XD to FCP first attempt

I have been reading a lot of posts about FCP an XDCam and there was always something missing in the "how-to" of XD to timeline.

It seems easier to understand when you have it front of you. I thought I'd try to narrate the blow-by-blow for those looking for more detail.

The background details:
I used a G5 Dual 2.5GHz with 4.5gig RAM with FCP v6 from the studio 2 suite.
Shot 1080 60I on a Sony PDW330
It was 2:30 in the afternoon.

Days before the test....
The XDCam camera comes with a disk. None of the software on the disk was useable for us Mac G5 users.
In my haste on various user groups I missed the important what to download from the Sony site.
I know from the topic threads that there was something to download but It was not apparent on the Sony site - I visited for a an hour trying to find the right download. I have a trash bin of .exe and zip files not usable on the G5.

As is normal on the web I failed to follow through on what I was looking for and left this detail to the last minute during the test. Certainly not anyone to blame but myself.

2:30Pm test day
I opened a new project and used the easy setup to load preset for the XDCam 1080I project.
This is when I realized my "what was I looking for" web misadventure. I plugged in the iLink or firewire cable to the camera and the computer. It did not show me a drive on the desktop as I expected nor did I get an import option identified as XDCam. My computer system disk utilities saw the firewire cable and correctly identified the camera connected.
I'm now stuck. FCP was not "seeing" the camera or the files on the disk.

Time to hit the web for answers.

I finally found a post that linked to
www.sonybiz.net/xdcam for the download of the correct file for FCP use.
The XDCam HD cinealta user group at DVinfo.net was very helpful for this info.

3:10pm
I had the software installed. I had my project already set now for the recommended procedure.
Before I launched FCP Plug in the iLink or firewire cable to the camera.

On the desktop I see an Icon of a XDCam disk with a numeral for a name.
Select the icon and "apple" + "I" for the information box. Use this box to rename the disk.
This is for your sanity so pick a short descriptor.

After renaming the disk, eject it from the desktop. This will eject it from the camera. Reinsert it.
The desktop icon will reappear with the new name. Now you are ready for the FCP import.


Launch FCP, go to the Menu "File" - "Import"
now I see the XDCam option. small celebration again.

When I choose the XDCam option the new transfer software launches.
The first time there are set up options
Things to consider for your set up --Choose wisely grasshopper.--
1. Lo rez proxy and data file destination and storage- lives on your computer til delete do you part.
2. full rez file destination and storage- bandwidth is critical for these files.
3. export temporary files - not big files and temporary only

After selecting your setup options the software quickly populate the window to mirror the XDCam files in the deck.
another celebration.

This software is useful for a producer or a paper edit. I saw a question posted about what to give a producer with a Mac.
My guess is that you can duplicate the low rez proxy and data file home with the Mac producer.

I imported a few files and timed it. It took nearly 2/3 real time to transfer the data. It runs in the background so it feels quick.
I like the way the software allows you to keep working on selecting or trimming clips.

by 4:12pm I had edited a 1:00 sequence with the new XDCam footage.
I was ready to export.

More on the export next time.

Cheers!

Reflectmedia on the timeline

I now have a quick update on the timeline portion of the test of my new reflecmedia flexiable bkg, light-ring and dimmer.

I'm using Final Cut Pro 6 the new Studio 2 version on a G5 Dual 2.33MHz
The Demo disk did not have a Mac version of the reflectmedia free plug-in "mattenee"

I emailed them about a Mac compatible plug-in. They were prompt to reply and very helpful. They sent me a demo plug-in that they are no longer supporting. It is too bad because...

After I installed the plug-in I was able to drop in the mattenee filter and viola the background was gone.
Of course the reflecmedia logo was pasted everywhere but it worked easily and quickly.

I thought, ok I can't use their plug-in but I can use the green screen key filter. I tweeked the settings here and there in a matter of moments I was able to get a very nice key.

I spent 10 mintues with the bkg and light-ring for a very easy useful chroma key effect.

I'll post a video sample of the raw footage andthe NLE key.

I have every expectation that when I have to use the Reflecmedia system for a client it will a time saver.
AS we know time is money.

Cheers!
-Nicky

Greenscreen Reflecmedia my review

I thought I'd offerr my blow by blow on setting up and using some new equipment.

I saw some tech podcast highlight the reflecmedia and was really wowwed. The marketing worked cuz I bought a flex and light kit. It came with a small gadget bag to hold the light-ring, dimmer and the power cables. The flexible chromaflex fits in the large black bag under the other stuff in the photo-see my photos.

The bag was a surpise bonus for me. I snapped a still shot with the flash on so the reflective qualites of the background can be easily seen. This shiny silver will be green when the light ring - mine is green - is mounted to the lens of the camera and is turned on. It really is quick and easy to set up. I unpacked the light-ring and mounted it to my 82mm lens thread, turned it on and got instant green screen. I did not have to light the screen.

I didn't even light my subject during the trial run. I was able to put it on the NLE timeline and drop out the screen with little effort. And no lighting the subject or bakcground. I'm use to a more time on the lighting and using a waveform/vector scope to get the bkg lit jsut right. Not anymore. I set up a light for the subject and let it spill on reflecmedia background in the second test. I thought it would wash out the green reflection and skew the results on the timeline. As a second test I light the subject and did not let it spill on the reflecmedia bkg.

I have yet to put it in the NLE timeline to see the results but in the playback there was no difference to my eye in the green background's even lighting. I will post the two NLE results soon. For set up and lighting it took me less than 12:00 to get an image ready for green screen compositing. I didn't time it but I did look at the clock after three or four test records and thirty minutes had gone by. More on the NLE resluts with the reflecmedia light-ring and bkg.

more to come on the post side
-Nicky

Globe shooter

I was invited by some random chance to join a NING group by the name of globe shooters.
I think i might be fun to get to know a new group of guys.

That is one thing about being the only LATINA doing this in my area. Everyone knews of me.
Being a chikc in this industry has some advantages. My height is not one of them.

See you in the movies.
nicky in durham

Mexico Take 2

After the last trip ;
We logged and transcribed the footage.
I found a new reason to dislike homeland security
U.S. passports don't mean US Customs or immigration will be nice to you
Documentary making is a long long road

We shot for almost 30 days for the first trips. IT took 20 days to edit and 20 hours to get the right DVD exported.

The University lecture circuit was fun and a lot of work. The Doc was presented in The Best Latino Studies in the country. Latino Community advocates reacted one way and Latinos reacted another to the content of the Doc.

Going to LA was the best for me. I love the radical Chicanos out there.

After seeing Milagros Made In Mexico on the big screen dozens of times I know there are areas to "fix."

We took another trip to Mexico to get more B-roll. This trip to GTO Mexico was not as charmed.

Five days in to ten days of shooting my batteries quit working. All 6!
I was as inconsolable as a cranky infant.
Luckily we had invited a Mexican videographer along to PA for the trip.
Laura was quite useful but eventually she was bored and stopped being useful.
I had more luggage and bags to pack and haul. Never have I ever been burdened so much by a PA.
The lucky aspect was that we brought her Panasonic pd100 DV camera.
She was able to get a few pick up exteriors. I'm not sure I'll be able to use the shots.
I'm hoping I can match the color to my camera.

I took the battery charger and batteries to an electronics shop in a smaller town. The fella was very nice and loaned me an extension cord while he tested the charger.

He tested it and determined that all 6 of my batteries died at the same time because the charger was working properly. I have yet to confirm this. I suspect that the charger did something to all my batteries during the last charge cycle. Anyway. I was stuck.
No batteries and limited shooting. And we still had three more subjects to visit!

I ended up using my very small $200 dollar minDV camera. I bought it to use as a playback deck on this trip. My JVCDV500 is very finicky about playing back tapes. The camera was a very pail replacement.
Laura was generally too slow to capture images and most of the shots I could have captured slipped away by the time she got set up. I was fit to be tied. I wanted to go home. I missed so many good shots!

The only thing I could have done to avoid loosing all my batteries was to find a battery dealer in Mexico. We where not there long enough nor close enough to Mexico City. I will rethink by battery backup issue.


I have yet to log or transcribe the new footage. I still l have to reedit the shot.

I'll let you know how the Spring 2008 shoot goes.

Greatful for Mexico Documentary

The taping went very well. I have been very fortunate in getting access to Mexican families, NGO organizers and local governement officials.

I have the most amazing Producer along on this documentary journey, Martina Guzman. I am always amazed to see her work. Just when I think we are going to be turned down she turns things around and we get an amazing interveiw. The real work of the doc. is about buy in from subjects. Look for her name in the big league soon.

The secret to the support is asking. Maria Lema Gollob is a fabulous Associate Producer. She will ask the same question over and over and it gets answers. It's like watching a marathoner run. Every step is repeated until she reaches her goal.

My partner is my most prized asset. Piper Kessler is my life vest and my tether to the earth as well as my business partner. I am always amazed at how she is able to make me a better storyteller. Her analysis and insight reminds me to keep looking for the real story.

I am greatful for lots of the little things in my life. While I was in Mexico I was greatful for my grandparents and their courage and vision to get to the United States. I was also greatful that I am tied to such a wonderful culture, caring country and a happy disposition.

Mexico as part of the NAFT agreement has instituionalized the flow of business, technology, information and goods. Some of the short sighted people in the US don't want the flow to include human labor.


The documentary is examining Immigration from the Mexican side of the US border.

More to come.

As I started to pack video production equipment for the documentary shoot, I thought about what might be different about being in Mexico. I did a quick search on the web for videographer's posts about travel and packing professional video equipment. I found a few short sentences. Nothing substantial so I thought I'd fill the void with this post.

Mexico's electric current is slightly lower than the U.S. It can cause some issues with charging batteries and how bright the lamps on my Arri's run but overall the electricity is comprable. The one item that I did not have that I absolutely needed was a three to two prong electrical socket adapter. Not any old adapter will do. The two prongs must not have a safety prong. The two prongs must be equal in size. You can pick these up easily in the cities or at an airport. Other than that my only other worry about electicity was tripping a circuit.

I was unfortunate on my first trip and lost the use of my battery charger, and IDX 400, for two days. The charger was not charging my batteries. After my first charge on the trip I pulled the batteries off and smelled a "toasting plastic" smell. After the first charge my battery green lighted but it did not hold a charge. the cmaera would give me a "Low Battery" warning. That crippled me and I hope to never have this happen again. I was lucky to find a good electronics shop in a larger town. Mexico has excellent electronic talent. Mexican's still have the tradition of fixing small electonics and know how to fix things.

I took my charger to a shop and they pulled it apart and reseated things for me and claimed they did not find a problem. I was curious about what had happened and tried charging one battery. It worked! I was delighted that they had "fixed" it without charging me. Ok here is my confession. I'm a chick. I am a chick shooter that did not take a soddering iron to Mexico. With safety regulation these days, it would be impossible to take a soldering iron. Now I can leave it home with confidence.

I was in GTO., Mexico in early March. The weather is fantastic. Take sunblock to keep from frying in the sun. The lack of humitity makes it hard to tell how hot it really is. Stay hydrated. Bottled water is available even in the small remote rural communities. Buy it and drink it. Take a large brim had so you can see the view finder or and LCD monitor. My producer had a great big wide brim hat that was great for shielding the sun. As a shooter it is difficult to wear a hat that is made of stiff material like straw. A fishing hat was great. It had a wide brim that let me get close to the camera and still shielded the sun.

The second trip to GTO., Mexico was during rainy season. The rain was consistently present in the afternoon. From 2pm to 4pm we were indoors. The rain passed quickly on most afternoons. If the rain was later in the day say 5 or 6 then we had to scrap the days exteriors. The sun was available in July until 7:30PM before the light changed.

The rain in July makes it less dusty than March. The mud is not unmanagable. Unless you are driving to a rural location.

Driving in Mexico is best left to locals. I would suggest hiring a driver/PA or getting a crazy Columbian to drive. If you have to rent a car do so with a load of insurance. A butt load! I was fortunate enough to have a local loan their car to the production.

I used every thing I packed and wished I had one more thing. The second trip I got my wish.
Pack a large empty canvas bag for a production run bag.
I packed an ARRI light kit with two medium clamps and two small clamps, a black clothe, scrims, diffusion, full and half blue color correction gels for daylight, scissor clip, Powerstrip, chimera, 650w, 300w, 125w lamp head and stands and a gold flex-fill. Gold was better for the darker skin tones.
I wished for a VTR for dailies - rented a SONY dsr11 and AC and cables
This is the basic list :

Digital still camera
3 chip Digital Video camera body
Camera lens
viewfinder Fujinon lens viewfinder
Wide Angle Adapter Century VS 06WA-65 .6X
Camera power supply
Tripod two stage -Libec
tripod hard travel case
Camera assecory hard case Pelican 1510 case w/foam
NiCa batteries 6 total IDX NP
battery charger IDX 4A
Digital Audio Recorder Sony pcm-m1
Microphone
Sort Shot gun mic Sennheiser ME66
Long Shot gun mic SENNHESER ME67
2 Condenser power module Sennheiser K6
3 Lav Microphones
Microphone Accessories Rycot 10mm softie
Microphone Accessories Rycot 29mm softie
Microphone Accessories Rycot pistol Grip shock mount
Microphone Accessories K-Tek K102ccr Graphite Boom w/cable
Audio field mixer 3x2 and power cable SoundDevice 302
SHOT GUN MOUNT K-Tek K-SM microphone shock mount
Audio mixer field carry bag Petrol PSDMB-302
Personal A/V recorder 40G HD Archos AV400
Microphone wireless transmitter Lectrosonic LM block 21
Microphone wireless transmitter Lectrosonic LM block 26
Microphone wireless Receiver Lectrosonic UCR100 block 21
Microphone wireless Receiver Lectrosonic UCR100 block 26
Video/Audio breakaway cable CANARE 30'
Audio cables various XLR to XLR
Video recorder SONY DSR 11 mini DV VTR



Homeland security searched all the big cases and damaged my light case. Nothing too major but it makes opening the lightkit such a pain in the ass!

More to come.