HDV Workflow With A Lot Of Rendering.
by alec gitelman (alichek)
on
Apr 23, 2008 at 9:42:09 pm
Hi.
First, sorry for cross-posting, I asked this question on the FCP forum but didn't find an answer.
I am starting the editing of a music video that was shot on HDV 1080 24p. The visual approach we're taking is to have a lot of resizing, recropping, multiple pictures in frame, graphics, etc. I'm editing on a first generation Macbook Pro from a firewire drive; I just started and I can see it choking on HDV. Besides, from what I understand HDV breaks down under a lot of effects. I do have access to an 8-core Mac Pro, but can't spend all my time on it.
I wonder what workflow would help me. Transcoding to Pro Rez 422 probably won't do it, too much bitrate. Is there a viable offline/online workflow for HDV footage already on the drive? Should i downrez to DVCPro HD 720P24? I'm sure the highest rez deliverable format would be SD, but I'd prefer to still have an HD Master at the end. What can I do?
Re: HDV Workflow With A Lot Of Rendering. by Michael Slowe on Apr 24, 2008 at 10:20:07 am
Alec, HDV was designed primarily as an acquisition (shooting) format. The GOP system is not conducive to editing and certainly not anything as complicated as you are attempting. I convert my HDV material to uncompressed HD throught the Convergent Design box HD-Connect and finish the production in that format. The problem arises with mastering if you want an HD tape master. I have to rent an HDCAM deck (very expensive) or I downscale for a DVCAM master. DVD's can be encoded direct from the HD timeline but of course since we can't play Blu-Ray discs at present I let BitVice do a downscale whilst encoding.
Re: HDV Workflow With A Lot Of Rendering. by alec gitelman on Apr 24, 2008 at 1:45:53 pm
Michael,
Ok, but what should I do on a smaller scale? I don't need an HD deliverable, but I still want to work in HD space.
I guess my question is this. I know I can work in DVCPro 50 HD 720P with my resources. I've done that. But if stay in 1080, with Pro Rez 422 for example, I'm probably going to curse every second of render time and playback hickups. Is there a way for me to downrez to SD for example, work offline, and then online the project without having to rebuild it frame by frame?
Re: HDV Workflow With A Lot Of Rendering. by Michael Slowe on Apr 24, 2008 at 9:11:54 pm
Look Alec, I'm no expert, there are plenty of those who read The Cow. I can only describe my own experience and find that editing in HD is the best option, especially as my edit system, Media 100 handles it so well. If you can edit in HD you don't have to deliver in HD. I nearly always downscale the final timeline within Media 100 to go to DV tape or within BitVice if I'm going to DVD.
