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Tv workflows - 2012. A Review of Production & Post Production Workflows from the current TV Season. Quick Look Back…. Spring / 2009 – SAG threatens to strike AFTRA alternative – but only if you shoot on tape, not film Studios shot 90% of their pilots on tape under AFTRA
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Tv workflows - 2012 A Review of Production & Post Production Workflows from the current TV Season
Quick Look Back…. • Spring / 2009 – SAG threatens to strike • AFTRA alternative – but only if you shoot on tape, not film • Studios shot 90% of their pilots on tape under AFTRA • And the studios learned that 24P worked & saved $$$ • 2009/2010 season – a lot of film cameras sat on shelves • 2010/2011 – 80% shooting on tape (even Alexa) • March 11, 2011 – Tsunami hits Northeast Japan • Current season of 2011/2012 – 90% shooting onto files
File Based Production & Post 2011-2012 • By Aug 2011, tape was still in short supply • Many shows adopted the Alexa or Red camera • Once the efficiencies of file based production became obvious….there was little reason to go back to tape • Saves time > processing & ingest is faster than real time • Processing > uses computers instead of dedicated hardware: vtrs, routers, etc…means lower capex cost • Saves archiving space & costs > 1 hour Episodic > 30-35 hrs, > 6-8 LTOs > replace 50+ SR tapes
TV File Based Workflow • Color Management • Data Management • Dailies Processing • Conforming • Archiving
Color Management • For best results we shoot LOG • Trending away from hands-on dailies colorist • How to make it relevant for on set & dailies? • Need to choose & apply LUTS or Looks while shooting the scenes. • Choosing LUTS for on-set….& for dailies? • Currently there seems to be 4 specific approaches
The Options • Lut box tethered to camera(s) – email the luts to lab • Apply luts during data management (Red) • Use one single default lut - rec709 or custom • Create a collection or set of luts or looks in advance ….apply them accordingly. • LUT – color look up tables applied to dailies – typically for editorial & general distribution • “look or looks” – the generic term • Arri Look – color as applied to the viewing outputs on Alexa using Arri tools
SPT – we leave this to the DP • Breaking In – DIT plus Truelight box • Justified – on set DIT creates looks w/ DP during data backup (Red Epic) • The Big C – one lut • Unforgettable & The Client List – collection of preset luts
Arri Looks • Introduced in version 4, Alexa firmware • Allows for loading 16 Arri Looks into Alexa • Arri Looks are 1D luts and designed for Alexa’s on board color processing capabilities • No external color boxes required…as Arri Looks can be called up in camera & applied to outputs • SxS recordings can stay native LogC • Embeds the name of the chosen Look into the file for tracking later in the post workflow
Early Experience w/ Arri Looks • Pilot shot > well known graphic novel • As such > extreme looks • Director wanted to preview looks on set • DP shot test material & created a number of looks he might use…. 23 in fact. • Ended up using only 7 during actual production
Challenge…. • In August, 2011 – no tools for translating the LUTs created on Baselight to an official Arri Look • Peter Postma (Filmlight-LA) worked to translate…. • Variances crept in to the exercise due to differences in decoding - legal vs extended ranges – required “tweaks” • Ultimately we ran tests to make sure what was seen on set was what was being delivered to Editorial and in the Studio & Network Dailies
Six Months Later • We now have tools from Arri to build these Arri Looks & to generate matching compatible LUTS • Arri Look Creator - application • Arri LUT Generator – online web app • We also now have third party tools that will generate compatible Arri Looks from LUTS • Pomfort’s LiveGrade - beta
Data Management • Original Camera Negative exists as files on card • Cards are expensive > transfer the files to a shuttle drive > lab • Need to have multiple backups • Need to have a workflow system in place to assure no files are lost • Need supporting software to confirm transfers on a bit by bit basis • Need to QC or review each days material that flows – SET > LAB • 1) On set data wrangler • 2) Dailies operator and manager • 3) Assistant Editor • 4) Archivist at the Lab
File Based Dailies Processing • File based > faster than real time - transfer & conversion • Syncing Sound to Picture > w/ proper onset timecode management > quick and easy • Logging > sound recorders label wav files - SC/TKs • Color > applying luts from set or from a colorist working in parallel on the same networked system • Systems > process dnx + mpeg2 (dvds) + h.264 (stream) • Reference > Original codec or a mezzanine codec
Codecs & Compression • Concerns re: compression seems to be reduced • Many shows are using dnx175x for conform – especially popular at post houses…. • Several shows are even using dnx115 – popular with in house post workflows…. SOUTHLAND (TNT) • SPT’s goal > conform directly from the native codec or a codec that maintains 444 quality.
Conforming • Avid file based conforming (MC 5 +) references “sourcefiles” plus timecode vs. tape roll plus timecode • Each sourcefile or clipname is unique • Camera Reel/clip number/date/camera serial # • Example > A004C010_20120214_R1JL.mov • Each clip or sourcefile is usually one take of one scene…. • Decision to conform with a mezzanine codec instead of the original file is typically driven by the devices being used to complete the conform and grading
Archiving • Final vetting of files for name and substance • Hard copy onto LTO5 x 2 • Working copy of each episode’s OCN footage on a portable RAID for transport to the “online” or conform – transfer via eSata or SAS • In House – files move via network transfer to the studio’s TV Repository
Workflow Examples SOUTHLAND - TNT UNFORGETTABLE - CBS
SOUTHLAND • shoots RED, Canon 5D, GoPro • Dailies – all footage color timed by a dailies colorist & processed into dnx115 on Fotokem’sNextLab • Show is then cut on Avid in dnx115 • Final cut IS the edited master (w/color) • Output as files > grading takes only 3-4hrs • Southland IS a stylized show and thus can sustain artifacts created by this workflow
UNFORGETTABLE • Shot on Arri Alexa – using collection of luts • OCN (ProRes 444 LogC) is collected and held on an episodic raid for conform • Conformed on Avid Symphony – uses AMA transfer of ProRes – transcoded to Avid RGB 444 – then conformed & pushed… • To Colorworks where it is graded on a Baselight from scratch… only referencing the original onset looks
Other workflows being used…. • Tape > The Good Wife / CSI-NY / Weeds / Modern Family / Dexter • Red > many Red shows are conformed from Quicktime files instead of the R3D originals • Alexa with dnx recording has been demo’ed and tested and will be available soon…. • Some post houses were using dpx for the conform…
Workflows NOT being used… • ArriRaw for TV > just not required…. • What happened to all of those file based recording devices introduced at the last NAB ? • Convergent Design’s Gemini • Sound Devices PIX 240 • ATMOS Samarai • Along with – CineDeck, KeyPro, Nanoflash
NEW OPTIONS Coming THAT WILL IMPACT Future TV WORKFLOWS Sony F65 – 4K & HD SR Memory – 440/220 DNX440 – 444 version of Avid’s DNX Canon EOS - IIF-ACES