Garbage Matt points don’t go where expected

[Chris Poisson]

I have found that in working with larger media the garbage mattes’ points have to be entered manually, it’s a bit of a pain but after a while it gets pretty easy.

[Ron Craig]

I’m sorry that I can’t answer your basic question regarding the garbage matte points because I don’t work with them. But as for your timeline needing rendering, here’s my suggestion:

Make sure that your Easy Setup is accurate for your video material.
Create a new sequence.
Drag one clip of your material onto the sequence. If the Easy Setup is correct (that determines the sequence settings), the clip should go onto the sequence without needing rendering. If the clip and sequence don’t match, FCP will ask you if you want to have the sequence settings adjusted to match your clip. Answer “yes.” Then your footage shouldn’t need rendering in that sequence.

Remember that all projects open with one active sequence. If you change the settings on Easy Setup that will NOT change the settings on that first sequence. You have to delete that one. All succeeding sequences will have settings that match your Easy Setup.

[Michael Gissing]

If you shot HD why is your sequence set to standard def DV codec? Apart from the fact that everything needs to be rendered, greenscreening with DV codec is a poor choice.

Drag a clip into a new sequence and FCP will prompt you to change the sequence settings to match the codec. That will tell what your sequence settings should be. Get that sorted before you try keying.

If you imported the footage as DV then you have to consider recapturing everything with the correct HDV settings.

[Neal Fox]

Hi Michael.

I’ve figured out that I accidentally shot in HD. So, you’re right about the seq not matching. I’ll be making the changes tomorrow. Hopefully that will solve the matt problem as well.

Thanks.

[Michael Gissing]

[Neal Fox] “I’ve figured out that I accidentally shot in HD”

Nice accident. HDV will pull a better green screen than DV. Also try the green screening in Motion. I am going on numerous recommendations from others who green screen regularly and say that Motion does a much better job than FCP. It might solve the matte problems as well.

[Rafael Amador]

[Neal Fox] ” I need to use the 8 point garbage matt. But when I try to place the points they don’t move to where I’m trying to put them. “
Think that you are applying the filter on an HD clip in an SD sequence.
In FC filters are always applied before Motion tab changes.
The points you select are points of the original picture (1080), not the canvas (480).
You may nest the clips before applying the 8 Points garbage matte.
The filter will be applied after downscaling.
Cheers,
Rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Neal Fox]

Sounds logical.

I’ll be trying it out tomorrow afternoon and I’ll post the result.

Thanks.

[Bret Williams]

You don’t have to guess. Just click and drag around and you’ll see the image matte update and it’s pretty obvious where the point is you’re working with.

[Neal Fox]

Not sure what you mean by manually. I thought that’s the only way you can do it. Is there and auto function?

I always have to click on the plus sign to activate a particular point, then click or click and drag in the canvas to move it where I want it.

[Neal Fox]

That’s the way it usually worked for me. But this time I’m putting it where I want it but it goes much farther than expected.

I’m pretty sure it has to do with the fact that I entered HD and my seq settings are SD. But I won’t know for sure till later today.

Thanks.