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Compositon Settings
I have been using after effects here and there for a while, but I wondered if I am using it correctly for this issue.
I have a plasma screen which is widescreen and is set to 16:9 whilst playing this particular project. The current projects settings are as follows:
pal di/dv widescreen with a size of 720/576.
When I import images from either photoshop or Illustrator (I am using pngs at the moment) and place then onto the composition area they appear stretched. Is this correct? Having to manually re size them seems odd to me.
When I render my project I use video for windows and then select format options at which point I choose divx codec 6.8.5 2 logical cpu’s and then 720hd etc and pal 16:9. The size of the file is then around 4mb’s and I then use either a CD or a usb flash drive to plug into a dvd player.
I believe that the quality is not high enough and it is leading me to believe that I am doing a few things incorrectly.
If there is any information at all any one can share or possibly point me in the direction of any past posts that may offer guidance or tips I would be very appreciative. If there is any other specific information you guys would like please also let me know.
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4 Replies
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Hi Jan,
When I import images from either photoshop or Illustrator (I am using pngs at the moment) and place then onto the composition area they appear stretched. Is this correct? Having to manually re size them seems odd to me.Do you have the “toggle Pixel aspect ratio correction” button selected? It’s at the bottom of your
composition preview window and looks like a box with an arrow on top of it. Since your working in an
anamorphic standard definition project this is going to make a big difference on how your images preview.When I render my project I use video for windows and then select format options at which point I choose divx codec 6.8.5 2 logical cpu’s and then 720hd etc and pal 16:9. The size of the file is then around 4mb’s and I then use either a CD or a usb flash drive to plug into a dvd player.
To get the best results out of AE you should render to a lossless formatt such as Quicktime Animation or Prores. The “lossless” preset in your render Que will do just this.
Then use compression software such as Apple compressor, sorenson squeeze, Adobe media encoder..ect to compress the lossless file to your destination format.
Your render setting’s appear to be an HD format, but your composition is standard definition.
If you can provide more details about what exactly you are trying to do and what the final destination for your video is, then we can provide more details on an appropriate work flow.
-Andy
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Hi Andy,
thanks for the speedy response,
I found the toggle Pixel aspect btn, many thanks for that.
let me explain what it is I am trying to create:
using a a few layered images e.g a sky background and a logo then animatimg over the background some pngs (they have to have transparent backgrounds as there different shapes etc), it’s like a presentation screen which runs on a widescreen plasma screen. I am at present using a DVD player which I can plug my flash drive into and presto I have my screens.
I am using the lossless option and using the default option of video for windows and then the compression I am currently using is divx. There are furthur options inn the configure option once I have chosen divx, which is where I select 720hd and pal 16:9. I see your point of rendering the project to HD and not having it initially set up for HD. Can you propose what I could do, perhaps re-configure the comps settings and dimensions of the video.
Do you think divx is the wrong compression here?
So am I right that I have set up the workspace correctly, I.e. After effects project is currently Widescreen pal 720/576 (FYI the plasma runs at 16:9)?
I am used to making square pixel vids for flash integration and am really trying to achieve a crystal looking finished video.
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Thanks for the advice I have already been playing around the toggle switch and all seems fine, thanks.
As per my comps settings is it okay to be working at 720 /576 if my finished rendered video is being played back on a widescreen plasma? And also is it fine to render out to a video for windows or should I go for another format in the lossless option.
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Thanks Dave,
my playback device is a mini dvd player(an LG one and one of those portable types with the flippy screen) I then plug my usb flash drive (with the small video loaded on it) into the dvd player and connect it to the plasma. The reason I made it initially divx is because it says it supports it on the dvd player and updating the project onto a usb stick is easier than making loads of cds/dvds…personally I think it may just be the quality of the plasma screens I much prefer lcd….
I think now I have the toggle switch all in order the whole process makes more sense…
much thanks for my baby steps with this…
finishing up for the day and will commence celebrations as its my bday 🙂
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