Varicam Workflow (PAL) using FCP/BlackMagic DeckLink

[SimonW]

Hi,
I couldn't find much out there on varicam recently so thought I'ld share some painfully discovered findings. Hope this is useful:).


Shoot:
1. Preferably use a slate to indicate when framerate changes occur.
2. Keep in mind that audio will lose sync when shooting off 25fps.
3. Use separate tapes for 25fps sync footage and the material shot off speed.

System Requirements:
• Panasonic DVCPRO HD Deck (AJ-HD1200/1400 minimum)
• Final Cut Pro 6.01
• Blackmagic DeckLink HD (using latest drivers)

Panasonic AJ-HD1400 Menu Settings:
25 – 0000 SYSTEM FREQ 59/60
020 – 0001 SYS FORMAT 720P
030 – 0001 HD FREQUENCY 60/24

Final Cut Pro Easy Setup:
HD / 25fps / Blackmagic HDTV 720p 25 Varicam – 8 Bit


Capturing:
1. Log & Capture – Capture Settings – Device Control: Non-Controllable
2. Use Capture Now


Nt. Flagged frames are processed during the capturing process. Capture entire tape keeping in mind that footage shot at 50p should be left twice as long, 60p should be left 2.4 times longer etc. (if you need to determine what frame rate the footage was flagged at then press the counter button on the deck until user-bits are displayed. The second last column of userbit info contains the frame rate).

[E_Tedeschi]

I recently struggled to find anything that was consistent, too, especially when working in PAL.

I find the necessity to keep the tape running past the vision end and the need to calculate those durations an absurdity in such a digitally savvy age. I wish Panasonic would find a fix to that.

For my Varicam project, I decided to go in natively vis firewire (despite having a HD Kona card on my system) at 60fps (the Varicam always shoots that regardless of the frame rate anyway), and post conform the rushes down to 25fps. In case you're interested, here's my process:

http://www.outpostpps.com/blog/?p=24

It's worked well for me, and even gets around the whole off-speed problem quite well. It does create a lot of work for the assistant though ;)

[rachelw]

heck that sounds like a pain...I thought new technology was meant to make things better AND easier...

*sigh*

[JWRL]

There is obviously a fundamental problem with the 50 Hz HD implementations. It's taken Avid an eternity to support the 720 line modes, and HDV is still a distant dream. Avid at least will now handle Varicam I believe, although I haven't done it.

A workaround that I've successfully used in the past for both FCP and Avid is to use Canopus Edius to import the media - works for both P2 and HDV - and upres to 1080/25p. Save it back out as P2, and import that into FCP or Avid.

There are almost certainly more elegant fixes, but this was a heat of the moment solution using available tools, and it worked.

I keep promising myself that in five year's time we'll look back at this period of HD and laugh. God I hope so!

[E_Tedeschi]

JWRL,

Apparently FCP now handles P2 quite well - it's bringing Varicam in off tape that is still a MASSIVE headache...

Also, I was under the impression that Avid Xpress Pro handles HDV quite well now? With or without the Mojo box...? You've heard / know different? I'd like to hear more.

[JWRL]

Hi Enzo.

Avid does handle HDV well now (very well), but not the 50 Hz flavours of 720. It's been promised for two years now....

Fortunately I don't have to deal with HDV much.

[Jude]

Last time I worked with the Varicam footage we actually went with 720p 24, because you can send this out of HD D5 as either PAL or NTSC (60 or 50 hz) or film. Very flexible, but it's a bit of a bloody brain bender. Buggrit.