24P XDCAM in FCP

[Max Kaiser]

Hi there,

I've been shooting in the 24p mode (25CBR) and am curious about using this in FCP. I've never done 24p work in FCP, so maybe there are some really straightforward solutions. My question is: if I'm mixing it with 60i footage, and my final output is to DVD (29.97 right?) then what's the best way of mixing it all together and working happily (and quickly!).

Thanks!
Max

[Nate Weaver]

Max,

When using 24p XDCAM HD footage in FCP, you work on a 24p timeline. Not 29.97.

FCP has never had a slick way of mixing frame rates on a single timeline. You can drag a clip of any frame rate to a timeline of any frame rate, but no matter what, the clip will have to rendered before viewing at full rate. AND, the frame rate conversion will likely look like hell.

For this reason, I'd say just don't shoot multiple rates if you can help it. Or choose another NLE. I can think of a number of ways to convert 24p to 29.97 in software and in hardware, but they all involve either lots of time, work, or both...

[edit: If your mixed frame rates live in their own segments, you could edit each in seperate timelines and then copy and paste your 24p into a 29.97 sequence. Might be an option]

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Nate Weaver

[edit: If your mixed frame rates live in their own segments, you could edit each in seperate timelines and then copy and paste your 24p into a 29.97 sequence. Might be an option]

That's an interesting idea, Nate. I would take that concept a bit further and suggest trying to keep both segments separate all the way and bring them into DVDSP as separate assets. I'm wondering aloud how DVDSP would handle the mixed frame rate stuff on the DVD render. I haven't personally tried it, but it makes food for thought.

-gb-

[Nate Weaver]

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

I'm wondering aloud how DVDSP would handle the mixed frame rate stuff on the DVD render. I haven't personally tried it, but it makes food for thought

I've done it. I have videos on my reel, some of which are older and in 29.97, and all the newer ones are 23.98 unless I go out of my way and add pulldown in After Effects to make them 29.97.

You can take 24p MPEG2s and 29.97 MPEG2s and put them on the same DVDSP timeline, but the DVD player will burp if you put the two together without black between them. Feels like a crude edit.

If you had a dip to black between the two pieces, it works though.

My big question is if Quicktime or Compressor is smart enough to add proper field-based pulldown when you export 23.98 to 29.97 now. They've been getting better about adding smarter processing to Qucktime as time has passed, but the last time I tried it (admittedly over a year ago), Quicktime would take every fourth frame and repeat it once to bring 23.98 to 29.97.

[Max Kaiser]

Nate,

I think this follows off your question...do most people then shoot 24p for the whole segment, edit in 24p, and then export to dvdsp regular mpeg2 (90min, best, etc.) and then just create a dvd as usual in dvdsp - or is there something i'm missing.

I tried it, using xdcam 24p footage and it looked good, but I thought I sort of still saw some strobing - didn't look quite as fluid as being played off of fcp to my cinema hd display direct - maybe that's just 24p, but maybe I did something wrong...like I need to customize my settings in compressor for 24p?

Thanks,
Max