Gaffe made with fluorescents

Simon Davies · August 7th, 2002, 03:57 AM

Hi there.

I'm making my first documentary, self financed, low budget, learning all the way and making lots of mistakes.

I'm from the UK and visited LA to take footage. I was inside a room filled with fluorescents and although there was no noticeable effect through the PD150 viewfinder or screen, when I got the footage back home and watched on my PAL Tv there is a distinctive flicker.

I really really want to use these scenes, they contain that something and I can't do without them. I also can't afford to go back to the States and re-shoot!

Can I get rid of the flicker in the edit? Final cut Pro trickery perhaps? Please help, wise ones!

Cheers

Simon

Jeff Donald · August 7th, 2002, 06:41 AM

Was the footage shoot in PAL? Your electrity is 50Hz, in the US it's 60Hz. Flourescent lights have a flicker anyway, but the flicker becomes very noticable with 10Hz cycle difference. FCP has tools to work frame by frame but it's painstaking work. A long piece would be very difficult. In the past when I've had this type of problem, I would apply a special effect over it to minimize the flicker.

Jeff

Simon Davies · August 7th, 2002, 07:43 AM

Footage was shot PAL.
What effects in FCP would you use to minimise flicker?
Thanks

Jeff Donald · August 8th, 2002, 03:30 AM

This might not be appropiate for the type of video your producing, but I've used a strobe effect to enhance the flicker and then incoprorate that into the video. To reduce the flicker is painstaking, frame by frame work. You might want to post this in the Mac NLE forum for additional suggestions. If you can post a short sample so I could see exactly what your flicker looks like I might have a better suggestion as to what filters and settings might lessen the effect.

Jeff

B. Moore · August 9th, 2002, 07:17 PM

You can also find more replies in the MAC NLE section further down

Rob Lohman · August 19th, 2002, 09:20 AM

if you shot PAL you where shooting at 50 hz while your fluo lights
where 60 hz... that explains the flicker. Hard to remove.

August 7th, 2002, 03:57 AM	#1
Simon Davies Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London Posts: 37	Gaffe made with fluorescents - please help! Hi there. I'm making my first documentary, self financed, low budget, learning all the way and making lots of mistakes. I'm from the UK and visited LA to take footage. I was inside a room filled with fluorescents and although there was no noticeable effect through the PD150 viewfinder or screen, when I got the footage back home and watched on my PAL Tv there is a distinctive flicker. I really really want to use these scenes, they contain that something and I can't do without them. I also can't afford to go back to the States and re-shoot! Can I get rid of the flicker in the edit? Final cut Pro trickery perhaps? Please help, wise ones! Cheers Simon

August 19th, 2002, 09:20 AM	#6
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	if you shot PAL you where shooting at 50 hz while your fluo lights where 60 hz... that explains the flicker. Hard to remove. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

August 7th, 2002, 06:41 AM	#2
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Was the footage shoot in PAL? Your electrity is 50Hz, in the US it's 60Hz. Flourescent lights have a flicker anyway, but the flicker becomes very noticable with 10Hz cycle difference. FCP has tools to work frame by frame but it's painstaking work. A long piece would be very difficult. In the past when I've had this type of problem, I would apply a special effect over it to minimize the flicker. Jeff

August 7th, 2002, 07:43 AM	#3
Simon Davies Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London Posts: 37	Footage was shot PAL. What effects in FCP would you use to minimise flicker? Thanks

August 8th, 2002, 03:30 AM	#4
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	This might not be appropiate for the type of video your producing, but I've used a strobe effect to enhance the flicker and then incoprorate that into the video. To reduce the flicker is painstaking, frame by frame work. You might want to post this in the Mac NLE forum for additional suggestions. If you can post a short sample so I could see exactly what your flicker looks like I might have a better suggestion as to what filters and settings might lessen the effect. Jeff

August 9th, 2002, 07:17 PM	#5
B. Moore Major Player Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 181	You can also find more replies in the MAC NLE section further down