• Apple Final Cut Pro Legacy

  Render Options in FCP

  Posted by Danny Fox on January 22, 2008 at 10:08 am

  Hi all,

  We often create animations in After Effects, which are then brought into FCP as a .mov file (animation codec) for further onlining. These are then exported to whatever the project dictates (usually another QT file). However, we lose some of the crisp definition that came from After Effects. I noticed that Final Cut has a setting in system settings that allows you to dictate what program renders your final outputs. The default is Final Cut and there at present is no other option. My question is would it be possible to use a plug-in from software such as After Effects to render your outputs, thus optimising your final movies?

  Hope this makes sense.

  Danny

  Paul Escandon replied 18 years, 3 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Adam Taylor

  January 22, 2008 at 1:43 pm

  i think your problem is more about what you are doing to the file within FCP. I also do as you describe and have no problems whatsoever with loss of quality.

  What format are you outputting? If you are rendering out to a compressed format then you will lose something (thats how compressing works!).

  If your animation has alpha channels are you setting the correct alpha type for the clip? FCP always seems to iport animation codecs with a straight alpha channel, yet all mine have “black” (premultiplied over black) so i need to manually change this in the item properties for the clip.

  adam

  Editor/Mixer
  Character Options Ltd
  Oldham, UK
• 

  Paul Escandon

  January 22, 2008 at 6:53 pm

  I do graphics from after effects all of the time and I’m losing no crispness or definition in Final Cut. I’m usually working with DVCPRO HD 1080i60 timelines and my graphics are rendered too in the animation codec from After Effects with alpha channels.

  I would recommend using a straight alpha channel instead of premultiplied from AE – my Final Cut system seems to handle these better.

  * * *
  Paul Escandon – Lead Editor @ Outdoor Channel
  Producer | Director – Oremus Productions
  http://www.oremusproductions.com
  Apple Certified Trainer – Final Cut Pro
  Adjunct Professor of Media – JPCU
  —
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