Slowing 50p footage in Final Cut.
 

I've been trying to figure out how to use some 50p footage from my EX1 on a 25p timeline and make it play half speed. Using the speed setting just makes it look jumpy so I don't think that's the right approach.

Can anyone give me a pointer how to do it?

Thanks

Paul.

That should do it - make it exactly 50%.

Did you render?

I am assuming FCP here.

Hi Eric.

I tired that, FCP doesn't seem to require a render after changing the speed to 50%, although it does double the length of the clip. I don't think that does the right thing because rather than each frame being different it just doubles up each frame in the same way as it would if slowing a 25p clip.

But did you force a render anyway, even though FCP says it doesn't require one?

I'm not sure what you mean, if I select the clip and go to sequence > render selection > video then nothing happens as everything is already rendered.

Is there some other way of forcing a render?

Render All sometimes works. This is a fidgety thing with FCP.

But never mind - I tried what you were doing at NTSC speeds (59.94/29.97) and even with a forced render I was getting double frames, just like you.

Let me figure this one out...

Thanks Eric, much appreciated.

Tried optical flow in motion? Haven't myself, but should work..
Interlaced footage is much easier to slow though.

In theory 50p footage should produce much better 25p slow motion material than 50i footage as it won't require splitting the resolution between frames.

Hows its done though I don't have a clue.

There's always this nasty workaround:

From QuickTime Pro export the clip as an image sequence - TIFFs for example.

Then "Open Image Sequence" at the new framerate (25) and export to your favorite codec (ProRes?).

Trash the TIFFs.

Very little quality loss, but definitely a pain, and allows Quicktime to completely forget the old timebase.

I've had to use this method more often than I would like.

Can't you conform the 50p footage to 25p in Cinema Tools?

I think it may require an intraframe codec though, so you may need to recompress to AIC or Prores etc.

I would recompress anyhow so that you don't alter your original footage. FCP will sense the change and say that any footage altered in Cinema Tools has become offline if you don't. Better to recompress just the slow-mo bits as required.

Cinema Tools conform is instant BTW, no rendering. First time people use it, they often think that it hasn't worked!

Ok!

Here's the recipe!

Transfer footage with XDCAM Transfer.
Export as ProRes HQ 720p50
Batch Conform to 25p in Cinema Tools
Import
Play

Works fine! Allthough it might be a good idea to shoot 1/100 shutter..

Any views on best shutter for this?

Anyone tried this in Vegas, on a PC?

Thanks, that works a treat. The trick is converting the clip to another format. It works just as well if you export from FCP at pro-res, import again and then sync with cinema tools and conform.

You can sync the XDCAM footage the cinema tools but the option to conform is not available.

Is there a way to convert a clip to pro-res with FCP? It seems a bit clunky exporting and importing.