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[AlexFrey]

Hello,

I'm doing a Media Managing job in the near future on an Alexa Plus shoot. I have a few questions regarding my computer and what I need in order to get the job done.

I have a Mac Pro running OS 10.6.8, dual 2.8 ghz quad-core processors, with 4 GB of ram. I use Final Cut Pro 6.0.6, Compressor 3.0.5, and Quicktime Pro 7.6.6. Is this sufficient?

I have been told to buy Alexa Data Manager to make my job easier and to be able to spot check the clips. Will buying this application allow me to spot check the AppleProRes 444 clips? The reason I ask is because currently, I don't see Apple Pro Res 444 as an available codec in FCP, Quicktime, or Compressor. I only see ProRes 422. I would hate to get to set and not be able to play back the video files and verify their functionality.

Thanks for any help or advice.

[AlexFrey]

Anyone?

[robstiff]

Alex,
I have nothing to add related to the data management software you are wanting to use. However,,,,
Your setup is fine for using the Alexa.
Although I would upgrade to OS X 10.7.3

Recording to the Alexa via the SxS cards has been a very stable option and easy to "data wrangle".

We use a MacBook Pro on set with the SxS Cards for Alexa footage.
We also make backups for the ProRes444 files to Seagate GoFlex firewire drives (very very fast and low cost too).

We have recorded more than 500 times to an SxS card, copied from it and have had zero issues.

Don't forget on the Alexa to set the Record Out to ARRIRAW which will enable the camera operator to take
higher resolution GRABS (2880x1620) that are recorded to the SD card in the bottom of the camera body.
It's a nice little plus.

Thanks, rob

[AlexFrey]

Thanks for the response, Rob!

When you say my set-up is fine, do you mean WITHOUT the purchased Alexa Data Manager? Or WITH it?

Do you know if upgrading to OS X 10.7.3 would cause problems running my apps like FCP6, Quicktime7, and Compressor3?

[robstiff]

Alex,

Data Tools:
We don't use a data management tool for our Alexa clips copied from the SxS cards.
It's really up to you. If you are transferring the clips and then right clicking "Get Info"
on the files/folders and the bytes are matching up; and then opening them in your quicktime player you should be fine.
Before we quick format our SxS card(s), we make sure we have two backups of the ProRes files; one on the system's drive and another on an external drive.

Upgrading The OS:
We use FinalCutPro 7.0.3 & Quicktime 10.1 (501dot8) & Compressor 3.5.3
Not sure on your versions. The new DaVinci Resolve lite might be worth trying as it is free
and works well with Alexa Log-C Footage. They also have some Alexa sample footage you can
download and test with it and FCP6.0.6 if it has ProRes444 support?.

But, OS X 10.6.8, might be just fine too!
If 10.6.8 does not work well, 10.7.3 is a fairly quick online upgrade thru the apple app store.

Good luck!
rob

[Chris Bell]

We don't use any data tools either.  Drag and drop the file from the SxS card to your back up drive.  Repeat. 

A quick Google check should answer your other question regarding ProRes and FC6. 

[Rainer Fritz]

Alex your FCP version is too old. You should go with 7.0.3 ! If you install this, all your Prores codecs should be then there.

Please don't copy/paste footage. You are doing fine to copy with the Data Manager because it is verifying every single
file with MD5 checksums. So then it is possible to verify every copy in the later process. For example if you have an overheated cardreader or damaged cable or faulty drive or what ever, the Data Manager will tell you that there is something wrong. Nobody can say later on where the problem is, if you only copy pasting.
Data Manager can copy up to 4 destinations at the same time...

We are getting so often faulty files because people using low quality USB drives or last time we got two drives where they thought that both have all the same files on it, but it was not, and so on.... it is unbelievable that production houses spending thousands and thousands of euros for one shooting day, and then they doing a crappy work with copying their material on set for what they spent all the money... they have then sleepless nights because we have to recover files from a broken harddisk because they handling footage like their holiday fotos... so please be carefull....

just my two cents

[robstiff]

It's more of a post thing for us, but worth mentioning...
We also backup files to Sony XDCAM 25GB & 50GB DISCS.
It's a good investment to put masters as a backup on XDCAM DISCS or even original
selected/good takes of Alexa ProRes files.

[Michael Borenstein]

Rainer,

So you're using the md5 checksum to verify copies downstream of the original SxS>Hardrive Transfer?

Regards
Mike

[Gerhard Riesenhuber]

Hi Alex,

When I began I also did just findercopies and compared filesizes. Then I had a RED shoot where
everything seems fine, I slowly scrubbed through the footage and the file sizes where identical.
When I had the time to do a realtime playback I found out that there were corrupt frames, which
are easily overseen by only scrubbing through the footage. The interesting thing was that the
corruption happened during the copying process. I was lucky that my second copy was fine
(which was done with a nexto di which makes checksums).

Since that day I do md5 checksum copies. I use the Alexa Datamanager.
If you then find a problem with the footage, you know that it happend on the camera side.

All the best,
Gerhard

[Rainer Fritz]

Yes Michael I always only copy with md5 checksum verification. It is the only way to be safe. Also if there is a problem with the footage and the insurance comes on stage I can always show them my checksum logs.
You know a shooting day can cost a lot of money and the insurance, if they have to pay, will then look if there happened something that they don't have to pay...
In our posthouse we have automated this process as well. As we do also checking filenames if there are doubles.
If you have MD5 sums direct from the camera media you can in every step later on verify if the data is ok.

[Michael Borenstein]

Rainer,

Thanks for clarifying.

Regards
Mike