Color Correction and Multicam

Chris N wrote on 7/7/2009, 8:02 PM

Perhaps this is really a workflow question, but I'm wondering how I save my color correction settings after I move into multicam editing. I do all the color correcting on the clips from each camera on the timeline. Then I move into multicamera editing and my new settings appear to be lost, as I get a message telling me that envelope info will be lost, and the video fx are gone once I get into multicam.

Unfortunately I can't do a master color correction as there are exposure changes within the clips that need to be fixed by splitting the clips and adjusting through video fx. To do color correction on each camera angle / clip after the multicam is finished is extremely time consuming, and hard to get consistant results for each clip.

Do I need to render each camera track into a new clip after color correction, and then do multicam editing?

Or is the only answer to use a third party multicam editor?

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 7/7/2009, 8:24 PM

If it's just an overall correction, applying it at the media (not event) level is the solution.

In your case, however, if I understand that you are splitting events on the timeline and applying corrections individually, then the simplest approach I can think of is to "Render to New Track" and select the new track to create your multicam track.

Of course, it would be a good idea to keep the original tracks (or a copy) around in case you change your mind.

Christian de Godzinsky wrote on 7/8/2009, 8:56 AM

You don't necessary have to render anything (before the actual final render).

Apply your color correction to the media (source files) in Vegas (this is a nondestructive operation) - instead of applying the effect at the clip or track level. After that every clip on the timeline (that refers to the same source file) will have the added effect. Be it multicam on not.

However, this works only for static corrections (no keyframing)...

Christian

busterkeaton wrote on 7/8/2009, 9:15 AM

Do you know about FX chains? You could save your settings as an FX chain for each critical spot in your clip and then just reapply the saved FX chain.

However, if you know you're going to be using the clip, color correcting at the media level is the best way to go.

Tim L wrote on 7/8/2009, 9:28 AM

I'm not at a computer where I can try this, but when you put the clips on the timeline and split them, can you create a "subclip" for each one? The subclips should then appear in the media pool, where you can apply Media FX (I think).

But still, this seems cumbersome.

musicvid10 wrote on 7/8/2009, 9:53 AM

Christian,

The original post says,
"Unfortunately I can't do a master color correction as there are exposure changes within the clips that need to be fixed by splitting the clips and adjusting through video fx."

Sorry, but I don't know how he would accomplish this at the media level.

earthrisers wrote on 7/8/2009, 10:04 AM

After you've got your multicamera timeline, go to the "Project Media" tab, then right-click the media to which you want to apply adjustments. Select "Media FX" from the popup menu.

Then select your desired FX, and apply it as usual. You don't necessarily need to break your clip into subclips --- you can keyframe the Media FX.

The FX apply only to the media you selected, not to the whole composite timeline. So you can apply different FX to different Project Media.
Important... YOU WON'T SEE THE RESULT OF THE FX when you're in multicamera view. Switch to single-view (Ctrl/Shift/D) to see the actual result of the FX.

And the advice in a post higher up this thread is good advice --- if you need to reapply the same FX to other clips, SAVE your FX chain as a "Package". Then you can easily apply it to other media, and tweak it as desired for the selected media, without starting from scratch.

fausseplanete wrote on 7/9/2009, 11:59 AM

I used to go the MediaFX route but for me at least it doesn't handle keyframing properly http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?Forum=4&MessageID=645009. Dynamic keyframing on levels and colorcorrector is needed when the project is for example a 3-hour event ending just after sunset, so the effects change to compensate for the changing light levels and color temperature over time, possibly compounded by (sometimes unavoidable) camera adjustments.

Instead I now Media-Replace each camera's footage (e.g. from Project Media window) by an individual nested project for it, applying FX there as EventFX (whose keyframing does work properly). Works as well for MultiCam as for any other project. Preview can get a little jerky (low fps) in which case, to speed it up, I render out each nested project (to Cineform) and replace by that. If I have enough disk space that is. Otherwise it's back to Preview/Half or good old Ctrl-Shift-M.

Some say a more traditional workflow is cut first then grade, but I find it difficult to sense when a cut works (overall) if the levels and colours are too far out. Also it's one of the first things some clients notice. And there's always the risk that a postponed grading won't work as well as hoped.

CineForm's new "First Light" approach is an interesting alternative, where it's the codec's decoder that applies its own FX at decode-time, though at the moment (as far as I can tell) it has no keyframing capability.