Best way to convert HDV to an SD format and crop image at same time?

[Mark Spano]

In assuming that you want to go from HD 16×9 to SD 4×3 letterbox (?), you could use Compressor to make your SD files with a crop. Here’s how.

As an example, I have dropped into Compressor a 16×9 file that looks like this:

and I want to crop out the side where the off-screen player’s stick blade is. I set up a preset to transcode to ProRes, using Frame Controls On and Resize to Best. And then in Geometry, start by setting it up like this:

This tells Compressor that you want the resulting file to be 16×9 letterbox picture area inside a 4×3 frame, and that you want it to be 720×486. Dragging the preset on to the clip will allow you to set a crop in the Preview window, like this:

Note that the value changes in the inspector, as seen here:

Figure out each value that changes in the source cropping and then go back to your preset and add them in and save. Then you can batch process all your clips and they will be source-cropped to remove your crew and resized to fit a 16×9 space inside a 4×3 frame at 720×486.

If you really wanted anamorphic instead, just remove the part in the inspector under Output Image Inset and the resize will happen to fill the whole 4×3 frame.

[Josh Cockfield]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for such a detailed response. I was actually after SD with a 16:9 ratio as my final product. Sorry, I think my question was confusing. Anyway I just saw a rough cut and I think I can live without the vision. The sound guy is just too far into frame. Again though, thanks for the tip which will no doubt come in handy at some stage.

Cheers,

Josh