2009

Workflow Summary
Digital cinema cameras typically shoot tapeless media (although some filmmakers record
to HDCAM SR), so the specific method of ingest depends on the exact type of media that
was originally captured. Usually, this includes proprietary RAW formats (such as the RED
ONE camera’s REDCODE format) or DPX image sequence capture. REDCODE media can
be ingested into Final Cut Pro using third-party software, and other RAW formats can
usually be converted to a suitable QuickTime file format for editing via proprietary software.
DPX image sequences, on the other hand, can be converted to QuickTime media using
Color for offline editing in Final Cut Pro.
After editing is complete, the edited sequence must be prepared, and all offline media
must be reconformed to the original online source media using one of a variety of
methods. REDCODE media can be reingested as native RED QuickTime files in preparation
for grading in Color, and DPX source media can be conformed using an EDL exported
from Final Cut Pro using Color. When grading in Color is complete, the entire program is
rendered and output from Color as a single DPX or Cineon image sequence, which is
then delivered to a film-printing facility.
Tip: If you’re working with media that was captured as DPX image sequences, you can
use Color to convert the DPX media to Apple ProRes 4444 media and then use the Media
Manager in Final Cut Pro to create offline QuickTime media from that. Although lightly
compressed, Apple ProRes 4444 is a high-quality RGB 4:4:4 data format suitable for film
mastering, and the eventual reconform process is simple to manage. If you use Color to
do this conversion, make sure to save and keep the project file that you used to do the
conversion, in case you need to reconvert the original DPX media with the same filenames
that Color automatically generated originally.
26 Chapter 1 Developing a Post-Production Strategy