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30p to 60i question
Okay, here’s the deal
Recently, I hired a crew and wanted 60i NTSC DVcam, but they shot 30p (in Standard Def.) How can I get this 30p footage to be happy (look normal) in an Avid 60i timeline? Avid doesn’t have a standard def 30p mode, and I assume that when I digitized the footage into my 60i project that some conversion was happening, so now the footage looks odd (I’m assuming it digitized the “p” footage as “I”.) So, how do I get it to match my “I” footage?
Do I export it to After Effects and perform some sort of conversion? Is there a digitize trick (say use composite out of the deck instead of SDI.) My fear is, I will have to half the resolution (or perhaps being shot in “p” standard def, it already is halved) Or, am I just screwed?
Thoughts?
(Also, I noticed a Creative Cow Presents that addresses “p” to “I” conversion, but there are several steps missing – for instance, it starts out discussing how to convert already digitized footage, but I think that the digitization/settings used is a step as well…)
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3 Replies
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Your confusion is over the difference between “P” and “I”.
Your “30P” footage is shot progressive, which means the entire frame was shot at the exact same instance in time. It will be recorded in two halves (fields) on tape. One half is the odd lines, the other half is the even lines.
“60i” indicates that the two fields that make up a frame are shot at different points in time.
Capture the footage from your deck into your project and edit away. They are both 29.97 frames per second. The “P” will look sharper on eah frame, but will play back with a more stuttery motion.
Terence Curren
http://www.alphadogs.tv
http://www.digitalservicestation.com
Burbank,Ca -
Terence,
I got the “P” and the “I”, my problem is with the way the 30p footage looks. Even for an interview with very little movement the footage looks bad (the stuttery motion you mentioned.) So, I’m wondering if there is a way to convert the “p” to “i” (frame blending, strobe motion?). Also, as I mentioned this is Sony DVcam footage (and I’m not sure how Sony records the “p”) I know Panasonics flag the frames, but I’m not sure with Sony – so I’m wondering if there is a way to trick it on ingest or convert somehow in AE…. -
You are screwed as far as the look goes. You can’t truly interlace it at this point. You could try using fluidmotion, set source as progressive and end target as interlaced and leave it at 100 percent. Try that on a shot and see what happens. (LOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG render)
Or you could try a BCC temporal blur.
Just throwing ideas to try, I have never done this myself. You might want to thank whoever shot it. :-0
I don’t see the thrill with 30P myself, but it isn’t usually as objectionable as you make it sound. Could they have had a high shutter speed also?
Terence Curren
http://www.alphadogs.tv
http://www.digitalservicestation.com
Burbank,Ca
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