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With Support from Apple(Page 2 of 2 pages for this article < 1 2) Filed under: Tapeless Cinematography Workflow v2
video & audioFor example, a formatted Panasonic P2 card contains the volume “NO NAME” generated by the camera, inside that is a folder “CONTENTS” and a text document “LAST CLIP.TXT”. CONTENTS is the folder and all folders inside contain the assets, it is also your access point*** if you want to log, view or transfer these assets. Check the reel number on the first slate, create & name a folder in the archive with the reel number, then copy “CONTENTS” into it.
Using the reel number quickly refers to the script notes, the creation date served for the shoot date. copy speeds vary, but 1GB/min using OSX4.8 and Final Cut Pro v 5.0.4, almost 2GB/min was experienced with FCP ST 2 and Leopard (OSX.5).
Next operation was to Log & Transfer the assets from the P2 card into the NLE. With the card still mounted, in write protect mode, navigate to NO NAME, check the visual slate to confirm the reel number and set the reel to match, select all the clips and let it rip. Make sure FCPʼs scratch disc is set to the MEDIA striped arrayʼs volume, this is where the MEDIA will reside. Log and transfer re-wraps the MXFʼs l video & audio essence and metadata into a Quicktime wrapper. For DVCProHD and most HDV codecs, this is more of a copy, not a transcoding process. Other codecs may require
Lastly, compare the first file name and the number of files in NO NAME/CONTENTS/VIDEO folder to the DATA and MEDIA copies. There are better ways to accomplish this, but it was my idiot check. Then and only then, I was satisfied that I had one original and two copies, I would unmount the P2 card, un-write protect it, and erase the card for reuse. Trashing the folder and .txt file into the trash or erasing (reformatting) the card should work. The runner would pick up the P2 media inside itʼs case with the opening sealed with white tape to signify unloading. If the Camera Department ever had a card that was locked or untaped, they were instructed to return the card to HD Tech for assessment.
audio follows videoAt the end of each shoot day, the audio recordist would bring me approximately 2GB of audio files that weʼd transfer to the DATA archive, convert (from BWAV to QT) and import into FCP onto the MEDIA array. The next morning, thiCamera A.
Compare this tapeless, DATA archive and edit MEDIA cost per unit time, and you see the savings. Contemporary bare (or internal) hard drive prices are 17¢/GB and are still headed south. With this workflow (2 DATA copies and one MEDIA copy), it would cost production about $3/min in the equivalent DVCProHD tapestock. RecapThe beauty of this process is, by taking a second pass at your digital cinematography material, youʼve created a system where your production is archived on redundant drives and across multiple volumes. This reduces the chance of device failure or operator error negatively impacting the production.
Redundant hard drives are excellent for DATA and MEDIA archives, but are
The system you use may be different because of specific production needs, new technology, or more resources. Above all, the HD Techʼs goals are to protect the data and be able to put your finger on any image or audio. Communicate with your collaborators, the camera and audio departments as well as the script supervisor. Set up a system to protect each other, but in the HD Techʼs case, get camera and sound reports with files and ask camera to not erase any cards if they find an unaccounted locked and full card. Leverage the computer systemʼs search functionality and have a backup plan. File/folder names are pretty safe bets, but also at your disposal are Spotlight Comments, disk images and various database solutions to manage your data. Donʼt forget about audio, it should follow video, so to speak. Be consistent so audio can be found intuitively by anyone. Keeping a log of all HD Tech processes is suggested, comparable to the audio or camera logs. Consider the productionʼs rhythms, P2 cards will come throughout the day, but usually provide you with a few hours in the morning of quiet time with a rush of cards and the audio cards toward the end of the day. footnotes* current cost per GB and per minute of 1080 60i (where applicable) of Si storage by medium:
32GB P2..........$52
DVCProHD tape................$0.64/minute
** newer macBookproʼs are designed with ExpressCard slots, which work great with Sonyʼs SxS media, but fear not P2 users, Panasonicʼs firewire P2 deck, the AJ-PCD20 or Duel Systemʼs DuelAdaptor can bridge this chasm, or a G4 powerbook. *** Most tapeless cameras implement a form of the MXF standard (Media eXchange Format), unfortunately, there are several standards. Panasonic and Sony use the MXF format, but are mutually exclusive. A Sony EX-1 will label the top folder “BPAV.” The MXF standard includes the specific folder hierarchy and contained metadata and essence files, the complete folder structure is required for proper transfer of essential files, aka the media and metadata files. Resources
words and photos by
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Sticky: Traveling with batteries, Pro Apps Updaters, etc.Stuff to watch out for; tips ‘n’ tricks • FAA rules on lithium battery transport
FILMMAKER SAM WASSERMAN MAKES FEATURE DEBUT, ‘THE JOURNAL,’ WITH PANASONIC AJ-HPX3000**DP Graham Futerfas Shoots Narrative Short in AVC-Intra** SECAUCUS, NJ (January 7, 2009) — Los Angeles-based filmmaker Sam Wasserman chose Panasonic’s AJ-HPX3000 native 1080p one-piece P2 HD camcorder to shoot his first feature, The Journal, a semi-autobiographical short that recounts the story of a young man seeking the courage to read the diary of his long-deceased mother. Director of Photography Graham Futerfas shot the project, which has been widely submitted on the festival circuit. Sonnet Fusion™ DX800RAID Includes SAS Expander; Supports RAID 5 and RAID 68-Drive Video Storage System Supports Fast, Cost-Effective Expansion to 16 Drives and More
IRVINE, Calif. — Dec. 16, 2008 — Sonnet Technologies today announced the immediate availability of the Fusion™ DX800RAID, a high-performance, eight-drive RAID SATA storage system with a built-in SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) expander that enables connection of up to 16 eight-drive enclosures to a single Sonnet RAID controller. This newest addition to the Fusion line provides the speed required for working with uncompressed 10-bit 1080 HD video; the data security… 
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