Correct Drop Box Workflows for PC>MAC

[Justin Lovell]

Footage:
si2k cineform RAW 2k

Footage goes to 2 places:
a) editor - has trial of NEOhd - about to expire - USING A MAC
b) Color Corrector - has NEO4k - USING A PC

Editor is cutting the footage, color corrector is creating the looks. I want to be able to have the editor see the changes to the looks on his footage as I update them.

Workflow:
Color corrector is preparing the footage in First light.
Both installed Drop Box.
Having trouble getting the footage's databases to update on the editor's computer.
CC ran the Drop box Script.

Questions:
1. does the editor also need to run the drop box script?
2. What is the SIDECAR option for?
3. Branching is not available on a MAC, so should I avoid this tool?
4. Is branching done just to avoid creating new Database files?
5. Do I have to SAVE the new Databases every time I change it in order to be able to see the changes on the other computers?
6. Can the editor be running an expired trial of NeoHD and be able to get the updated 2k Database files- or does he need neo4k, will neoscene work?
7. does he require having first light installed to load the DB files?
-- The editor does not need to be able to modify any of my look, is the expired trial sufficient for this?


The step by step video was great on Vimeo - but it doesn't show how the person on the other end of the drop box is supposed to accept the changes and how they see them... that is the problem that I'm having.

Thanks!

[David Newman]

Are you setting the "LUTs Path" in the CineForm system prefs to a LUTs Path in your dropbox folder?

1) That script is to make is easier for Windows users. (info here on vimeo.com/10024749)

2) Sidecars are for export a single clip's metadata changes (or file database .fdb)

3) Yes you have branching (use save as in the bottom on the Database selector.)

4) No, it does create a new database.

5) No, if the databases are share they are so in realtime (or as soon as Dropbox moves the data.)

6) Iffy. Best to have at least a license NeoHD so you can select the active database. If you only use the current database, then NeoScene or even NeoPlayer might work for you.

7) No,see 6)

[Ben Hickson]

David and Justin,

Forgive me if this is obvious and it won't work, but I think this is what you're looking for:

In the registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Cineform\ColorProcessing\
The entry DBPath has the value: db
If that were changed to reflect the name of the new database, then this could be how NeoPlayer (or expired NeoHD) editors could change databases as instructed by the colorist with FirstLight.
Make sense?

Now if someone wiser than I can code a little scripty-thing that one can click on and it would prompt the user for the name of the new database and then the script would enter it into the registry. (I know UAC won't like this probably.) And then the CF dudes can add it to the CineFormActiveMetadataStatusViewer.exe

On that UAC note, I'm working on an XP-32 machine, so adjust the placement of that registry entry accordingly for Win7. Also, sorry Justin, but I have no idea how to do this sorta thing on Mac.

But this should help all the other NeoPlayer/NeoScene Users out there. I know lotsa people that want to edit in Vegas but their colorist doesn't trust any monitors that aren't on a Mac. So it would work Mac to PC, just not PC to Mac.

I haven't tested it yet, as my machines are finally working and I don't want to break them (again ;) )

[Ben Hickson]

Also, this would probably require the Colorist to name the databases one word only:
i.e.: PottyHumourColor1 instead of Potty Humour Color 1

I don't think the registry likes spaces. It might want some %20's and all that... ya know...

Or maybe FirstLight and this new script would automatically truncate out the spaces without the user having to think about it. Or maybe FirstLight already does that... hm...

...

Or is all this against your licensing goals David? I hope not, or maybe if it is, you could compromise and give the function to NeoScene users and not to NeoPlayer users. To require the editor to at least purchase something. I think it would help people make the move to to CineForm from that nasty ProRes world. That's the main gripe here in Nashville, that people are incapacitated without Apple Color. FirstLight almost has the functionality that Color does, and when it does I think this little database tweak would make people really appreciate Cineform's render-less environment like I do.

[David Newman]

Not against licensing policy. NeoPlayer and NeoScene can't change clip settings but can use settings created on other tools. We should have a database selector in the status viewer, as that tool is for all users.