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Activity Forums Avid Media Composer 16×9 to 4×3 Center Cut – Best Workflow?

  • 16×9 to 4×3 Center Cut – Best Workflow?

    Posted by Steve Vincent on June 5, 2011 at 6:45 pm

    Hey All,

    I’m working in AVID 5.5 on a 1080p/29.97 project. Almost all my material is shot or acquired in 16×9 so I’ve been cutting it that way. Initially, I’ll be delivering a 4×3 version in 30i. I’ve been careful to place all our graphics within the 4×3 title safe, and want to just export a ‘center cut’ of the 16×9 frame.

    Any suggestions on the best workflow for this?

    Right now my plan is to export the 16×9 from the 1080p project, then AMA it to a 30i project, reformat to Center Cut and then export it again with whatever delivery codec I need.

    If anyone has a better idea, I’ll listen. Thanks in advance.

    Steve Vincent replied 15 years, 3 months ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Terence Curren

    June 6, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    Do you need to pan and scan? If so, change the project settings to SD, and the aspect ratio to 4×3 drop the Pan & Scan effect on one shot and make the source 16:9 anamorphic, and the target 4:3. Now copy that effect from the effect window into a bin and drop it on all of your shots. Pan any shots that need it. Output to whatever tape or file format you need.

    If you don’t need Pan & Scan, you can play out a 4X3 SD version if you have a Nitris DX and you can choose to make it centercut.

    Terence Curren
    http://www.alphadogs.tv
    http://www.digitalservicestation.com
    Burbank,Ca

  • Steve Vincent

    June 7, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    For any that are interested, I figured out a slightly different workflow from what I described before.

    After exporting my 1080p DNxHD145 sequence (native), I run it thru Compressor, to convert to DVCPro50, NTSC, with a 4:3 crop. Very simple, VERY Fast. Takes about a minute to export the 4:00 mins from the AVID and less than a minute to run thru Compressor.

    The graphics stay nice and crisp, which was a problem with my earlier version. The colors are bright, all in all a good workflow for this situation.

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