Problem content is 45 seconds of XDCAM EX 1080 60i 35 VBR edited in FCP 6.0.2 using an XDCAM EX 1080 30p 35 VBR timeline (interlaced and progressive clips in the same timeline). Clip is a stage scene at night with 6 photoflashes. The flash was very close to the subject. At the flash points, the luma is well above 100. Otherwise the luma is low in the shot. This is the only interlaced clip on the timeline. All others are 30p.
Is putting "short trackers" on the flash frames in the geometry pane and then applying correction via vignettes in the secondary room (linked to the trackers) the best way to handle the photoflash frames to get them broadcast safe? Would it be best to de-interlace this content first, export it and bring it back into FCP before sending to Color for best results?
Re: Best way to handle photoflashes? by Dylan Reeve on May 1, 2008 at 9:47:01 am
I've been inclined to deinterlace after Color.
As for photo flashes, in my past experience there's normally little you can do about them - they are usually a pretty extreme light and they will blow everything out. Even if you can keyframe a correction on them the image is unlikely to ever be brought in line with the unflashed scene.
If you're really intent on hiding the flash entirely it's often most efficient to remove the frame entirely as the flash, depending on it's sync speed and the attack and decay is usually only one frame, two at most and in many cases you can lose a frame, even two, without creating a noticeable jump. But that will depend a lot on the action within the scene.
Also, with the EX1 and photo flashes you are quite likely to see the effects of the 'rolling shutter' which may mean that only half of the frame is affected by the flash making it even more complicated to correct (I've certainly seen that in EX1 footage with a strobe light - although it actually enhanced the overall effect in that case).
Re: Best way to handle photoflashes? by Joseph Owens on May 1, 2008 at 3:56:23 pm
If you want to completely conceal the flash, then you're not going to "correct" it out. I'd go with cutting it out entirely and recreating the frame with a blend of the before/after frame.
Re: Best way to handle photoflashes? by Terry Griffey on May 3, 2008 at 3:28:59 pm
Thanks for your help. Except for one flash, all are one frame long. Yes, I did see the rolling shutter artifact. Since the camera angle is about 25-35 degrees off center from the speaker, I'm going to cut the frames and slip and slide the audio. The speaker "leaves plenty of holes" in her speech pattern so I should be able to make it work effectively. Thanks again!
TG
