FORESIGHT.

tomcheater asked: Hi michael Im a huge fan after the social network (i managed to get pre release tickets so ill be one of the first in the uk to see it this week!) and everytime i look into the process of the red images and how well it turned out (from reduser.net) all signs pointed to you! I know its quite vague but some things you talk about in the forum kinda go over me as Im just starting out and am shooting my first red test with some local guys who own a system next week. what sort of things should I concern myself with when i come to use the system for the first time for a proper shoot (short film etc)

Hi Tom-

Making preparation inquiries like this one are a great step in improving any project.  Asking questions is among the most valuable things you can do in pre-production.  Here are some things you may want to explore with your production and post production team:

The CABOOSE EFFECT

1. How are you going to finish the film? 

Base your process on how you are ultimately going to exhibit the film.  This will reveal to you ways in which you should employ and/or avoid specific steps that may or may not be useful in distribution.  For example, if you plan to distribute primarily on BluRay, there is no benefit to color correcting in P3 space for film exhibition.

2. How are you going to edit the film?

Most films are edited in Final Cut Pro and AVID Media Composer.  I recommend working in either, but using DNxHD115 or ProRes HQ for your offline codec.  If you can do this, you can easily work at full raster and a very high fidelity.  But I do not recommend working with RED RAW files in offline, as that workflow can be cumbersome as the footage count goes up.

3. How do you plan to color correct?

The nice thing about modern day DI is that everyone has access to it in some capacity.  I prefer to work with data-centric systems for color mastering, but more importantly is a colorist.  Do not color correct yourself.  Even if you are working with the oldest coloring system around, it is probably better to take RED files to HDCAM tape and grade with an experienced colorist tape-to-tape than to use Apple Color and do it with an amateur.  This really makes a HUGE difference-especially in an independent film.  I cannot stress this enough.  Talent in color trumps toolset any day of the week.

4. Test your gamma spaces

I recommend working with REDLog FILM for your gamma space to grade in.  This may mean to process your dailies in REDLogFilm so you don’t have to do a reconform after you finish cutting.  Otherwise, when you do reconform, use this gamma space since it is making RED footage look absolutely spectacular! 

5. If you are doing on-set downloading, try to use 16GB CF cards

The pace of working with CF cards enables a downloader to keep up with the pace of production.  This means there isn’t an hour of footage sitting on the camera at any one time waiting for downloading.  Do it frequently in small chunks.  This is the best rhythm for on-set processing.

6. Shoot with 2 cameras

I find that productions that shoot with 2 cameras (especially indies) end up using the additional coverage to help solve performance issues.  Giving an editor more choices is worth it-especially if you are running a tight budget.  Sure the camera costs more, but the price of footage is so small with RED that a 2nd camera doesn’t increase the cost at the same rate as it does with tape and film.  By doing your own dailies using a RED Rocket, you are easily improving the film by getting twice the dailies shot and more coverage.