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Cropping anamorphic to 4:3
For a website, I have to shoot (with my Panasonic DVX100B) footage in Anamorphic (Squeeze), edit in an Anamorphic timeline, and then provide outputs in 4:3 and native.
I know I could do a 4:3 crop in Compressor, but I’ll need to pan and scan a bit, so I’d like advice on how the workflow should go if I need to at least preview the crop in Final Cut, then create the Quicktime movie.
I’m assuming if I just crop the footage in the Anamorphic timeline, this won’t be good because I’ll get a smaller overall image.
I tried, just to test it, dumping a piece of the Anamorphic timeline into a 4:3 timeline, but the resulting image seemed still a bit letterboxed, just less so.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Maria Luisa Gambale
DP/Producer
Brooklyn, NY -
8 Replies
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Put the 16:9 sequence in a 4:3 sequence… copy and paste the clips, don’t nest it.
Then on the first letter boxed clip, expand the video to 133% to fill the 4:3 aspect ratio’d timeline… copy it. then paste attributes of the Motion properties to the other clips. If this will mess up something else, you’ll need to do it manually on those clips. (like they are picture in pictures or something).
Then you can simply move the clips into the position you want (your pan and scan)…
There is no way to do this without cropping and expanding the clips… Won’t look too bad, but do turn on the best quality motion settings in the sequnece… it’s found by selecting the sequence in the timeline or browser window, then typing cmd+zero… video processing tab.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
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Although it’s the correct workflow the whole zooming to 133% has always bugged me a bit… After all anamorphic and non-anamorphic clips have the save vertical dimensions, so in my brain applying a scale seems somehow wrong!
Probably just me…
-Simmie
1 MacPro – Kona 3
2 G5 – Kona LH
2 G4s – Cinewave
xbox360, Wii, PSP, PS2
https://www.speak.co.uk -
an alternative workflow is simply to add a 4:3 pillarbox matte on a higher track, set the opacity to about 40%
then you can reframe the clips as needed underneath whist maintaing reference to the areas of the video being cropped
when you export via compressor the 4:3 crop will remove the pillarbox matte and everything hidden by it -
True the same number of pixels are used, however they’ve been squeezed to create the 16:9 image.. can’t get away from that distortion, so that’s why the cropping has to take place.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
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[Jerry Hofmann] “the same number of pixels are used, however they’ve been squeezed to create the 16:9 image..”
But the squeezing is horizontal isn’t it? So in my brain the image is wider, so the left and right edge should be cropped. – not scaled to fit?
-Simmie
1 MacPro – Kona 3
2 G5 – Kona LH
2 G4s – Cinewave
xbox360, Wii, PSP, PS2
https://www.speak.co.uk -
what you’re missing is that the “squeeze” is horizontal during recording.
during display its a stretch, and you have to stretch it or they aspect will never look correct regardless of what you plan to do with it down the line -
[Andy Mees] “”squeeze” is horizontal during recording.
during display its a stretch,”Yeah – I get that, but in my brain FCP should be doing a distort – not a scale! I’m sure it’s just the way my brain works! 🙂
-Simmie
1 MacPro – Kona 3
2 G5 – Kona LH
2 G4s – Cinewave
xbox360, Wii, PSP, PS2
https://www.speak.co.uk -
Thank you Andy, and thank you Jerry and Stuart. I like this last idea – it seems to give me a bit of control.
I now do have a slightly different scenario to address and if you guys have time, would love to hear a response. I don’t have to deliver in anamorphic at all, and they want me to edit the timeline in 4:3 to start with. If I’m going to have to pan and scan certain clips, what’s the best way to go now?
Also, just because this is bugging me – 720×480 is always 3:2 and 640×480 is always 4:3, right? They were asking for 720×480 (4:3) and I didn’t feel quite confident enough to say that doesn’t make sense.
Many, many thanks,
Maria Luisa Gambale
DP/Producer
Brooklyn, NY
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