Final Cut Pro and XDCAM HD. White Paper June 2006

Transcription

1 Final Cut Pro and XDCAM HD White Paper June 2006

2 Contents Page 3 Page 4 Page 6 Page 7 Page 14 Page 16 Introduction Professional Disc Media Prerequisites Workflow Overview Acquire Ingest Edit Output XDCAM HD Acquisition Choosing a Format Slow and Quick Motion Effects Ingesting XDCAM HD Media Installing the XDCAM Software Mounting Professional Disc Media Name the Disc Importing Clips into Final Cut Pro Mark Clips Background Importing Important Settings Finishing the Import Session Activity Monitor Editing with XDCAM HD Clips Outputting to XDCAM HD Discs

3 3 Introduction The XDCAM HD Professional Disc system is a rugged new tapeless acquisition format from Sony. It records high-definition video, at a variety of frame rates and qualities, onto the same PFD-23 Professional Disc media popularized by the XDCAM SD format. The XDCAM HD system supports variable frame rate recording for creating undercranked or overcranked slow motion and fast motion effects, as well as full support for myriad HD formats and frame rates with up to four channels of uncompressed audio at 16 bits/48 khz. The XDCAM HD system allows three quality settings: LP, SP, and HQ corresponding to 18, 25, and 35 Mb/s, respectively. All three settings utilize long group of pictures (GOP) MPEG2 compression to ensure excellent video quality with significantly reduced bandwidth requirements. The SP setting (25 Mb/s) is constant bit rate, virtually identical to HDV (but with the capability to carry four channels of uncompressed audio rather than HDV s two compressed channels). In addition, this setting is fully compatible with Apple s Final Cut Pro. The XDCAM HD system fills the gap between HDV and HDCAM equipment, providing professional lenses, features, and 1 /2-inch CCDs at a fraction of the price of HDCAM equipment. It also offers a higher quality option than HDV, with the added benefit of tapeless recording. Professional Disc Media The inexpensive discs afford many advantages over tape-based systems. They are extremely durable and can be reused thousands of times. And because discs are not magnetic like tape, data is more secure, and intelligent error correction prevents data loss in the event of bad sectors or physical damage. Disc management is easy; for example, it is impossible to accidentally record over existing clips, but easy to delete unwanted clips to conserve space. Additionally, recording onto optical media means instant random access to clips, either in the field or in the edit room. Metadata such as file title and production parameters can be stored in scene files, which can be organized on the camera or by manipulating low-resolution proxy files to simplify the logging process and speed the transition to the edit suite. Prerequisites Using XDCAM HD footage requires Mac OS X v10.4 or later, QuickTime 7, and Final Cut Pro Sony XDCAM Transfer software must also be installed to effectively access the XDCAM HD footage.

4 Workflow Overview Video professionals using the XDCAM HD format typically follow a predictable workflow to complete their productions. The workflow can be broken into four phases representing the chronological stages of the production process: acquire, ingest, edit, and output. Acquire The first phase is acquisition, where content is recorded using an XDCAM HD camcorder such as the PDW-F330 or PDW-F350. In preparation for acquisition, many specifics regarding the format and type of shooting must be decided. While the XDCAM HD camcorders can capture in both DVCAM and MPEG HD formats, standard-definition and high-definition footage cannot be mixed on the same disc. However, different quality levels of MPEG HD can be stored on the same disc. Every time the camera is started and stopped, a new clip is added to the disc. These clips can be viewed as thumbnails on the camcorder LCD display, and unwanted clips can easily be deleted.

5 PFD-23 Professional Disc Thumbnail display on camcorder LCD display Additionally, clips can be named, annotated, and organized to better prepare the disc for the editor. Specific information about the camera settings used while shooting, such as frame rate effects and the date and time of acquisition, is automatically annotated to each shot. For full compatibility with Final Cut Pro, the following settings should be used: SP quality and 59.94i, 50i, or 23.98p frame rates. Check the Apple website ( finalcutstudio) for announcements about support for additional frame rates and quality settings. Ingest Once all footage has been shot, it must be transferred to a computer hard disk for editing and converted into a format editable by Final Cut Pro. Although the XDCAM HD camera records directly to digital files on the Professional Disc, the files are stored in a special file type called MXF (Material Exchange Format). In order to edit the files in Final Cut Pro, the data within the MXF files must be transferred to QuickTime files. This translation does not damage or cause quality loss to the video files. The MPEG HD data is simply unwrapped from the MXF file and rewrapped in a QuickTime file. One additional benefit of the XDCAM HD format is that low-resolution proxies of every clip are automatically created and stored on the Professional Disc media. These proxies allow you to quickly view the clips before importing the full-resolution data and choose which clips to ingest and which to leave on the Professional Disc media. You can even log different sections of the proxy clips (using In and Out points) to avoid importing unwanted parts of the full-resolution HD files you may not need for editing. Edit Once the footage has been moved from the Professional Disc media to the computer hard disk, it is ready for editing in Final Cut Pro. The import process automatically adds the clips to the current Final Cut Pro project file; however, it is important to ensure that the sequence settings correspond precisely to the settings of the ingested clips. Output Once the edit phase is completed, the finished show will likely be prepared for output to a variety of formats. Exporting for web video and DVD can be accomplished using Compressor, as with any other Final Cut Pro sequence, but outputting back to the XDCAM HD format requires a special process.

6 6 XDCAM HD Acquisition The XDCAM HD format is extraordinarily flexible, providing an array of frame rates and frame sizes. While such choice offers the advantage of flexibility, it s important to think through the entire production workflow before settling on your acquisition settings. Choosing settings inconsistent with your intended output format may require transcoding or recompressing, which would cause unnecessary image degradation and wasted time during post-production. Choosing a Format Both PDW-F330 and F350 cameras can shoot in either HD (1440x1080) or SD (720x480) frame sizes. SD footage is always recorded in the DVCAM format (in either NTSC or PAL), so it can be transparently integrated into other DV projects intended for SD-size output, such as traditional broadcast or DVD. Additionally, SD footage can be shot in either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios. XDCAM HD footage can be recorded in five different frame rates (59.94i, 50i, 29.97p, 25p, and 23.98p) and three different quality levels (LP, SP, and HQ), as previously described. Footage shot at different frame rates cannot be edited in the same Final Cut Pro sequence without rendering, so before beginning your production, choose a frame rate and stick with it for all footage in a particular show. For shows heading for European or other PAL standard environments, that means 50i; for NTSC environments, use 59.94i. Alternatively, you can choose to shoot in 23.98p for a more cinematic look. Note: While the XDCAM HD system can also record in 25p or 30p, those frame rates are not currently supported by Final Cut Pro. Once the frame rate and scanning method are determined, you can decide on picture quality level. Currently, Final Cut Pro works only with the SP quality setting, so to ensure compatibility with your editing system, all footage should be shot at the SP setting. Slow and Quick Motion Effects The PDW-F350 allows variable frame rate recording to create slow motion and fast motion effects in the camera, including time-lapse recordings. This allows for organic-looking speed effects similar to the results of overcranking or undercranking a hand-wound film camera. These effects can be recorded in progressive frame rates only (23.98p, 25p, or 30p). The resulting clips appear as ordinary frame rate clips in your editing system, and the speed effect will not be removable.

7 7 Ingesting XDCAM HD Media XDCAM HD clips are recorded directly into digital files stored on the Professional Disc media. However, to edit the clips, they must be moved from the discs onto a Macintosh computer equipped with Final Cut Pro. Fortunately, all XDCAM HD cameras and decks contain a FireWire (i.link ) port that can be connected to any Macintosh using an ordinary FireWire cable. FireWire (i.link) Ports PDW-F350 Camera FireWire (i.link) Port PDW-F70 Deck Installing the XDCAM Software Before you can successfully connect an XDCAM HD device to your Mac, you must install the Sony drivers and XDCAM Transfer software (PDZK-P1). The software can be downloaded at Mounting Professional Disc Media When an XDCAM HD camera or deck is connected to a Mac via FireWire, it can be used in one of two ways: AVC or FAM. The device can be set to either mode in the menu. AVC (Audio Video Control) mode allows the device to be controlled remotely, like an analog deck. With FAM (File Access Mode), files can be accessed directly, like a hard disk volume. For camera, you will find the setting in: Menu 07 > Output > i.linkmode. For deck, you will find the setting in: Setup > Interface > i.linkmode. When the device is set to FAM and connected to a Mac, the disc appears on the Mac OS X desktop like any other removable device.

8 Name the Disc For best results, name the disc in the Finder before attempting to import the clips into Final Cut Pro. This prevents the possibility of having duplicate discs and clips with identical names. Rename the disc by selecting it in the Finder and choosing Get Info (Command-I). Type the new name in the Get Info window inside the Name & Extension box. Note: If the disc is write-protected or the deck is in Record-Inhibit mode, you will not be able to rename the disc. Once the name has been changed, eject the disc and reinsert it. This step is necessary in order for the XDCAM Transfer software to recognize the disc.

9 Importing Clips into Final Cut Pro Installing the XDCAM Transfer software automatically adds a new menu item in the File > Import pop-up menu of Final Cut Pro. Note: The menu item will be dimmed unless the Browser window is selected. Choosing Sony XDCAM launches the Transfer application from within Final Cut Pro. You can now view the contents of the disc, mark clips and sections of clips to be imported, and import them directly into Final Cut Pro. The first time you launch this program, a dialog asks you to set up three scratch disk locations where the various media files you create will be stored.

10 10 Proxies and clip information cache folder is used to hold low-resolution proxy movies and small data files only. The default location is the current User s Library on your startup disk. Clip import folder is where the full-resolution HD files are stored. For organizational purposes, the folder should typically be assigned to the same location as your Final Cut Pro Capture Scratch folder, often on an external media drive. The bandwidth requirements are no higher than with standard DV footage. Clip export folder also contains full-resolution video files, created temporarily during the export process. Because the files are deleted automatically upon completion of the export function, the location of this folder is less critical. Once you complete the Sony XDCAM Transfer Setup dialog, the main application window opens. The XDCAM Transfer window immediately begins reading low-resolution proxy images of each of the clips on the disc. As soon as the proxy is loaded, the proxy overlay appears in the clips area. This allows you to view the clips in the movie area and even log clips by setting In and Out points, without having to wait for the full-resolution clips to be transferred.

11 11 Mark Clips As you examine the clips on your disc, you can log the sections you want to import using the In and Out buttons in the playback control area (or the I and O shortcut keys). You can even use the familiar J-K-L playback shortcut keys. Marked areas are indicated in the video scrubber area. Marked area Mark in Mark out Add clip Clip list Click the Add Clip button to add the marked region to the clip list on the right. Once you have completed logging the clip, you can import the full-resolution version immediately by clicking the Import button, or choose a different clip from the clips area to continue logging. Marked clips will display an IN/OUT overlay in the lower-right corner of each clip s icon. This makes it easy to identify all of the clips on a disc that have been marked. To sort by marked clips, choose View > Sort By > Sub-clips from the menu. All of the clips will be sorted, and marked clips will be at the top of the window, making it easy to select and import just the media you need. Clicking Import creates a new QuickTime file in the location previously specified, and automatically imports it into the current Final Cut Pro project. Background Importing Because importing happens in the background, you can continue to log clips while the previous clip is being loaded. Or complete all logging and import all clips at once you don t need to wait until the importing is done to begin editing in Final Cut Pro. As each clip is imported, it is dynamically added to the Final Cut Pro project you selected, even as you are editing the project.

12 12 Important Settings Use the XDCAM Transfer Preferences window to modify the import location or to control the automatic naming of the clips you import. The Output pane allows you to change the location where imported clips will be stored. Additionally, there are several options to specify how the clips will be named and stored. This is important in order to prevent multiple clips with identical names, which can create confusion later or even result in files accidentally being deleted (if the Overwrite existing files checkbox is enabled). Make sure the Use disc name for clips folder setting is checked. This ensures that clips are placed in individual subfolders, named to match the disc name. You can also choose to include the clip s title, UMID, and in and out timecodes to further ensure that each file has a unique and easily identifiable name. The Preferences window also contains settings for the location of the cache where low-resolution proxies and thumbnails are stored. The default is the Application Support folder in the User s Library. You can set this to another location, but remember that the database file must always remain in the same location as the proxy movies. Additional settings control which audio channels are monitored in the Browser window (all channels will always be imported), and whether the Import function automatically adds the clips to the Final Cut Pro project. Finishing the Import Session Once you have imported all of the clips from a particular disc, you can eject the disc and load a new one. The XDCAM Transfer tool retains all of the proxy information for each disc you load, allowing you to review the disc s contents even when the disc is offline. All currently viewable discs are listed in the source area. When you add a new disc or one that has already been viewed, its contents are automatically loaded into the main window area.

13 13 Activity Monitor You can check the program s progress by opening the XDCAM Activity window (found in the Window menu). Because the XDCAM Transfer tool continues to import in the background, it does not automatically quit. To end the XDCAM Transfer session once all full-resolution clips have been imported, bring the window to the front and choose XDCAM Transfer > Quit, or press Command-Q.

14 14 Editing with XDCAM HD Clips Once all of the clips are imported into Final Cut Pro, you are ready to begin editing. However, as you create sequences, you must match the sequence settings to the specific properties for the XDCAM HD clips you imported. When you install the XDCAM Transfer software, a group of new Easy Setup options are automatically added to Final Cut Pro. Because all XDCAM HD footage is the same frame size (1440x1080), the primary difference between formats is the frame rate. To open the Easy Setup window, choose Final Cut Pro > Easy Setup. Click the Show All checkbox to reveal all of the easy setups; choose from one of the three XDCAM HD presets to match the frame rate of your source footage.

15 15 Note: Sequences created before you apply the Easy Setup retain the previous default settings. So if you apply the Easy Setup after a project has been created, delete the automatically generated Sequence 1 and create a new sequence. The sequence will be based on the values in the selected Easy Setup. If you have any doubt as to the frame rate of your media, select any clip in Final Cut Pro and click the Format tab in the Item Properties window. Once you have matched your Easy Setup to your media and created a new sequence, you are ready to edit your show. Note: Slow motion (overcranked) footage shot with the PDW-F350 is recorded using a vertical resolution of 540 lines instead of the standard This footage is compatible with Final Cut Pro and will need to be rendered prior to playback due to the difference in resolution.

16 16 Outputting to XDCAM HD Discs Like importing, it is possible to export sequences directly onto XDCAM HD Professional Disc media. If the sequence is a native XDCAM HD format, no recompression is required. Regardless of how many audio tracks are used in the sequence, all sequences intended for output to XDCAM HD disc media must be set to four mono channels. To make this adjustment, open the Sequence Settings window, click the Audio Outputs tab, and set Outputs to 4 and Grouping to Dual Mono.

17 17 To export a sequence, select the sequence s icon in the Browser and choose File > Export > Sony XDCAM. Only sequences can be exported this way. Note: This export module does not provide the option to add color bars or any other pre-roll or post-roll content. To create a master with such elements, build those elements directly in your sequence. Selecting Sony XDCAM opens the Sony XDCAM Export pane. At the top of the window, specify the disc where the exported sequence is to be placed. If no disc is currently loaded, you can save the file to a location on your hard disk.

18 18 Any sequence can be output onto XDCAM HD media; however, it is critical that the settings used (chosen in the Sony XDCAM Export dialog) precisely match the settings currently enabled on the XDCAM HD device. If you attempt to export using the 24p setting but the camera or deck is set to 29.97p or a different quality setting, the export operation will fail. Click the Export button to activate the XDCAM Exporter, which displays a status window that illustrates exactly what is going on. If you chose a setting in the dialog with different settings than the sequence being exported, Final Cut Pro will render the sequence at the specified output settings prior to writing the file to disc. (Even when exporting a sequence with the same settings, Final Cut Pro may appear to be rendering prior to recording the file to disc. This is just the process of writing the temporary file used by the XDCAM Exporter.) Minor recompression may occur around edit points to ensure the group of pictures structure and data rate meet MPEG-2 compliancy. Note: If the disc is write-protected, you will not be able to complete the operation. If you are recording the sequence onto a disc containing existing clips, the new clip appears at the end of the clip list. It is not currently possible to delete existing clips on the disc without expressly deleting them using the menu on the camera or deck. For More Information For more information visit Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, FireWire, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS, and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Finder is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. June 2006 L325774A