This is a great video from Canon and Alex Buono, who is the DP for SNL, covering the 4K workflow with the Canon EOS C500. As Buono points out, 4K is important in today’s 1080 world for both reframing options on some projects and future-proofing others with a 4K master.
In the video, Buono shows how the 4K workflow is different with three external recorders: the AJA Ki Pro Quad, Codex S Recorder and the Convergent Design Gemini 4:4:4. Notably, they shoot to an external recorder and internally using CF cards to make the workflow more efficient. While the editor is working on the edit with the MPEG footage from the CF cards, the colorist is working on a ProRes 4K master, which goes back to the editor for the final output with both editing and grading is done.
Buono gives a great explanation for the workflow and brings all the moving parts together to make it understandable in almost layman terms.
Brian says
While this is truly a professional workflow that has been around for awhile and slightly modified for the C500 specifically and their requirements for SNL, this workflow is not the wave of the future. This workflow is very similar to how I used to work with film based shoots – would be lucky to get a low quality BetaSP close to right after film development, then would work from this, editing away in an offline resolution. We would have to wait for the DigitBeta master to come (or later HD master) and then would conform the entire edit to the online resolution (full res) and then start finishing, color, and polish up effects and graphics work before outputting a final for broadcast specs.
With the new codecs that are coming out, such as H265, workflows like this are going to die and the process is going to be even more streamlined. You do loose some of the art form of it all with that reduction, but for low and medium budget work, it’s a blessing and a curse. It’s the same way that life was when digital acquisition just started with the Panasonic P2 cameras before everything “caught up” and working directly with that footage/codec was possible in an editor.
I really wish Canon would just “see the light” and just embrace 4K native solutions, even on their higher end systems like the C500. There is always a place for an AJA style box on bigger budget set and for film-style work (and for uncompressed outputs/recording), but the more compact of a system you can record in, especially for interviews, documentaries, and corporate style work, the less tense and scared the “subject” will be when speaking with them and trying to draw out their story. When they see all those wires and mess of a skeleton meets spider setup, they become intimidated – they think it’s a cinema movie and it’s going to take forever… and it doesn’t have to be that way! When you can shoot with a compact setup like a DSLR-sized camera without an external monitor and just the camera, lens, and tripod, they become relaxed very quickly and tend to open up a little more.
If they want to compete with RED, then the C500 is not winning the race. If they want to compete with Arri, then it’s becoming closer, but still not winning. If they want to compete with Sony, that may be the only place they could be gaining ground for that price range… but that FS7 is going to change the way these companies need to compete.
Eric Reagan says
Speaking of streamlined workflows… Have you seen the demos of DaVinci Resolve 11’s multi-seat color and editing workflow where the same footage is being used by colorists and an editor at the same time and the editor sees the updates in real time in his timeline?
Brian says
The times I have been able to use Resolve, I’ve loved it. Their connected workflow is much closer to the big studio style workflow, but on a low or mid range budget. Adobe’s current solutions aren’t bad, but there is definitely room for improvement.