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Best way of downscaling blown up video
I’m outputting a HD (192×1080 SQ pixels, 29.97) sequence into an SD format (720×540 SQ pixels, 29.97). Because the final format was known from the start, a lot of shots in the HD sequence were blown up to 200%. Final graphic elements were created at 720×540.
Should I drop my HD footage and graphics into 720×540, resize and reposition each HD shot and output from that OR drop the graphics into the HD – blow them up and use KONA downscaling and cropping capabilities to output into SD format? -
3 Replies
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I’m a big fan of option one, but . . . the best way for you to tell is take a small portion of the sequence and test it both ways. Ideally the segment you select should have a re-sized video clip and graphic.
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We did it so we could get close ups – or kind of a “fake” extra angle – without having another camera on the set.
It also saved my butt when I had to cut a person out from a three-way conversation and turn it into a two way convo :).PS We’re using Red for the same reason when the final output is HD.
And I just found out that I have to deliver in a proper 720×486 NTSC so I guess I’ll resize my final 540 sequence in After Effects since it has better scaler than FCP. I was hoping KONA could do it but from what I read it just crops bottom 54 lines on the output so that seems like a no go… 🙁
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I would have opted for an NTSC 720 x 486 final timeline from the beginning and done all your scaling in that sequence. Final output could have done the anamorphic to SQ pixels conversion without grief.
If you go from an HD sequence and down scale, then all the graphics have been scaled up in FCP (not a good thing) and then downscaled via the Kona. I have sometime had to do this when making HD programs plus an SD digibeta, but there, the HD is primary. In your case I understand why you shot HD to reframe in an SD timeline but that isn’t what you have done.
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