Workflow Question - Big Nasty Mess

[Adam Valuckas]

I am about done editing my short film and i am about to start creating my effects shots but i settle on how to do this best.

My Timeline in Final Cut Pro:
The footage was edited in DV NTSC Anamorphic composition, the tapes were brought in in their entirety then split up using DV start and stop detection, then i created sub-clips. Now if i try a “Send To- Shake” final cut will export a clip, but is not the correct In/Out- I'm sure because of how i edited the project. Great...

-The only way i have found to export clips is to “Export Quicktime, Custom, 854x480, aspect ratio NTSC DV, Checking the anamorphic 16:9 box, and animation as the compressor” (does this prevent artifacting? or just add to file size). Then using that clip to build my effects on.

The Effects:
-I will be some effects in AE7 like muzzle flashes using Muzzleplug plugin and creating tracer fire in AE.
-I will also be creating particles using Particle Illusion 3 in their application.
-And i will be using lots of stock footage that is HDV 30p

My Worflow?:
-export each shot from FCP
-create effects in AE and Particle Illusion (not motion tracking them)
-create limited “3d” particles in motion
-Then composite in Shake with the above and the stock footage, I love AE for creating effects but i love Shake for mixing them. I also have some shake plugins that i will be using such as ReelBlur.
-Next after each shot was done reimport into FCP
-make any color correction changes if anything becomes a little darker or lighter in the effects stage
-Re-export the whole comp to shake and add film grain
-Last, back into FCP to convert into 24p using Magic Bullet Frames.
-export as quicktime file
-make into DVDs and have it transfered to a better format like digibeta
-get famous, make billions of dollars ;)

I think you might be screaming at me at this point, how would you go about this??

With many thank yous!
Adam Valuckas

Here is a test clip that i did before filming, this was blue screened- The film is not. :D
http://panzercorps.com/behind/test-2/test-2.html