Automated RED ONETM workflow using REDlineTM and RedAlert!TM

Using RedAlert!, the DP can open a clip, set the color and simply hit an APPEND button to embed the look, then repeat the process on the next clip. Each time, the batch script grows by another routine, or REDline string.

When finished, the text file is simply copied and emailed to the post department.

Because the functions of RedAlert! are now accessed via the command line program REDline, we can write shell scripts, text parser routines to do anything with the images and place them anywhere within the network. MOST OF ALL, we can conform back to the original material or change the counts at any time, simply by running a script. Amazing.

Taking it further, say for instance you are at a production's post department, and you want to take the DP's settings he applied to the dailies, and set your INs and OUTs as well as create matching proxies, viewing copies, 2K (or 4K) masters, distribute them throughout the facility in a matter of hours.

EXAMPLE: The following is provided as a demonstration of the power and flexibilty of REDline and not intended as a full production tool.

1. You have a REDlineTM file, representing the color and look from the DP and now you want to create four separate sizes and codecs of a single clip, apply the color correction and set the START and END points, based on an EDL. And, let's say for instance that Avid and Apple didn't fully support REDCODE yet and you needed a way to quickly and automatically get the stuff into any editorial system and distribute plates to VFX facilities. Tall order.

2. Or, you can simply load your REDline in the field below and the EDL file into the next, and this php/Java routine will reorganize the REDline clips and add new START and END positions from the EDL, based on TC instead of frames.


 

 
Download these Example REDline APPEND file & EDL (MX-3600 Format) and enter above.
3. The Timecode of the EDL is used to replace the frame based default from RedAlert! Creating a script now, will produce the following 4 default resolutions using a single clip and replace the start and end with directions in the EDL.

 
DPX sequence (2048x1024)
ProRes(HQ) (1024x512)
Motion Jpg A Quicktime movie (720x360)
H.264 Quicktime movie (720x360)
4. Accept or Modify Default Values.
Version #1
Version #2
Version #3
Version #4
x
x
x
x
       
 
 

COPY THE CONFORMED SCRIPT FROM THE "BATCH SCRIPT" TEXT WINDOW BELOW.

OR...

5. You can continue to modify the script to customize the 4 versions. For each version column, enter the desired output resolution, File Destination and suffix for each version. (Notice we didn't add an input field for the file name. That's because we want to open it first in RedAlert! to set color per clip.

For this demonstration, our parent input clip is A002_C001_0805C3_001.R3D.

Version #1
Version #2
Version #3
Version #4

Set your suffix to the existing file name. Example: A002_C001_0805C3_001_CC_Master . Do not add a file extension. These are determined by Step 4, above.

Destinations for each Version:

 

6. Next, you can modify the input PATH. We do not want to disassocate the R3D file name from it's append file. (A002_C001_0805C3_001.R3D) For this reason, we do not allow renaming of the original file name. However, chances are, the files to be processed are on a remote server and therefore the path only must be changed.

7. Run the following script in REDline from the terminal window. Rename your file whatever you like, such as scriptname.sh (as a raw text file) and make it executable. You can do this in a terminal window by typing, chmod +x scriptname.sh. Then run it in a terminal window by typing ./scriptname.sh.

   

As edits are changed, this tool or any text parser routine can be used to RE-CONFORM the original material and/or output new proxies that perfectly match the CC originals. All from the shell level.

By utilizing the command line control of REDline to build your pipeline, Preview Screenings, VFX drop ins, and the DI process are essentially painless. Unlike the failed concept of 'wait till the end of the movie to establish the look' as the VFX rarely drops in well.

NOTE: The MODIFY button places the suffix before the .xxx extension. The Modify function assumes the file is set up first using the CREATE SCRIPT routine.

> REDline Command Set

Tutortial & design by Jon Farhat / JFI. Software development by Steve McFarlin for JFI.

REDline and RedAlert! are trademarks of the RED Digital Cinema Camera Company.