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After Effects to FCP, animation codec question
Hi,
I’m a complete Final Cut newbie but am planning on learning it more and am using a pet project I’m doing to use it for the first time.My project is 2D animation. I animated it in Flash, composited it and added some effects and pans in After Effects and plan on editing it in Final Cut (plus plan on adding Sound Effects, music, transitions and credit rolls in FCP.) My project has multiple scenes and I thought I’d string them together in FCP.
I rendered them AFter Effects as quicktime files, using the Animation codec and 29.97 frame rate. When played in the quicktime standalone app, each scene looks great, but when I import them into FCP, they look a bit pixelated (there are jaggies on some of the lines.) THe one scene I experimented with is 1 gig. I’m not sure whether I’m using the right codec but I want the quality to be as crisp and bright as possible.
How do I rectify this?
Thanks.
BTW, I’m using a mac, tiger 10.4.11, Xeon dual with 5 gigs ram and FCP 6 (and after effects and flash cs4.)Also, my down-the-line intended format will be quicktime for the web.Thanks,
Mike -
4 Replies
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[Mike Brownstein] “I rendered them AFter Effects as quicktime files, using the Animation codec and 29.97 frame rate. When played in the quicktime standalone app, each scene looks great, but when I import them into FCP, they look a bit pixelated (there are jaggies on some of the lines.) THe one scene I experimented with is 1 gig. I’m not sure whether I’m using the right codec but I want the quality to be as crisp and bright as possible.”
First off, FCP does not edit with the Animation codec well. You generally render to a more video friendly codec unless you need an alpha channel.
Second, if you are viewing your project in the FCP Canvas, you are not looking at full quality video. You must view your video on an external monitor using a proper video output. We use the AJA Kona video boards here to feed broadcast television monitors and pro plasma screens for our playback.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Thanks for the speedy reply, Walter.
A few questions: Which codec would be a good choice for viewing on the web? Any suggestions? My final output for this project will be a quicktime file that probably will be streamed over the web. I don’t need an alpha channel.
Also, is it necessary to view the files with an external monitor if it’s not for film or broadcast, or is this just standard with FCP?Thanks again,
Mike -
[Mike Brownstein] “A few questions: Which codec would be a good choice for viewing on the web? Any suggestions? My final output for this project will be a quicktime file that probably will be streamed over the web. “
Stay in the animation codec then for your AE files and just convert to H.264 using Compressor for the Web.
[Mike Brownstein] “Also, is it necessary to view the files with an external monitor if it’s not for film or broadcast, or is this just standard with FCP? “
No, but understand the Canvas in FCP is purposely degraded because it’s expected you would be editing for broadcast using an external monitor. So what you’ll need to do is check your final output using the Quicktime Player which will show the full resolution of your final product.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Thanks so much again, Walter. Will do!
Mike
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