Create and Export 3D LUTs Using Premiere Pro (Windows) - Beta Release Build 161
CineForm RAW editing workflow for Final Cut Pro
Global controls for embedded CineForm RAW active metadata for playback/rendering using SetActiveMetadata 
CineForm RAW technology primer

CineForm RAW files are encapsulated in the same AVI or MOV wrappers that CineForm Intermediate (4:2:2) and CineForm 444 are wrapped in.  That means CineForm RAW files are compatible with virtually all Windows (AVI) or Mac OS X (MOV) applications with no conversion required.  Specifically as the subject of this Tech Note, CineForm RAW files can be moved directly onto the Premiere Pro timeline just as any other CineForm file, and may coexist on the same timeline with other files. 

It is important to understand that RAW data from Bayer sensors (including CineForm RAW) is not directly compatible with traditional chroma formats of 4:2:2 (YPrPb) or 4:4:4 (RGB).  In fact, to convert RAW data into traditional formats requires that a "demosaic" algorithm be performed, either in real-time for playback, or during a render. (You can read more about the technology of CineForm RAW in our Technology Primer).  To allow CineForm RAW files to be played on a Premiere Pro timeline, the CineForm RAW decoder performs a real-time demosaic after the file is decoded, the result being a traditional YPrPb or RGB presentation to the calling application.  In this way a CineForm RAW file "appears" to the calling application to be a traditional YPrPb or RGB file.

Choosing project settings for a CineForm RAW project is identical to any Premiere Pro project.  In this case the project is 2048x1152 at 23.976fps.  Make sure you choose one of the presets in the CineForm directory, or create your own if your preset is different than the presets included.

If you click the Global Controls button the following panel appears.  In this panel you (right hand side) you can select which metadata you want active during playback on the timeline.  You can turn ON or OFF each piece of metadata independently.  As the panel name indicates, this selection is applied to the entire timeline.

On the left side of the panel are the DeBayer (or demosaic) controls.  Default while scrubbing the timeline (moving the puck) is the Bilinear Demosaic which is a simplified algorithm (lower CPU resources).  Default during Rendering is the 5x5 Adaptive algorithm which is a high-quality algorithm important for final Renders.  If you want a faster render, and are not concerned about the highest final render quality, you might select the Bilinear Demosaic algorithm here too. But for final renders remember to again select the 5x5 Adaptive.

If you click the File Metadata button from the Playback Settings Control Panel the following panel appears. In this panel you choose (or modify) specific characteristics of metadata on a per-file basis.  You can modify White Balance, camera Color Matrix, Gamma, 3D LUT (Look), even a Defect Pixel Map.  If your source is a Silicon Imaging SI-2K or SI-Mini, the metadata information might be populated as shown below.

Applying Metadata to Multiple Clips:

Once the metadata controls for a specific clip are defined, they can be Stored using the Store button on the middle right side of the panel above.  Then you can use the play controls to move from clip to clip and Recall metadata parameters previously Stored.

NOTE: The mechanism used to modify, copy, and paste metadata will continue to evolve.  We have a number of exciting additions to add during 2008.

Once you've optimized the Global and File Metadata parameters your editing experience with Cineform RAW should be almost identical to editing any other CineForm file.  All CineForm real-time transitions, effects, titling, etc are available without rendering.

Technique: You may find that while performing cuts on the timeline that you want to turn Active Metadata OFF using the Global Control panel .  Applying active metadata during multistream editing requires additional CPU that you may prefer to use otherwise.  At the time during your post workflow that viewing clips with Active Metadata ON is beneficial, simply open the Global Controls panel again and turn ON the appropriate metadata.

Note: Remember, CineForm RAW is an acquisition-only format, it is not a render-to format.  This means when you render from the Premiere Pro timeline a demosaic will be performed using the algorithm selected in the Global Controls playback panel.  The rendered file can be whichever codec is selected in the render panel.  For Cineform RAW source data we recommend either CineForm 444 (film and/or effects workflow) or CineForm Intermediate (broadcast / Blu-Ray workflow). 

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