This is only really part of the workflow, but I just tested it on a small project tonight and it works! Cineform put up this post a couple days ago about conforming selects from FCP via XML using ReMaster. I saw it and thought, well, Premiere exports an FCP XML…

I’m VERY excited to say that it works! I had a 5 minute nested project that I edited in its native HDV .M2T form. I exported the project to an FCP XML then using the instructions on Cineform’s site, imported the XML into ReMaster.

What does this mean?

The currently accepted professional format for VFX (so I’ve read) is .DPX. This is also the preferred format for Davinci’s upcoming Resolve (so they told me at NAB). This now means you can edit in FCP, Avid, and Premiere and conform your files directly from your timeline to Cineform .DPX files for use in your VFX application or Resolve. A side benefit is being able to utilize First Light to adjust any bad white balances or lighting issues and during the process apply any looks as desired.

It also means you have Cineform’s damn good telecine and pulldown removal for your multi-format/frame rate files. Those nasty little projects you take on that make you pull your hair out. I’ve talked with many editors that have said, “yeah, I can edit this 60 stuff in my 24 timeline. But now what?” Well, this is your answer.

It also means you’ll save transcoding time of ALL clips prior to onlining by allowing only the files used only in the edit to be conformed and also saves time by being able to edit natively in your NLE (take note Premiere DSLR users).

Avid users I suspect will skip the pre-Resolve conform step as Resolve will more than likely take the .MXF files straight from Avid. But there are a whole crop or Premiere and FCP users that can really benefit from this. The caveat is that you need at least Neo4K for .DPX output. But I can do it for you as well And even grade it if you want.

Now, I’m surmising this will work based on how Cineform files already interact with every application and how Resolve specs out. Once I get a copy, I’ll test forthwith.

Tags: cineform, color correction, resolve, tech, workflow

So nobody’s actually used this combo in this capacity to my knowledge. So here are my brief thoughts followed by a few photos.

It’s really portable. This rig is small. I’ve had lots of admiration for a professional setup as small as this. Before this shoot in Cairo, we talked about the rules on filming without a permit since I don’t have one and didn’t care to get one. It’s frowned upon in Cairo to look like you’re producing a film but not have paperwork to back it up, but I was reassured that my set up would not cause any issues and it hasn’t: see next item.

1. It’s wickedly stealth. I drew no more attention to myself beinga 6′+ westerner in Egypt than my dad did with the DSLR. In fact, in my hands, the SI, lens, and mattebox were smaller than the DSLR my dad was carrying. I was dismissed after casual observations by both law enforcement officials and normal passers-by.
2. It’s stinkin’ fun to use. The SI feels like a gun in your hands. You can hold it like a pistol, in your palm, move it, twist it and it feels good all the time. I set the SI up on the tripod during an interview and just held the Cinedeck in my hands, playing with color while it was recording checking out different looks. I did some more coloring in the car between shoots. Massively fun to use and touch and watch while I’m filming- it just feels good.
3. It’s ridiculously easy to use. This version has the Silicon Imaging DVR software on it, but I can say from experience that the Cindeck DDR software is just as easy to use, prettier, and packed with more goodies you can use, abuse and pre-vis before, during, and after a shoot.
4. Cineform RAW and Cineform compressed 4:4:4 files. Whoa. Can you say spoiled? I can do so much with these files in post it’s amazing. The depth and latitude in color just blows me away. You can get this with RAW, and R3D files but I think that’s about it. It makes the quality of the other file/codec options look like mere plastic generics. Yes, I transcode my stuff to Cineform but I still don’t have nearly the room to work the color in post.



5. It overheats like a beast. I talked with Cinedeck about this in the recent hours and we’re pretty sure it’s due to a fan issue of it kicking off when you hit ‘record’ (and probably 100+ degree weather). I poked around and found the SI preferences file that adjusts the fan speed. I’ll have a couple of those tips up later.
6. It’s a little hard to see. Only in direct sunlight. I built a makeshift hood out of duct tape for the “in my bag on the street” moments. Ghetto, cheap and functional. The obvious fix is to connect a secondary small monitor (say the SmallHD?) to it as the external output. Mount that right behind your camera and you’re set.

Would I recommend this box? Absofrakinlutely. So while everyone pines away for Scarlet’s release, quit whining, rent a an SI-2K and Cinedeck from HD Camera Rentals (who provided my SI for the trip) and get addicted. They happen to be the only people supplying this combo right now as an FYI.

Most projects don’t have this kind of need- especially if they’re web-based. But if you’re looking at a doc film or projection of any sort, this might be worth looking at. I don’t have enough projects that justify this set up to own right now. But if I did own this setup, I’d shoot everything on it. I don’t have aliasing or rolling shutter issues, I can shoot 2K, I have a whole host of pre-vis options, the camera is the smallest form factor you can get, and well, you get the idea. This set up is easily worth it’s just south of $20K price tag- you can’t get more bang for the buck, much less any nicer of a set up in the industry with these features.

I’ll have more photos and thoughts as I continue using it.

Tags: cameras, cinedeck, cineform, downtime, Production, tech, tools

This is a re-blog from my production company, Red Futon Films.

I’m going to answer two questions I had last week in this post. The first being what’s my DSLR gear? This will be in concert with my inventory for Cairo for this latest international short doc. The second will be why I chose the SI-2K for this trip.

DSLR:
What I don’t use on a regular basis will be noted.

• Canon T2i
• Canon EF-S 17-55 F/2.8
• Canon EF 70-200 F/2.8L (rented)
• Zeiss 50mm F/1.4
• Cinetactics Matteblox DV Mattebox
• Tiffen Water White IR ND 4×4 filters (0.6/0.9)
• Generic Resin 4×4 filters (0.6, 0.9, 1.2×2)
• Edirol 09-HR stereo audio recorder (SFX/main audio)
• Sennehesier G2 wireless w/countryman B3 (rented)
• Trek-Tech T-Pod
• Treck-Tech MagMount Pro
• Best Buy Monopod
• CF tripod with fluid ball head (rented)
• CalDigt VR mini (w/extra sets of drives)- RAID 1
• 13” MacBook Pro

In place of the Sennheiser, I usually record my doc audio to an Audio-Technica 897 battery powered mic. I needed low-profile for this trip though so no shotgun. 1 wireless set-up only.

SI-2K + Cinedeck
This is the other question I go this week. “Why’d you choose the SI-2K Mini?” There are a couple of reasons. First of all, the opportunity came up. Secondly, this camera has always been very, very attractive to me because of it’s silly-small size and the ability to shoot at a 2K resolution. Until now, it’s only been able to record to laptop so not great for the doc filmmaker like myself.

Enter Cinedeck. I’ve been following them for a long time and have gotten to know them and their leadership over Twitter and had a beta HDMI model for a couple of weeks to play with. They offered to toss me one for this trip. This happens to be a unit that’s not in production though. I’m sure if you want one, he can custom build one for you but the SI doesn’t have enough market to justify a full production run in this configuration.

What’s the impact on the doc filmmaker? Well, I’ll be able to tell you more after I get on the ground with it for a few days. But my initial thoughts are form factor, footprint, and quality:

Form Factor
The Cinedeck and SI-2K Mini are both very, very small. These two units plus my HDDs take up roughly the same space as my DSLR kit does. This SI can be mounted in a gazillion different configurations. The Cinedeck can be run from a backpack, fanny pack, or mounted to a rig with the camera.

Footprint
Related to form factor but slightly different. I can leave my laptop, memory cards and monitors at home. I usually don’t take additional monitors, but I know lots of people who do. I also always take my laptop and a huge stack of memory cards with me. This box replaces my monitors, memory cards and laptop. It records to SSD drives and easily connects to a set of HDDs to offload footage or even record to those instead. All the while taking up less space in my bags. So, I dunno, more room for lenses or snacks or something.

Quality
This thing shoots RAW 2K resolution! There really is NOTHING on the market that has this capability with this footprint and form factor. I’ll be shooting primarily to Cineform 444 at 2K. These files are instantly editable in Premiere CS5 or Avid MC5 on my 2.66GHz laptop. I’ll say it here, Epic won’t hit this price point and Scarlet is well, this combo has been here since the first of the year.

If your stuff doesn’t go beyond the web or DVD, this setup probably isn’t for you. Save yourself some bucks and pick up a DSLR (remembering to spend some time working through the handicaps). If you’re stuff is going to the big screen? This is the set up to have. I do almost entirely non-profit work and while it doesn’t go to the movie theatre screen, it always ends up on huge conference screens so I will take the best quality I can get.

Finally, I didn’t want to deal with DSLR aliasing and the blurring in post that it requires. I don’t have access to the artists and time I need to work through some of those issues on this project. I can get right to the edit.

The one major downside right now is glass. I have a wide angle lens but it’s not high-quality enough to produce a real tight image at this resolution and detail level. My EF-S lenses do NOT work with P+S’s IMS-Canon mount. I’ll work through that though.

I’ll try to answer any questions you might have regarding workflow as I go, if you have any- but it’s pretty straight forward.

So, from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, Cheers!

Tags: cameras, cinedeck, cineform, documentary, egypt, hdslr, SI2K, tech, tools, video