Workflow

RED will shoot 4K (Super 35), 3K and 2K (Super 16). It is recommended when using the RED camera that you shoot at its highest resolution, which is 4K raw. This way you have the same depth of field as 35mm film. You are also then using the whole image sensor of the RED camera and maximizing the amount of information that is captured. If you need a 1080p or 720p output then you can “down sample” or downconvert the footage in RedCine. This will give the optimum picture quality and allow for greater freedom in post to adjust colors and obtain clean keys from green screen footage. This concept is the same as shooting 35mm film for a broadcast video finish. You simply start with the highest quality picture you can from the beginning. In fact, projects that don’t require a film finish (commercials, corporate, music videos etc.) may very well choose to grade the footage in REDCine, downconvert to 2K at 4:2:2 color space and not necessarily go back to the raw files ever.

• Step 1: On set the camera records REDCODE RAW to robust solid state Compact Flash cards or RED disk drives. (REDCODE RAW is what RED calls their image files. Also called .R3D file.)
  
  
• Step 2: Once a card or drive is full you simply swap it out with another card and keep shooting. Footage from the first card can then be reviewed on set in RedCine (RED’s color grading software). It is then simultaneously copied and verified to two separate external drives connected to a laptop.
  
  
• Step 3: Once the footage is backed up to a hard drive the footage is ready to edit and color grade. The editor will receive one of the hard drives which will contain 4K REDCODE (.R3D) files. These files can be opened in RedAlert, which is RED’s simple on-set frame-by-frame color grade software or RedCine, a more versatile post style color grading software. Here they are given a primary color grade (basically a “one light” transfer). Then low resolution QuickTime reference files are made to be used for editing in either Final Cut Pro or Avid for your offline edit. These QuickTime movies allows for immediate editing of the camera’s footage.
  
  
• Step 4: Once the edit is complete you generate an EDL (Edit Decision List) of your final sequence.
  
  
• Step 5: Select the ProRes HQ 1080p easy setup in FCP to render files and create an online quality, HD rendered media for finishing.
  
  
• Step 6: A final color grade is done in REDCINE.
  
  
• Step 7: When satisfied with the final color grading you can convert your final sequence to delivery format. From HD to SD tape for broadcast or as a 2K dpx file to be recorded back to film for theatrical release. You choose your format.

Workflow Links

RED - http://www.red.com/cameras/workflow
RED and Final Cut Pro Workflow - http://www.red.com/skin/img/workflow/1.png
RED and Final Cut Pro DI Workflow - http://www.red.com/skin/img/workflow/2.png
RED and AVID Workflow - http://www.red.com/skin/img/workflow/3.png
http://www.plastercitypost.com/red-overview.php

Software Links

RED ALERT Software download
RED CINE Software download
Final Cut 2 Studio REDCODE Plug-in
RED for AVID File-converter