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‘Below Black’ for Blue-ray PIP delivery
I need to get ‘below black’ from FCP for a blue-ray project PIP so that the bits in-between my film clips Luma Key out.
All the current post are about avoiding below black but my delivery specs ask for:
“Any video that is intended to be luma keyed should consist of below black information. Reference
black level for studio video is 0mV on a digital waveform monitor, 0 IRE on an analog waveform
monitor, or a digital luma value of 16. Below black for studio video is -235mV to -1mV on a digital
waveform monitor, -33 to -1 IRE on an analog waveform monitor, or a digital luma value of 1 to 15. ”How the heck do I get that on FCP when all my life I needed to avoid it?
Thanks
Jacek -
20 Replies
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FCP is perfectly capable of outputting “Super Black” as it’s also known. This is why it’s so important to use the Levels filter when mastering for broadcast.
Why do you need to Luma Key out black if it’s just a slug between clips?
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 your response Walter,
As I said in my post, I am outputting to HD cam for a Picture in Picture stream for a Blu-ray DVD project.
The stream consists of a video picture that plays intermittently with the main picture stream. The video in between the clips has to be ‘below black’ so that it luma keys out. It is how the HDMV picture in picture pods work on Blue-ray.
I know FCP is capable of outputting superbalcks and whites, but how do you deliberately manufacture them to insert into the tape?
I need to do this urgently this afternoon so any help would be really appreciated.
Many thanks
Jacek -
[Jacek Kropinski] “I know FCP is capable of outputting superbalcks and whites, but how do you deliberately manufacture them to insert into the tape? “
I’ve never had to do this as part of a background element. My guess is you would bring in a black image from Photoshop and then crush that image to below 0. You can’t really affect the slug as it’s not a “real” image, but you should be able to affect a still graphic.
Again, I’ve never had to do it this way, I’ve delivered video images at super black, but never any sort of a backdrop.
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 Walter again,
I have tried every way I can think of to get a below Zero reading, including a variety of graphics files (in various bit rates).
Doesn’t seem possible to take the reading below zero – I also can’t find anything limiting it to zero, as in processing in a different colour space – maybe you have to set up the deck HDCAM SR?
Any other ideas? -
[Jacek Kropinski] “Any other ideas? “
Nope, sorry.
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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Also Luma keying and “below black” have nothing to do with HDMV PIP capabilities. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?
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As my first post said, I am delivering a PIP stream for a Blue-ray disc.
It consists of video clips which appear as pods intermittently at certain times during the movie.
The delivery spec is for the video clips to be seperated by below black slugs in order for the black to be keyed out so only the clips play over the movie.
I am trying to find a way to create the below black in Final Cut Pro.
Thanks -
[Jacek Kropinski] “The delivery spec is for the video clips to be seperated by below black slugs in order for the black to be keyed out so only the clips play over the movie. “
I have to say I’ve honestly never heard of this. PIP is just a full sized video image that’s shrunk down over the background video. I’ve never heard of a call for keying. Sounds as though you’re trying to create a full sized image that consists of a black frame with a smaller video box.
Not sure why the specs would call for this as my understanding is PIP is just full sized video that’s shrunk down, just like all the Disney BluRay Menus. When you hit Menu, the video shrinks down into the box on the menu and keeps playing.
Of course, we’ve yet to do PIP on BluRay disc. We’ve done 30 titles, but never had a call for PIP and of course PIP is controlled by the end user. If you’re trying to force the PIP to just happen, then I would just put that into the original video track and go with that.
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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Hi Jacek
Your sending yourself on a wild goose chase here. PIP stream are authored separately from the main stream. In fact, I believe the specs are limited to SD resolutions for all PIP streams – at least this was the case for HD DVD and still holds true for BD.
Who is authoring the project? They should give your the correct delivery specs for this kind of stuff.
Again…keying video over another has NOTHING to do with PIP in Blu Ray 🙂
E
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The PIP is intermittent – does not play all the time, only plays at selected times during the feature, so in order for it to play with the feature it has to play simultaneously with the feature from the beginning. The black bits in between the video obviously need to be keyed out. For this to happen the key has to be below black. It is what the authoring house requires. I am simply trying to figure out how to generate that from Final Cut Pro.
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