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Video in Avid Media Composer: Black turns out gray.
Hi,
I have been working in FCP7 and Adobe Premiere mainly, but now I’m trying to figure out Avid Media Composer.
Many questions arise, but one of them is this.
When I import video footage, the blacks all turn out gray. I managed to export the video and it went black again, but I forgot how. Now when I export it stays gray.
The main output for my videos is the internet, so I do like to see what I get.
Can someone redirect me to a page that explains it all or just tell me what I do wrong, or what i interpret wrongly.
On Import settings I can choose between
RGB, Computer RBG (dither image colors), 601 SD or 709 HD (16-235)I know in analog video the luminance should stay between 16-235 in 255 RGB color space. But when working in digital video, this shouldn’t mattter does it?
Thanks in advance
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5 Replies
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If you AMA to the QUickTime sources, right-click on the clip and select “source settings” you will find a menu with three settings of create video level, expand to graphics levels or, do not modify. Try one of those to see if you get what you expect. Video, analog or digital works in a 16-235 (black and/levels in 8 bit terms) and Avid being a video editing system by nature like working that way. That being said, one can certainly work full swing with levels 0-255 with the settings above if they desire. Just be sure to check the proper settings on export to not expand levels again crushing blacks, etc.
Here is a document by Job on import/export thst will give you a better sense of how it all comes together.
https://www.jobterburg.nl/Publications/601_709_RGB.pdf
Michael
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Thanks. I’ll read that.
What is the advantage in ‘link to AMA’ over just ‘import’
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AMA Link gives you instant access to the media. In “some” instances you can even edit with it in that state if system and drives are fast enough and the codec is not a bitch to deal with. The bigger advantage of AMA link versus import is that you can change levels as noted, but a transcode to DNxHD versus import is 2x faster.
Michael
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Beware though, that MC internally will want to work 16-235. So any Filler, fades-to-black, dips-to-black, or masks will all be 16, not 0.
IMHO, best way to work in MC is 16-235, and correcting during output.
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Very good point, titles as well.
Michael
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