Comments on: P2 Workflow Horror Story

By: Katie

Katie — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 02:16:02 +0000

Talking about knowing the workflow in advance, HD EXPO recently launched a 2-day intensive workshop for the P2 Workflow, covering everything from the camera’s capabilities to working with the codec in post. AND Panasonic has agreed to pick up the cost, giving out coupons for those who buy equipment and take the class or take the class and buy equipment.

Check out http://www.hdexpo.net/education for more information and registration - next class is July 19-20, 2007 in LA.

By: Stoney XL

Stoney XL — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 14:27:24 +0000

Funny story, but it shouldn’t be Panny specific. My wife just bought a lil Sony 6 megapixel cam to shoot our daughters’ b-day party. I told her to read the manual and play with the camera. She didn’t. Realizing the auto-white balance was not calibrating properly she handed it to me and asked me to fix it. Point? Well damned if I could even find the wb on the menu under the stress of “hurry up, we’re getting ready to cut the cake!!!” I’m surprised the pro took such a wing it approach. And to the dv.com-ers, of which I am one, can’t we all just get along??? I get good info from dvxuser all the time. There are wanna-bes in every H-wood crew too. lol What up Shane? Stock answers still rock!

By: Shane Ross

Shane Ross — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 06:18:20 +0000

Guess it is all in the research and knowing your product…well. Knowing the limitations of the workflow, and what you need to ensure that things go smoothly.

FCP 4.5 does not work with the P2 technology because it wasn’t out when FCP 4.5 was introduced. Same with HDV. To work with the latest and greatest, you need the latest and greatest.

While you are shooting on one card, download the other. You have 16 minutes, and with the P2 store, that is plenty of time.

Find out if the director needs to review footage on the set before you get there, if you can. Then you can plan accordingly and bring a PC laptop with the P2 reader software on it. Or you can tell him that he can’t review footage without it taking a while.
Director taking a tape with him? Again, you need to plan for that beforehand. FIgure out how to connect a DV camera to the HVX and if you can then tap into the signal.

And yes, have additional hard drives on hand when the P2 store gets full. It will. And the drives should be formatted in any manner that accepts file sizes over 2 GB…it doesn’t need to be Mac, as PCs are meant to read the files too. The Edius editing system for one.

As for importing the footage in one system for use in another…don’t do that. Each system treats the footage differently, and some systems might not support the format. You can import the footage into FCP with FCP 5.0.3 and Qt 7.0.3, via IMPORT PANASONIC P2, and it converts it to quicktime. If other systems support the card, they have their own methods of import. You cannot import from FCP and expect it to work on an Avid, or in Premeire.

But yes, you need to know your workflow and what it can and cannot do well beforehand. I have been researching DVCPRO HD and the P2 format for 5 months before we did our first shoot, and we made sure all our bases were covered. We tested the workflow a few weeks in advance to make sure that we had these bases covered.

When you work on the bleeding edge, you need to test test test test and test.

Sorry that it did’t work out for you this time. I hope it works out better the next time.

-shane

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 13:08:23 +0000

The moral of the story: Know Thy Tools.

By: FresHDV

FresHDV — Mon, 27 Feb 2006 04:30:30 +0000

Excellent information, and sound advice for ANYONE looking at a new camera or untested workflow. My heart goes out to Tommy, but I do appreciate the opportunity to learn from the experience.

By: Pat

Pat — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 01:19:27 +0000

Well said.

Just showering you with my support, man.