Unfortunetly, there is no provision at this point to add pulldown when importing XDCAM clips via FAM. I have filed the request with Sony but have no idea if it will be put in a priority list or not. I do feel that it is a very much needed feature especially for people originating at 23.98p.

Thierry.

As a long time FCP user working in 24p native timelines, here's the deal:

If you can go out component or HD-SDI, (or even DV firewire), either FCP or the Kona/Decklink card will add pulldown on the fly for you.

If you have to deliver via file, or HDV, your best bet is to render out your timeline in the highest quality you have disk space for (maybe uncompressed, maybe only HDV...or maybe XDCAM 35), then bring this into After Effects. If you have space for uncompressed, it won't be necessary to be able to play back the file in real time, so single huge drives would be ok.

Make a 23.98 comp in AE, drag your footage into it, and then in the render out settings, you can set 29.97 and choose the pulldown pattern AE uses. I've been working with 23.98 timelines in FCP since the DVX came out, and this is the only way I know how to do it. You'd render to 29.97 1080i60 DV codec, 48k, yadda yadda yadda.

Then bring this file back into FCP for layoff. Do a couple short 1 minute tests to make sure your AE rendered is accepted by FCP without rendering.