FilmConvert Nitrate Review | Final Cut Pro Perspective

We look at the FilmConvert plug in to see what value it brings to FCPX specifically.
I DO NOT EARN ANYTHING FROM FILMCONVERT :) but they did give me the license to review.
Unfortunately the discount code they gave me has expired, but if you’re interested they do hold offers every so often so worth checking out the site or signing up to a mailing list.
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#filmconvert #nitrate #fcpx

[@ShotByMyles]

For Final Cut users you can actually save a preset of the FilmConvert settings you make: you add FilmConvert and pick your camera profile and do your grade as normal, then hit File --> Save Video Effects Preset and then that'll create an effect in the effects folder you choose. Then when you apply that to any clip it'll remember your camera and film settings.

[@dylanjohndickerson]

SOLD! To the Final Cut Pro user addicted to plug ins. I'll make sure to use your code when I do purchase it. I really respect you not promoting something you're not about brotha. Immediate thumbs up 👍

[@McDoogMedia]

I love Film Convert and Nitrate as well. Ive been using it for quite a while and really love the subtle adjustments that you can make to really fine tune your projects!

[@carrotcruncherpodcasts]

Really loving your content Myles. 👍👍👍

[@jayclas4023]

Exceptional video! You convinced me to buy it!!! Thanks!

[@ShotByMyles]

Thank you Jay, hope you love it!

[@scottmorgason]

New Sub! I pulled the trigger on Film Convert... Blessings

[@IamTrevBev]

Great vid! Do you think it’s worth investing in for 80d footage?

[@simongentry]

very nice overview - thank you for sharing your views.

[@ShotByMyles]

Thank you Simon!

[@AmadoWildlifeVideos]

Thanks Myles, liked the Subtle LUT on the guitar. If filming on GH5 Cine-D, would you still apply your corrective LUT first or can only one LUT be applied?

[@ShotByMyles]

Hi Alan! I agree, and if I'm being honest if that's all you were to use it for, it's tougher to justify the cost. FilmConvert will be expecting cine-d without any other changes first, so I'd apply FilmConvert only in this case and it's probably fair to say their deconstruction of Cine-d will be more technical and advanced than my LUT :)

[@alchemymagick]

I love the footage of the drummer towards the end! Any idea how that was shot & lit? Camera, lens, post, etc? Thanks so much for a great vid.

[@ShotByMyles]

Thanks! That’s the GH5 on the Sigma 18-35mm (a few shots on Leica 42.5mm f1.2) and he was lit with a Godox SL60. Some shots had window light as well to be fair.

[@qtben17]

I bought ur fcpx color grading course instead. When i saw the snippet of you adding secondaries, masks, keying, etc pretty much what the pros do in resolve or premiere, I knew I have to get ur course.

[@ShotByMyles]

Thank you Ben! That’s a wise choice haha! But really I hope you enjoy it 👊🏻

[@UlfKlose]

I already loved your Udemy course on the GH5. This video was very good as well. The promo code you supplied isn't working anymore as it seems. Is there a new one?

[@ShotByMyles]

Thanks Ulf, much appreciated! Sorry for the code not working, I’ll remove the link. I don’t have a new one I’m afraid so it must’ve expired. Hopefully if you sign up to their page they’ll send you an offer, I have seen discounts on there before if you’re not in a rush to buy!

[@jwvisionz]

Thank you!!!!

[@humanatlargeonearth2717]

Myles, quick question, can you save the presets and apply as a bespoke to footage shot in the same conditions?

[@FilmConvert]

You can save the FilmConvert plugin settings as a Favorite (different editors have different names for it, but it's the same concept) and then drag that to other clips. Or if all your clips using the same camera pack, you can apply FilmConvert to an adjustment layer over your timeline

[@ShotByMyles]

On FCPX you can do yes (didn't realise when I made the video!) as they mentioned in their response you make your grade, then hit File --> Save Video Effects Preset and then that'll create an effect in the effects folder you choose. Then when you apply that to any clip it'll remember your camera and film settings.

[@javangodnger]

Hi. Doesn't the filmconvert slower the performance of FCPX down when editing? Thanks!

[@ShotByMyles]

Hi, honestly I notice slowdown in FCPX whenever I add intensive colour grades or edits and I don't find FC to be much worse, but as a rule I tend to leave colour grading until last so I'm editing footage that doesn't have colour changes applied most of the time. Same for noise reduction- that's a killer for performance!

[@urkuvideos]

@@ShotByMyles what computer would you use to handle denoise rendering ? I’m having slow performance even on my new M1 Max 64gb ram ,, thanks

[@ShotByMyles]

@@urkuvideos hi Bianca, I personally wouldn’t recommend you change computers just to improve edit performance while using noise reduction, I would just add noise reduction after you’ve finished your edit. Same for intensive colour grades or FilmConvert, I’d add them last so that they don’t impact the edit at all, and even if the export takes longer, it’s less of an issue if you can find something else to do

[@markshirley01]

Im hooked thanks Myles - what do you think of the new BMPCC 6K Pro.

[@ShotByMyles]

it looks brilliant! I am hearing reports of people getting a colour cast from its internal NDs, but for those that don't, it's amazing value. I had the 4K and wished the screen would tilt and was bright enough to use outside without issues, and this fixes that and adds the NDs which is almost too good to be true. I still wouldn't own one though- I wanted AF and dual recording so I actually got the C70...

[@markshirley01]

@@ShotByMyles yes the sensible option. 👍

[@viktorsz]

Funny, I also recently got back to have a look at their new stuff, exciting. What I was surprised, in terms of GH5 that the HLG handles better than the Vlog-l..Have you tested on different profiles yourself?

[@ShotByMyles]

Hi Viktor, I must say I haven’t compared them much unfortunately! I think they’re close, I know Paul Leeming now prefers HLG but some people swear by v-log. I think v-log will probably come out with less sharpness applies in-camera (a good thing) but HLG is probably better in low light and less noisy if slightly under-exposed. I know that’s not clear but I haven’t done any major testing, I personally prefer v-log just because I find it slightly easier to use in post :)

[@FilmConvert]

HLG is designed to be a delivery format, not an acquisition format, so we recommend shooting V-Log unless you have a specific need to deliver hybrid-log gamma straight from camera (e.g. a broadcast television environment)

[@ginotarabotto]

Thx man. I will take your final cut grading course. Do u think final cut is as good as davinci for grading overall?

[@ShotByMyles]

Thanks Gino! DaVinci is the gold standard for grading to be honest, it has a few tools that FCPX doesn’t have yet. But I find it slower, more complicated and I don’t like editing in DaVinci, so even though I have both I barely ever use it. FCPX has been enough for me for corporate work and some narrative-style things!

[@Shayler78]

Hi, I love the look of the Film Convert Nitrate film stock emulations, however, over the last several months whenever I apply FCN to a clip it completely slows down Final Cut Pro X. Why is this? Other plugins don’t slow my system down in this way. The rendering takes forever - even if I turn off FCPX background rendering, FCN grinds my FCPX to a halt. What could be causing this and what do you recommend to improve this? Thanks.

[@ShotByMyles]

Sorry to hear that, that’s a bit strange! I honestly haven’t found it affect things too much for my timeline but there are so many factors at work. I’d say if it’s being slowed down significantly more than it would be with other effects and grades added, then it could be worth a re-install? It’s not my forte but I hear people having FCPX issues recommend deleting preferences and reinstalling, but it might be worth getting in touch with FilmConvert on this to get their steer. If nothing else you could leave the grade to the end, or apply it to an adjustment layer and disable it while editing, and reapplying at the end. I did the same for noise reduction which I found most taxing!

[@Shayler78]

@@ShotByMyles thank you for suggestions, I’ll give them a go.

[@urkuvideos]

@@ShotByMyles I’m having the same issue - not only with denoise but also with FilmConvert Nitrate

[@ShotByMyles]

@@urkuvideos responded to you on another comment, but I’d apply them last after editing :)

[@airindiana]

If you’re using log footage do you need to tell nitrate this? Say using zlog2

[@ShotByMyles]

Yes exactly, you tell filmconvert the camera and the exact picture profile you were using. It needs that to know how to apply the look :)

[@KokkiePiet]

No Agfa film? I loved the metallic Color Look of Agfa positive Film.

[@tomcollector9594]

This doesn't look anything like film

[@ShotByMyles]

Well they make a big deal about using real film stock! I wouldn’t rule out user error :)