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editor seeks answers to better work flow with HDX900 footage
I work a lot with vari cam and HDX900 footage, the blessing of slow motion and the pro 35 adapter has enabled me chop some amazing pieces. the way i have been going about the hdx 900 finishing process is a bit odd, so i was looking for ideas.
i am running latest version of OS, newest FCP with updates, qt 7 something, i have quad processors, 8 gigs of ram and 10 terabytes of lacies in a FW 800 raid. it’s a monster g5. i work on music videos so i’m sure drug money bought most my stuff, ANYWAYS… lol
i capture with DVCPRO HD plain setting because we shoot SD or what have you. and use the 720 60p settings so i can use the converter tool (also side note: i have never been able to have deck control from the camera, but no big deal it captures fine)
So i’ve completed my nice shiny edit of the hdx footage. the timeline is a native 720 60p capture and the project is 960×720 @ 23.98.
i was always taught that when finished the best way to export it uncompressed 8 bit. let me know if that’s right…
here is the first issue, i’ve noticed no matter what i tell the camera it always captures wide screen, so by my crazy process if i want to have a 4:3 product, i export the uncomp 8 bit file with export:qt conversion: unc 8 bit: size: 960×720. no matter what it always looks squeezed, any way i have ever exported it it never hold the aspect ratio.
so it comes down for my 4:3 product i need for the dvd, so i make a 720×486 timeline @ 29.97 – i then import the uncompressed file, adjust the aspect ration using the distort under the motion tab, and make the video 100% in size and bam! it lines up perfectly to the same 4:3 markers on the original monitor, but crap it’s a lot of work.
i want to make a dvd with letterbox to get the full 16:9 effect, i do the same uncompressed export, and automaticly the footage comes into a 720×486 timeline at 66% with 150 already on the aspect ratio distortion and it looks perfect, sometimes i noticed the text does not look as crispy
i’m sure you can find many issues with my logic and i am open to criticism to save myself time and money, this process works, but so many parts of it are dirty
overall, my current end product looks fantastic, and music videos i have completed run on mtv and bet all the time.
here are a couple of obvious things, i have tried the whole export where i make the product the size i want and click the preserve aspect ratio through crop and letterbox settings, but it always seems to squish or chop the video in ways i dont like. i use this process because it performs solid, and for a 3-5 minute project basis, you can understand why the end product has to look so crispy.
i have 5 videos to chop before “thugsgiving” as slim thug referenced on saturday, and i could use any help possible or thoughts
thanks in advance,
donny -
3 Replies
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[donnythedestroyer] “i capture with DVCPRO HD plain setting because we shoot SD or what have you. and use the 720 60p settings so i can use the converter tool (also side note: i have never been able to have deck control from the camera, but no big deal it captures fine)”
That camera is not designed to work as a VTR. You should be capturing from at least a Panasonic 1400 deck.
[donnythedestroyer] “here is the first issue, i’ve noticed no matter what i tell the camera it always captures wide screen, so by my crazy process if i want to have a 4:3 product, i export the uncomp 8 bit file with export:qt conversion: unc 8 bit: size: 960×720. no matter what it always looks squeezed, any way i have ever exported it it never hold the aspect ratio.”
That’s a high def, widescreen camera. It’s not designed to shoot in any other mode.
960×720 is the actual size of DVCPro HD footage, it’s an anamorphic format. FCP stretches it back out to 1280 in realtime during playback. Same with HDV.
If you need a 4:3 center cut product the easiest thing to do is install an AJA Kona card and do this in realtime during layback to tape.
[donnythedestroyer] ”
i want to make a dvd with letterbox to get the full 16:9 effect, i do the same uncompressed export, and automaticly the footage comes into a 720×486 timeline at 66% with 150 already on the aspect ratio distortion and it looks perfect, sometimes i noticed the text does not look as crispy”There’s no reason to make an SD timeline. Export your HD timeline to Compressor and make our SD DVD file in 16:9. Then in DVD Studio Pro you ensure that it’s a widescreen DVD. The video will play letterbox on 4:3 TV’s and full screen on widescreen TV’s.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow! -
excellent idea; i do the 16:9 letterbox for youtube, and stage6, quick question, to make the 16:9 setting in compressor what would be the best compressor export options?
thanks again
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[donnythedestroyer] “excellent idea; i do the 16:9 letterbox for youtube, and stage6, quick question, to make the 16:9 setting in compressor what would be the best compressor export options?”
That depends on the output and the quality you want to achieve. Start with an Apple preset and adjust accordingly to meet your needs.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR
The new Color Training DVD now available from the Creative Cow!
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