Am shooting a narrative feature with a Sony V1U and edting in FCP. there is a fair amount of documentary footage contained within the narrative. My first thought was that it would be great to actually have different frame rates (in addition to other factors) to distinguish the look of each.

A couple of months ago, I posted on the Apple FCP forum and asked if I could intercut two formats and got this reply: "Mixing formats is not really a reasonable option in one timeline. Pick the export format and conform your footage to that format before you edit."

Consequently, have resigned myself to creating this effect with camera settings, lighting, etc. rather than trying to incorporate 60i. Does that, indeed, seem to be the most feasible approach?

thanks,
Gene

24p conformed to 60i via pulldown still looks like 24p. Why not pulldown your 24p footage to 60i format and then edit in 60i? I think that's what that person on the FCP forum was suggesting.

That's helpful; was not aware of that.

Therefore, to check my workflow: I can shoot in both 24p and 60i [for different "looks"], even on the same tape and capture them in FCP conformed to 60i? And, then as a final step, could output the final edit to something like HD CAM?

Can see how edting with it conformed to 60i would work if I wind up going the digital video route -- to DVD or a cable network. What happens f I should need to do a video-to-film transfer? What kind of position have I left myself in -- what would be my choices? [Frankly, I would probably take my chances on the increase in video projectors in movie theaters being able to meet whatever theatrical and festival opportunities I might have.]

Specifically, am planning to capture from the Sony V1U HDMI output into the Intensity card in the DVCPRO HD format? Does any of that impact the basic strategy of achieving the distinctions between the narrative and documentary elements?

Therefore, to check my workflow: I can shoot in both 24p and 60i [for different "looks"], even on the same tape and capture them in FCP conformed to 60i?

Am wanting to confirm my understanding of this main point: is this true?

Am wanting to confirm my understanding of this main point: is this true?
Yep, that's correct. Not sure how capturing would work though, I've never experienced 24p and 60i on the same tape.

If you do a video to film transfer, all your footage will end up as 24p anyway. It might be a bit on the complicated side, but nothing more than a little time-consuming as I suppose you'd have to separate out the 60i footage and convert it to 24p individually before you did a film transfer.