Confused by some of the rendering-related terminology, behavior, and settings available in Final Cut Pro? This article at Ken Stone’s FCP tutorial site is the most extensive treatise on the topic I’ve ever seen. This is a must-read for FCP editors both new and experienced.

Loader Software Review
www.digital-heaven.co.uk/loader/
$49.00
By Matthew Jeppsen

As a freelancer who prefers to use Final Cut Pro for most of my editing projects, I’m fully involved in all levels of the post-production process. Without an assistant editor, I alone am responsible for importing and organizing media and assets. I suspect that a rather large percentage of FreshDV readers are in the same situation.

My organization workflow is fairly rigid. Using Finder I’ll create a master project folder, and store all the project media and assets in subfolders; Video, Audio, Music, Images, etc. I then import those folders and assets into FCP and keep a similar bin structure, essentially mirroring the hierarchy at the Finder level. This organization is almost never completed before I begin cutting the project, I’m always bouncing back and forth between iTunes, Finder, and FCP as I import additional media and revised assets. Audio and music imports require an extra step, converting everything to 48kHz 16-bit AIF files to avoid audio rendering and glitchy playback in FCP. Some people use Compressor droplets to simplify this, some convert in iTunes and use it to manage audio assets, some do the mp3 > aif conversion manually with Quicktime. However you choose to do it, I think you’ll agree that converting everything to 48k aif files is a pain.

For the past several weeks I’ve been beta testing a new app from Digital Heaven, called Loader. A helper app for FCP, this program essentially consists of a tiny slate-patterned wedge or tab that sits on the left side of your screen. Loader hovers over any open windows, including FCP. It can be situated vertically anywhere on the left edhe of the screen by CMD-dragging the widget. Clicking on Loader reveals a slide-out tray that contains the names of all open FCP projects.

Now comes the cool part; lets say you want to import several assets into to your project; an MP3 audio voiceover track, a jpg image, and a video clip. Simply drag those files over the Loader tab to expand the tray. This reveals all your open project files. Now just drop the files onto the appropriate project file in the list. If this is the first time you’ve used Loader with this project, you’ll be asked to specify the master directory where assets are to be stored. This prompt won’t appear the next time you use Loader with that project. After selecting the asset folder, the tray collapses back into a tab and Loader goes to work.

It copies over the image and video clip to Graphics and Movies subfolders, respectively. Those directories will be created if they don’t already exist. The MP3 is converted to a 48/16 AIF file before being copied into an Audio subfolder. This all happens in the background, you can continue editing with FCP while Loader churns away. The app’s widget turns red to indicate it is processing files. After all the assets are copied and/or converted, a timestamped bin automagically appears in the FCP project window, containing the files you dropped on Loader. You can now quickly move these files to whatever bins you need them in, and they are immediately available for editing. Very cool, and extremely efficient!

For instance, let’s say a client brings in assets stored on a data DVD. Simply insert the drive, drag the assets over to Loader, and keep on editing while they are copied and organized on your media drives. Dragging files and CD tracks directly from the iTunes window works also. And if you’ve got a particular folder structure that you prefer to organize by, that can be quickly specified in Loader’s preferences, including defining which filetypes should be stored in each. By default, Loader offers the following folder and filetype settings.

Graphics - .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .pct, .pdf, .png, .psd, .tif, .tiff, .tga
Movies - .mov
Audio - .aif, .aiff, .bwf, .wav

These destination folders and filetypes can be modified and customized in the Preferences as needed. By default, Loader installs with the option to auto-start and stop as FCP is loaded and quit. So there’s no need to remember to load it up, it just piggybacks along with FCP after the initial install is completed. Another preference option ticked by default automatically checks for updates to the app. The whole auto-update process is implemented perfectly, the app downloads and installs the new version, and prompts for a restart (of the app, not the computer). Done. That’s one more example of the time and effort spent by Martin Baker over at Digital Heaven in designing and polishing this program.

There are a few prerequisites that must be in place for Loader to function properly. First, it requires Final Cut Pro 6.0.2 or it flat out won’t work. Might want to ensure you are up to date with FCP before you go off and purchase the app. Due to how FCP handles XML data, only open project files that have been previously saved will show up in the Loader tray, so remember that when you don’t see your unsaved projects in the Loader tray. Finally, like in any other app, DRM protected audio files cannot be converted to AIF’s by Loader.

With Loader, menial and repetitive tasks are reduced to a quick drag and drop, and this works from virtually anywhere in the OS. In short, I’ve been very pleased with how it simplifies my media management. Loader is the intern/assistant editor I don’t have (and probably couldn’t afford). But priced at a reasonable $49.00, I believe that many editors can and will afford Loader. You can learn more about Loader at www.digital-heaven.co.uk/loader/. Download the 14-day free trial while you are there and see for yourself how helpful Loader can be. It’s been very useful to me, and I recommend the application highly.

Director and editor Paul Del Vecchio has created a fantastic video tutorial on how to convert 4:3 SD footage into 16:9 widescreen footage. He first shows how to accomplish this using Adobe After Effects, then later in Sony Vegas and other NLE’s using his free aspect ratio overlays. There’s quite a few handy tips along the way, and I personally found this to be an informative and helpful video tutorial.

We wanted to help host an HD version of the tutorial, and Paul has agreed to share it here at FreshDV. You can watch at FreshTV, or download an iPod version via the podcast feed. There are also 720p HD WMV and MP4 options linked below.

 720p HD Quicktime Tutorial Video [14:22m]: Download
 720p HD Windows Media Tutorial Video [14:22m]: Download

For more info on Paul Del Vecchio, check out his blog and production website.

PVC contributor Art Adams has posted comments on the workflow for a recent HD project. His workflow article offers a good introductory guide for those just digging into the Red camera and it’s associated tools, RedCine and RedRushes. The subtitle “I might be just winging it, but darned if it don’t work!” should be a good indicator as to how Art approaches the article. He also offers a great universal tip on slating:

“…it is immensely helpful to have the slate in the frame when the camera first rolls. That first frame becomes the thumbnail for your clip, and it’s handy to have the scene and take number sitting right there in your bin.”

I’d recommend this read for those who are new to Red or considering making the jump soon. You can find it at ProVideoCoalition. And while you are there, check out the new FreshDV PVC channel.

Sony has announced two updates to their Vegas Pro NLE software, 8.0c and 8.1. The former includes support for various XDCAM modes and flavors and the HVR-Z7U camcorder that Sony introduced earlier this year. The 8.1 update includes 64-bit support (and presumably the updates in 8.0c?).

Vegas Pro 8.0c Features
** Enhanced trimmer tools, improved source/preview workflow, Fit-to-Fill and paste/overwrite editing and video playback functionality
** XDCAM HD 4:2:2 50 mb/s support
** XDCAM EX rendering support
** HVR-Z7 24p capture and high-performance editing
** HVR-Z7 CF card import module
** Optimized AVC encoding and decoding

Vegas Pro 8.1 has been designed to maximize the capabilities of the 64-bit system, providing:
** Access to large amounts of memory not possible with 32-bit systems
** Scalability for multicore processors
** Faster overall performance and rendering
Vegas Pro 8.1 provides current users with more memory access which enables
** Working with complex memory-hungry 3D projects
** Working more efficiently with nested Vegas Pro projects
** Running more multiple instances of Vegas Pro software
** More open Codecs, Filters and Effects, and Cached Frames for Ram Previews
** Features both improved rendering times and general performance optimizations

Full press release here. The Vegas 8.0c and 8.1 update are free for existing Vegas Pro 8.0 users. For anyone looking to adopt Sony’s NLE, Vegas Pro is available at B&H for $469.95 (and includes a $75 B&H gift card).

Thanks to Randall Bennett for the tip.

 Avid DS New Features Conference Call [24:52m]: Download

Ever since Avid Technology acquired Softimage in 1998, they have been steadily improving the DS Nitris hardware/software post-production package, adding tools and features to further bring DS into the Avid fold. With their latest version 10 release, Avid has announced a number of improvements that users should find compelling.

Gone is the Avid DS Nitris naming, henceforth the product is referred to simply as Avid DS. Gone also is the proprietary hardware acceleration, instead v10 will lean on an off-the-shelf AJA Xena 2K Dual Link HD card for capture and display. Formats now supported include 720p at 23.976 fps, as well as 1080p50 and 1080p59.94. DPX can be conformed at HD, 2K, and 4K resolutions, and realtime up/down converts are possible. Avid Interplay integration is now in place, and in addition to the Symphony based color corrector, there is now a realtime secondary corrector. Finally, options for LUT support are a boon for film projects. These and a host of other improvements all come despite the fact that Avid has reduced the turnkey pricing of DS v10 + HP workstation + 8TB storage to below $60K.

FreshDV was a part of the initial conference call that announced this latest update, and Avid has kindly granted us permission to post a recording of that call here. So check it out if you are a DS Nitris user and wish to get up to speed quickly, or simply want to learn more about DS. You can download the attached mp3, or simply subscribe to our podcast feed in iTunes.

UPDATE: Long-time Avid user Scott Simmons has posted a few thoughts on this update as well as the exclusion of native Red .R3D support.

 Film Master Red Workflow Interview [16:39m]: Download

Digital Vision recently announced they would be adding native support for Redcode RAW footage in their grading/finishing app Film Master. The following is an audio podcast discussion with Simon Cuff, President of Digital Vision. Simon takes time to answer FreshDV’s questions about the specifics of their .R3D support and talks about how Film Master and Data Conform can be used both in the ingest and final finishing process.

To listen, subscribe to the FreshDV podcast feed.

Red One behind the scenes photo by Stu Maschwitz of Prolost. Used with permission.

We recently mentioned that Adobe was soon going to announce native support for RED One footage. Over at Adobe Labs, they released a sneak peek at how the workflow looks. Here’s an excerpt:

“To get to the Red Importer dialog box, you simply double click on any clip in the Premiere Pro Project Panel and the Red Importer Dialog window will open (normally double clickin on the Project Bin sends that clip to the Source Window). There are various settings, but the one that you will use most often is the Global Settings. Here you select your Frame Size like 2048×1152 and then tell the importer how you want it to treat that video. You have various settings like Full, ½, ¼, 1/8, and so on. For my 17” MacBookPro , using ¼ for 2K and 1/8 for 4K as a “working res” was an excellent editing experience for a laptop dealing with 2K files. Remember, these are not proxies, since Red uses a different encoding method for their R3D files, scaling down the video still keeps the picture very clean - not the typical scaled artifacting you would normally see with other encoding methods.

For example, once you select “Apply Global settings” , this will tell the Red Adobe Importer that whenever it sees a 2048×1152 clip to treat it as 512×288. You’ll need to set up a Preset in Premiere Pro and set your frame size to 512×288. Again, when you export, you simply tell the Exporter to change the Frame Size to 2048×1152.”

You can watch a 2-minute intro video (QT link) or a 20-minute overview of the entire workflow (also QT). There are obviously certain caveats and limitations, at this point the importer plugin is a beta. But this is very promising stuff both for spot-checking shots in the field and editors back at the studio.

(Tweet via Jason Diamond)

Are you using overlapping audio cuts or crossfades in your edits? If not, you could be missing out on a powerful technique that pro editors have been using for years. Also referred to as L-cuts or J-cuts, overlapping audio either before or after a video cut can go a long way towards making a transition less jarring. It is not only a quick fix for small audio imbalances, but a powerful creative tool in your editing arsenal. HDFilmtools has the scoop, including specific instructions for FCP editors (though the overlap edit can be accomplished with any decent NLE software).

“In today’s world of whiz bang, high-tech, digital editing, the power of the lowly overlap cut has been all but lost in the tumult. I’m sure many of you have heard the term overlap, pre-lap or post-lap before, but you may not know exactly why one would use this technique when creating a sequence. Understanding this subtle, simple and effective tool, which editors pull from their bag of tricks every day, will make you a more seasoned and better editor.”

Over at CreativeCow, Dustin Lau has some great tips for speeding up your editing in Final Cut Pro. His keybinding tips help you navigate and perform regular tasks with less clicks of the mouse (which is also better for those suffering from wrist strain and RSI). And the procedure he recommends for changing the speed of a clip without the timeline rippling looks relatively quick. Check it out.

One the features buried in Final Cut Pro’s Modify menu is called “Merge Clips.” What this tool does is enable you to link two disparate audio/video sources so that FCP treats them as a single clip, keeping them synced as you work with the clip while also maintaining their seperate relationships to the source media. This is also referred to as Dual System Sound Sync. Here’s how you do it.

Here’s an early “first impressions” type Avid Media Composer 3.0 review, along with Mojo DX.

Oliver Peters has written out a thoughtful Ten Tips For A Better Final Cut Pro Experience that run the gamut from editing shortcuts and tricks to getting a handle on media management. Definitely worth the read.

Studio Daily has posted a video that talks about best practices and workflows for getting Red footage from REDCine into your NLE of choice. Watch it here.

The latest version of Sony’s DVD Architect software can now create Blu-ray discs in the same workflow used to create standard definition DVDs. You can even create one disc, and use it to generate an SD DVD as well as a Blu-ray disc, complete with menus. Sweet.

The 5.0 update is free to registered DVD Architect 4.5 users, use this link to take advantage of the offer (which expires at the end of this month). You can also purchase the full Vegas editing suite and be eligible for the DVD Architect Blu-ray upgrade.