Convert a 60 fps video to a 24 (film) video - is it possible?

Question

This may not be as simple a problem as it may seem at first, so read carefully.When I set my (Canon 60D, but this doesn't really matter at all) camera to record at 24 fps (I think it's actually 23.976 fps, but again, this shouldn't really matter), the film fps, it looks so "perfect", like any Hollywood movie. It is a bit stuttery, kind of "low fps" on the first sight, but it's exactly how it should look - a perfect film - and this is exactly what I want.Now, the problem is, when I record at 60 fps to have a few more frames in case I need a slowmotion, the movie (when played back at 60 fps) looks too "fluid, fast", like a low-budget documentary movie or something like that.**The question**: Can I record all my scenes at 60 fps and *then* somehow "convert" the 60 fps footage so that it looks like it was recorded at 24 fps ?The reason: I need to record all the scenes in 60 fps, because I don't know which of them I will need in slowmotion later. I *cannot* record in 24 fps, but I *do want* the final cut to look as if it was recorded in 24.

Answer 1

You are in a bit of a pickle here. First, I want to compliment you on your appreciation of good old time-honored use of the "proper" frame rate. So many people now are shooting at higher frames for the detail and clarity, then wonder why the footage looks like a "soap opera."

Back to your question: the main reason your video looks filmic is the 24p frame rate. It's the inherent "blur" that we are used to seeing that reinforces the illusion of fluid motion. When you shoot at a higher frame rate, obviously you crisp up each frame, thus negating the very thing 24fps achieves. There really isn't a very clean or good way to get each second of video containing 60 images to get the right "feel."

HOWEVER, if you are willing to impart an overall "look" to your video that has a very filmic feel to it, you may be in good shape. There are plenty of ways of doing this. Slightly "crushing" the blacks, de-saturation, perhaps even adding just a tiny bit of grain (not noise! actual grain) are a sampling of techniques.

Good luck. Feel free to contact me with any further questions.