When to use First Light? at DVinfo.net

Mike Falconer · October 9th, 2009, 08:53 AM

I am stabilizing Cf Raw files from full size R3D footage in AE CS4, after which I reframe the shot to 1920x 1080 cineform avi and output to Premiere for editing.

I'm confused about color management. At the moment, I'm turning off color management completely in AE, only choosing 16 or 32 bit before output. My thought is to apply First Light to the clip in Premiere.

Is that the correct way to deal with color?

Marty Baggen · October 9th, 2009, 10:28 AM

Hey Mike....

First Light doesn't function as a plug-in, it's a standalone.... so any corrections made to your clips, become a part of that clip's properties, whether Premiere, AE, etc

Ian Lewis · October 9th, 2009, 11:08 AM

It's just occurred to me that you could complete your edit in Premiere, trim the project (so that you're left with just the shots in the movie, plus handles) and then use First Light to colour correct as you might use any other grading program, shot for shot, but only what's in the movie. I'm sure I'm not the first to think of it like this, but I've only just had the thought...

Ian

Marty Baggen · October 9th, 2009, 12:02 PM

Ian... that's a good workflow so long as you aren't using CS4 which does NOT recognize or collect CFHD clips as part of its Project Manager.

Very, very, very, very frustrating, especially since no one seems to know if it is something that will be fixed.

Mike Falconer · October 9th, 2009, 02:49 PM

Project Manager doesn't recognize CFHD clips? That is not good news at all.

I was counting on that. Wonder how I'll backup now?

Marty Baggen · October 9th, 2009, 04:12 PM

It's a real problem. I have large projects that I archive via Project Manager to trim things down.

I am in limbo, with several huge projects occupying massive storage space awaiting the day when I can create trimmed projects.

All I can do is sit and wait, hoping that the RT Engine and associated updates for Prospect HD will somehow remedy the issue.

Just one of the many stumbling blocks of CS4.... but given the mosaic of updates (Win7, CS4, Cineform......), that's where I've ended up.

Send a note to the guys at Cineform so it has a chance to be a front burner issue (along with the dozens of other front burner issues they are trying to deal with).

Matthew Longbottom · October 15th, 2009, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Baggen

Just one of the many stumbling blocks of CS4....

Marty - why is this a CS4 issue? I can use project manager with other Codecs but as soon as I try to use it with Cineform it doesn't work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty Baggen

Send a note to the guys at Cineform so it has a chance to be a front burner issue (along with the dozens of other front burner issues they are trying to deal with).

I logged it as a fault with them. They appear not to know this is a problem and believe the Cineform product functions as intended.

Marty Baggen · October 15th, 2009, 02:18 PM

Matthew..... Cineform is certainly aware of it. I was told it's a matter of other priorities for fixes with CS4. Not much more can be said..... no CFHD files in the CS4 Project Manager.

Matthew Longbottom · October 15th, 2009, 02:46 PM

Personally I feel they should put that on their website then if they are aware of the issue. As I purchased a product that doesn't workas it should.

Does anybody know if there is a workaround or a similar way to achieve the same result? I can't export each individual clip using AME as that just takes forever.

Basically I want to use Premiere CS4 to trim the bits of the clips I want. Then dump them into AE to process. I don't want to process any larger clips than I have to - hence I want them trimmed.

Graham Hickling · October 15th, 2009, 06:39 PM

CFHD project trimming works fine in CS3, if that's of any help. CS3 and CS4 can coexit on the same machine, although CS3 can't open CS4 projects.

Edit: also, if you dynamic link from Premiere to AE (in CS4) then only the selected virtual clip, not the entire raw clip, links across. So that method can provide trimming, of a sort, via CS4. Obviously not ideal though.

October 9th, 2009, 08:53 AM	#1
Mike Falconer Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wilsonville Oregon Posts: 32	When to use First Light? I am stabilizing Cf Raw files from full size R3D footage in AE CS4, after which I reframe the shot to 1920x 1080 cineform avi and output to Premiere for editing. I'm confused about color management. At the moment, I'm turning off color management completely in AE, only choosing 16 or 32 bit before output. My thought is to apply First Light to the clip in Premiere. Is that the correct way to deal with color?

October 9th, 2009, 10:28 AM	#2
Marty Baggen Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: monroe, or Posts: 572	Hey Mike.... First Light doesn't function as a plug-in, it's a standalone.... so any corrections made to your clips, become a part of that clip's properties, whether Premiere, AE, etc

October 9th, 2009, 11:08 AM	#3
Ian Lewis Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Farnham, UK Posts: 87	It's just occurred to me that you could complete your edit in Premiere, trim the project (so that you're left with just the shots in the movie, plus handles) and then use First Light to colour correct as you might use any other grading program, shot for shot, but only what's in the movie. I'm sure I'm not the first to think of it like this, but I've only just had the thought... Ian

October 9th, 2009, 12:02 PM	#4
Marty Baggen Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: monroe, or Posts: 572	Ian... that's a good workflow so long as you aren't using CS4 which does NOT recognize or collect CFHD clips as part of its Project Manager. Very, very, very, very frustrating, especially since no one seems to know if it is something that will be fixed.

October 9th, 2009, 02:49 PM	#5
Mike Falconer Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wilsonville Oregon Posts: 32	Project Manager doesn't recognize CFHD clips? That is not good news at all. I was counting on that. Wonder how I'll backup now?

October 9th, 2009, 04:12 PM	#6
Marty Baggen Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: monroe, or Posts: 572	It's a real problem. I have large projects that I archive via Project Manager to trim things down. I am in limbo, with several huge projects occupying massive storage space awaiting the day when I can create trimmed projects. All I can do is sit and wait, hoping that the RT Engine and associated updates for Prospect HD will somehow remedy the issue. Just one of the many stumbling blocks of CS4.... but given the mosaic of updates (Win7, CS4, Cineform......), that's where I've ended up. Send a note to the guys at Cineform so it has a chance to be a front burner issue (along with the dozens of other front burner issues they are trying to deal with).

October 15th, 2009, 02:18 PM	#8
Marty Baggen Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: monroe, or Posts: 572	Matthew..... Cineform is certainly aware of it. I was told it's a matter of other priorities for fixes with CS4. Not much more can be said..... no CFHD files in the CS4 Project Manager.

October 15th, 2009, 02:46 PM	#9
Matthew Longbottom New Boot Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: London Posts: 15	Personally I feel they should put that on their website then if they are aware of the issue. As I purchased a product that doesn't workas it should. Does anybody know if there is a workaround or a similar way to achieve the same result? I can't export each individual clip using AME as that just takes forever. Basically I want to use Premiere CS4 to trim the bits of the clips I want. Then dump them into AE to process. I don't want to process any larger clips than I have to - hence I want them trimmed.

October 15th, 2009, 06:39 PM	#10
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	CFHD project trimming works fine in CS3, if that's of any help. CS3 and CS4 can coexit on the same machine, although CS3 can't open CS4 projects. Edit: also, if you dynamic link from Premiere to AE (in CS4) then only the selected virtual clip, not the entire raw clip, links across. So that method can provide trimming, of a sort, via CS4. Obviously not ideal though.