Export For Multiple Screens?

[Thomas Leong]

There are 2 aspects to this:
1. Production; and
2. Playback

Production
AfterEffects can be used for Production, though you’ll have to think of ways to fill a (3×1920) 5760×1080 with a 1920×1080 footage. That’s what we call an output or screen ratio of 3:1.

Ideally, such productions from the start would have been designed and shot for the output format. Try and convince your clients that 1:1 does not fit into 3:1. Well it fits, but there is a lot of space around.

If they want the 3:1 filled edge to edge, you would either zoom in A LOT (and cut off a lot of top and bottom in the process) and ENLARGE the pixels as well, or STRETCH the original a lot making objects/subjects distorted. Things like landscapes could be stretched, but people and round objects would look wierd. Depends on the footage. You could could think PiP and multiples of it, or have different views of the same subject matter montaged or PiP’ed over the 3:1 format. These are storyboard and production problems best left to Creative and Art Directors. It’s a different ballgame.

Playback
Probably the most cost effective solution are 3 units of Brightsign HD210 or the HD210W (wireless) version and a router or Ethernet hub. If the HD210W, then a wireless router is a better partner. Relatively cheap, small (to attach to the back of each HD TV), and keeps sync over the 3 units, all day ,everyday. Fool-proof as well – just power up, and the 3 units will run soon after loading and sensing each other. There is a video at the Brightsign site for syncing multiple units.

If the client decides to keep to 1:1 and repeat it over the 3 units, then you only need one Brightsign player and a DA (Distribution Video Amp) to repeat the 1 input to 3 outputs. This is usually wired, but if wireless is required, depending on the installation requirements/limitations, then the router way with 3 Brightsign units as mentioned above is still possible.

[Walter Soyka]

I’ll add that it’s important to know the exact amount of space in between the displays (possibly including the bezel) if you want a truly seamless display. To accomodate this negative space, you’ll end up working slightly wider than 5760×1080.

While FCP doesn’t support a resolution this high, it can still be useful for the offline edit of your material. You can finish in After Effects, which does support this resolution.

If the project is video-only (no AE motion graphics or effects), consider Premiere Pro, which can handle an arbitrary resolution this large, and wouldn’t require an AE finish.

Danielle, there’s quite a lot to read on this forum if you search for “multi screen” or “multiple screens” — including more production tips and additional playback system options.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Danielle Warren]

Hi Thomas,
Thanks for your reply.

The screens they want to show this on are already there and setup, so would they need the 3 units of Brightsign HD210 or the HD210W (wireless) version and a router or Ethernet hub? I don’t understand what these are for if you are playing the same thing on multiple screens.

But the info you gave is very helpful, especially since they did NOT plan on this in pre-production and I’m not sure it will look good at all. I don’t even really understand why they would want to do it this.

[Danielle Warren]

Thanks Walter. Your reply is really helpful.

So when you say that FCP is useful for the offline edit, do you mean I would edit the piece in FCP, then export normally, then bring into After Effects and re-export in the resolution size needed for the three screens?

[Walter Soyka]

[Danielle Warren] “So when you say that FCP is useful for the offline edit, do you mean I would edit the piece in FCP, then export normally, then bring into After Effects and re-export in the resolution size needed for the three screens?”

After Effects is a compositor and effects system, not an editor, so it’s not the best tool for the job for cutting a video piece. Work out the timing of your edit in an NLE like FCP, then finish the job in AE.

Simply scaling your footage up 300% will hurt both sharpness and composition.

You may be better off treating the screens separately with your video footage (i.e., running three separate, synchronized edits; for example, the center screen caries the story while the side screens carry B-roll) and integrating them with graphics or high-res photography.

There are both creative and technical challenges in doing multi-screen well, and it certainly helps to plan for it at the shoot.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Thomas Leong]

[Danielle Warren] “would they need the 3 units of Brightsign HD210 or the HD210W (wireless) version and a router or Ethernet hub? I don’t understand what these are for if you are playing the same thing on multiple screens.”

Think this link to MultiSynch with the Brightsign units should explain it better.

[Danielle Warren]

Thanks everyone. In the end the client must have realized how difficult this would be because I just ended up editing a piece that will be shown on each screen individually. Luckily it was a rush job so I don’t think they had the time to really do much else.

[Thomas Leong]

Good to hear the job went through for you, albeit in a different form.

In preparation for the future, and potential for other multi-screen jobs, I would recommend you download Dataton’s Watchout 5 and play around with it to discover its power, potential and ease of usage. Without a licence (USB dongle), the software as the “Production PC” cannot go online (‘talk’) to the “Display PCs” and therefore output to full-screen. But you can see your work on the “Stage Displays”, and everything else works without restrictions.

[Bruce Wheaton]

As a side note, 3 butted 1920 x 1080 images makes a 5.333:1 screen, not a 3:1 screen. You might refer to the setup as a 3 by 1 screen, but it’s probably important to bear the actual aspect ratio in mind.

Bruce

Regards,

Bruce Wheaton
http://www.synchromeshDDR.com