Source Timecode Integration

Ever since FCPX was released, there was one thing that bugged me: It was no longer possible to integrate source timecode easily into your edits so the producer would be able to follow your edit decisions. Until now, my workaround was to supply an EDL (via EDL-X) with every edit I put online. as a reference.


With FCPX 10.0.6, it is finally possible to easily integrate source timecode into your edits with an approach much less cumbersome than before.

First off, I might need to explain how I work and prepare material for the edit. Instead of a pool of individual clips, I create a single "daily" intermediate (which I will call DAI from now on) for each and every day of recording. This file does not only contain all of the consecutive clips recorded that day, but also consists of multiple mono audio tracks (normally four tracks - two from the camera and two from the audio recordist's device - needless to say all in sync). The resulting DAI could, for example, be an 8-track MXF or a multitrack PRORES file.
This way of working makes it quite easy for me to reference and backup weeks of production without having to deal with a multitude of audio and video files.

Now on to the source timecode integration:

Before we start integrating the TC, it should be noted that the integration of source timecode has to happen before we actually start editing as we require an individual compound clip per DAI.

Within FCPX's event library (already containing all of my DAIs), we select one of the clips and choose to create a "new compound clip". The resulting compound clip shall have the same name as the source DAI with the affix "_TC".

creating & labeling compound clip

Let's open the freshly created compound clip in the timeline and add a timecode generator to the clip start, making sure it is the same length as the original DAI.

adding a timecode generator to the compound clip

Obviously, it should also be labeled accordingly so we have a proper reference once multiple TC DAIs are edited together.

labeling the source timecode

We repeat the same procedure for every DAI we want to use in our edits and add all of those TC-DAIs to the same keyword collection as a basis for our edits. Needless to say, we will base all of our edits on these compound clips and not the original DAIs.

Now once we start to edit, we will have a clear timecode reference for us and our producer.

edit sequence /w source & sequence timecode

The moment an edit is locked and ready to go into post or final render, all we have to do is to open all of the original TC_DAI compound clips again in the timeline and disable the timecode generators by pressing <V>.

7D - Technicolor CineStyle and S-Curves in FCPX

It's been a long time since I used my 7D for filmmaking. I still use it a lot for still photography, but my documentary work isn't about bokeh shots and cinematic beauty. The Canon xf305 offers hours of 4:2:2 recordings, my DPA shotgun or a lavalier radio setup hooks up easily, in other words, it's a fast setup. The 7D is not.

But recently, together with the v2.0 firmware, I realized that a Technicolor CineStyle preset exists that improves the filmic dynamic range of the DSLR by about 2 f-stops. In case anybody hasn't dl'd it yet, check it out here on the Technicolor webpage.

To enhance the digital film shooting capabilities of the 7D, the standard h264 color space is put into a log color space which requires a specific LUT applied to the clips within the NLE (provided with the download of the CineStyle preset).

So much for the good part. Unfortunately, plug-in solutions like Red Giant's LUT Buddy do not support Final Cut Pro X yet. Thus, the footage looks pretty stale when imported into that NLE, and one would have to play around with the grading possibilities of FCPX for quite a while to get to a proper look. Thus, it's a really cool thing that colorgradingcentral.com are offering a handy "S-Curve" plug-in for FCPX that closely imitates the Technicolor CineStyle LUT together with their cineLook for HDSLR's plugin.

After applying the firmware update and CineStyle preset to my HDSLR, I immediately went out and shot some footage of my brother Mike to test the possibilities of CineStyle. As already mentioned, it's been quite a while since I shot film with the 7D, and you can't imagine the joy I had going handheld via Redrock Micro's "Captain Stubling" rig.

Here's a couple of screenshots:

CineStyle without applied S-Curve

CineStyle with S-Curve and cineLook

CineStyle with S-Curve, cineLook and a bit of Mojo

Some feedback for Apple in regards to FCPX

Posted this just now via Apple's Final Cut Pro X Feedback page, anybody who would like to support or add, please follow this link.

A list of annoying bugs and missing feature (some of them were posted here by me a year ago):

BUG #1: go to the event browser -> select a clip and specify an in / out range -> switch to the timeline (Cmd + 2) -> switch back to the event browser = no longer possible to go beyond the in / out point

bug #1.1: shuttling beyond the out-point will not work; workaround = jumping to the out-point (Shift + O) enables the "browser system" to go beyond the out-point again
bug #1.2: punching in a timecode position (Ctrl + P) = the playhead does NOT move to the specified TC position but moves one frame after the out point and not ANY further, again, jumping to the out-point via Shift + O is the (terrible) workaround
bug #1.3: deselecting the previously selected in / out area (Cmd + Shift + A) does not solve the problem mentioned above, even though no selection is visible in the event browser, the in / out points are still "remembered" by the system (selectable via Shift + I / Shift + O, also works as workaround).

BUG #2: Switching between event browser and timeline (Cmd + 1 / Cmd + 2) does NOT work occasionally, resulting in the image not changing in the viewer; this feature is sometimes required to actually compare the playhead positions between the event browser and the timeline.

BUG #3: Creating Favorites (F) with overlapping timecode areas in the event browser does not work; example: mark area in the event browser, press (F) to add a favorite from 01:20:00 to 01:30:00, now it won't be possible to add another favorite going from 01:25:00 to 01:28:00.

BUG #4: unsure whether this is a bug or a missing feature: after adding a favorite (F) in the event browser, it is not possible to immediately rename it with a keystroke. I have to click / mark it with a left-click first and then rename it (by pressing Enter, for example). Arrow keys to select it also do not without a click into Favorites first. Quite a speed-stopper.

MISSING FEATURE #1: A possibility to read and display the SOURCE timecode (meaning the original timecode from the clip) in the timecode generator plug-in is a MUST for my collaboration with certain clients, at the moment, I am using EDL-X .txt exports as source / destination reference for my clients, a clumsy workaround if it would be possible to integrate source TC via timecode gen plug-in!

MISSING FEATURE #2: Switch or at least tab between the Information tabs (Video / Audio / Info) via keyboard

MISSING FEATURE #3: When importing Canon MXF clips (from xf305 cam, thanks to the Canon importer plug-in released this year) directly into FCPX, it is not possible to see any source timecode. This is sometimes required.

Bugfixes would be heartily appreciated,

best regards,

Martin

Edit Annoyances #1

Now that I have been editing for quite a while, I found a few little annoyances that slow the editing process down:

• Shuttle issues:
I am on my Mac Pro again down in the studio, and for the documentary film project I am working on at the moment, all data is stored on a LaCie 4Big Quadra (eSATA) running in Raid 5 configuration. According to Blackmagic's Disk Speed Test, the drive speed is around 250 MB/sec read and 210 MB/sec write. The files are XDCAM HD422 with 8 tracks of audio (50mbps). When shuttling through the material at more than realtime (x2 / x4 / x6), I am sometimes experiencing delays, which is not really comfortable and slows me down.

LaCie 4Big speed

• Let it calculate the waveforms or stay away from the Video tab:
The base material I am working with are dailies that include 4 audio tracks. Originally synced on location using Avid Media composer as MXF, they include reviewed material from each and every recording day, so the files are pretty huge (between 2 and 3 hours).
If the Audio tab is selected in the information panel, every time these source clips are accessed in the Event Browser, FCPX starts to calculate the audio waveforms, which makes shuttling almost impossible due to disk access.

Calculate those waveforms!

• Switching between Event Browser and Timeline:
When switching between the Event Browser and the Timeline (CMD+1 / CMD+2), the Viewer refuses to switch to the appropriate clip / image sometimes, for example still showing the image of the clip that has been selected in the Event Browser instead of showing the timeline position I have switched to. Changing multiple times back and forth helps in that situation.

From Final Cut to the Avid and back

It's August 2012 and I'm back on Final Cut Pro X again. Some of my colleagues have asked me why I took this decision. They're quite surprised because I was complaining about FCPX from the day it was released.

I have certain requirements, which include importing footage from my camera, taking the project to Pro Tools, external A/V monitoring, a more or less stable software (without corrupted projects) etc.

Recently, I decided to give FCPX one more try.

• XML / AAF export to Pro Tools is working now via X2Pro Audio Convert.
I am sorry, the audio portion of Final Cut Pro X might be nicer than any other NLE, but it still does not fulfill my requirements for audio postproduction.

• XML to EDL export via EDL-X
This is a definitive requirement, not only to have a list representation of the project in case things go really wrong, but also as a source / destination timecode reference for clients.

• Stability & safety
With MC6, I had a couple of really big issues lately. Quirks in the AMA workflow, MXF Long GOP errors, export bugs, stalls etc. Now that FCPX reached 10.0.5, it seems to be a much more stable platform to me. 
I was using (more or less "trying out") FCPX until 10.0.2, and I had horrible experiences in regards to corrupted projects and general stalls. Nowadays, a backup version of the project is created every 15 minutes within the folder, so these issues (hopefully) belong to the past. In the last 2 weeks of (intense) editing, I encountered no bad surprises. 

• Easier use of the software on multiple machines
I now have 2 MacBooks and 1 Mac Pro, and I am using all of them for work depending on the situation. It is really NOT quite funny to transfer the Avid license via internet every time I switch computers. 

• Updates via App Store
Some of the applications, at least the main one and the two XML transfer programs, were purchased via the Apple's own App Store, so once a new version is released, it immediately shows up. While some people don't like this idea, I am definitely of the opinion that updating via the App Store is much less hassle and less time consuming than wasting time poking around Avid's web site to find the latest Media Composer patch that might (or might not) solve your problems. 

• Always up-to-date with the latest version of OSX
There is nothing more disturbing than to constantly take care whether the latest version of OSX (which might include required OS bug-fixes I have been longing for) is really compatible with the latest version of your software (or vice-versa). 

• Importer plug-in for Canon MXF
I own a Canon XF305, and ever since they released an appropriate plug-in for FCPX (I guess they did that in February 2012 but back then I was already shooting a documentary in Indonesia), I can import my footage without round tripping to FCP7. Less time consuming, less of a show-stopper. 

• Red Giant Magic Bullet Looks
I am a big fan of Magic Bullet Looks. In regards to the creative approach towards the look of a film, it is the BEST thing that ever happened to me and I simply love working with it (check out this feature on the Red Room Blog). Didn't work with FCPX for a long time, now it does. 

• External A/V monitoring
I am using a Matrox MXO2mini for external monitoring. With the first versions of FCPX, that sort of monitoring was totally out of sight. Now it works. Fine. 

• Unique and innovative features
Now that the application fulfills most of my basic requirements, the innovative features really start to count in. "Sub-grouping" audiovisual information in compound clips is a great way of working, especially when also coming from an audio engineering background where sub-grouping has been a tool of the trade ever since it started. Also, the Magnetic Timeline is an incredible time-saving innovation, especially when coming back from the Avid. 
Of course, the workflow is not comparable with any other video editing application on the market. While trimming can be done quite efficiently on the keyboard, I feel most comfortable using a Magic Trackpad for all other tasks. As somebody mentioned, it's no longer a keyboard-based but touch-based workflow. Seems legit. And from now on, things can only get better.

MBP Retina outperforms Mac Pro

Yesterday, I received the MacBook Pro Retina I had ordered a while back. Configured with 16 GB of memory, 512 GB of flash storage and a 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 quad core CPU, I thought that it will be a good solution for editing on the go. Needless to say, the display is capable of displaying full HD at 100% in the viewer while still leaving enough space for the application and looks just gorgeous.

Final Cut Pro X on the MacBook Pro Retina

After installing Final Cut Pro X, I copied the documentary project I am currently working on and had the immediate impression that the overall response of the app had increased on the Retina.

After a couple of more short tests today, I found out that it indeed smokes my mid2010 8core Mac Pro (16 GB memory) over in the studio:

Even though I am only working with a small LaCie Little Big Disk (Thunderbolt, RAID-0 configuration, approx. 160 - 190 MB/sec read/write), render times for the same tasks were impressively shorter. Mind that I'm working with larger RAID-5 disks in the studio (eSATA, 250 - 300 MB/sec read/write).

LaCie Little Big Disk Thunderbolt performance

• Task 1 - Rendering of the FCPX stabilizer (same clip):

MacBook Pro Retina: 01min21sec
Mac Pro: 01min37sec

• Task 2 - Render cineLook S-Curve plugin (same clip):

MacBook Pro Retina: 01min35sec
Mac Pro: 02min01sec

Quite impressive!

Mobile computing has come a long way from the times when the fastest laptops would offer 1/3 - 1/2 of the performance of a (more or less) up-to-date desktop machine. Of course, there's still the Mac Pro 12c which, at a different price point, offers an even better performance, but I wouldn't have guessed that not even within a whole 2-year-cycle, my big machine would be outperformed by a laptop.

Looking back at one year of FCPX

Until last year, my main tool for my edit & postproduction work for the LIA - Lab Inter Arts (www.labinterarts.com) and Murdock Event & Media was done in Final Cut Pro (7).
Then Final Cut Pro X came out and changed it all. In an instance, FCP7 became a legacy product.

Ouch!

Especially for the LIA part of my work, it is of major importance to go back to projects that have been finished a while ago for re-editions and changes. And I am talking about severe changes that require me to actually access the project, not just going back to the PRORES masters and snipping out a few parts. Some producers are more demanding than others - and the Lab Inter Arts work is in "constant flow" and thus not comparable to "standard" projects that would be definitely finished at some point.
Knowing that FCP7 would be still around for a while but also realizing that basing my future workflow on a product that will definitely become extinct sooner or later, I gave Final Cut Pro X a try.
And like many others, I was shocked:

First off, "legacy" projects could not be imported. A major showstopper. But: iMovie projects could be imported ... and I went (like many others): "What's that now, iMovie Pro?!?" Don't get me wrong, but the obvious connections to a consumer app is not really a hot reference for a "pro" tool, isn't it?

Secondly, there was no easy way to export an AAF or OMF of the project for audio postproduction use. Working on my projects in Pro Tools is my workflow, and even though FCPX offers some of Logic's audio functionality, the built-in functions are just too limiting for me.
Yes, there was Automatic Duck (which has been discontinued by now), but somehow it just didn't work reliably for me.

I really tried to understand what Apple had in mind with FCPX, and despite it's limitations I worked as much as I could with it. Until some projects got corrupted (out of any obvious reason) that I had been working on for weeks. I got angry. I didn't trust the software no more. Like many others, I switched back to Avid Media Composer (6) when it came out.

Ever since of that, I didn't touch FCPX any more. Actually until MC6 stopped the show, mostly because of AMA - Quicktime related problems. Long GOP errors on playback, exports that sometimes worked and sometimes not. Things were not easy for me on a *native* Media Composer platform without DNxHD transcoding. 

I started to check on Final Cut Pro X again a couple of weeks ago, and nowadays it's a different piece of software than it was last year. Thanks to X2Pro Audio Convert, interfacing with Pro Tools is easy, EDL-X provides source / destination Timecode lists for me and the producer. Projects get backed up automatically every 15 minutes just in case, so it's not possible to loose days of work in case a project gets shot. It is also possible to convert legacy FCP XMLs to FCPX. Wonderful!

A week ago, I started to edit my next feature length documentary film on FCPX, and so far, I am very happy with it. It finally became the application it should've been in the first place!