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HD Workflow: 1280 to 1920
Need some workflow advice.
Project is DVCProHD 720p, edited in FCP 5.1.4 on a G4. No Kona card or other HD processing card; the media was imported from P2.
On a previous project in the same format, I delivered my final output to color correction by exporting a QT, no conversion, and then used Quicktime to re-export that QT to 10bit uncompressed. I delivered the result to my post house and they then scaled the image to 1920, color corrected and mastered to D5. The end result was screened on huge screens theatrically and looked awesome, and was even later transferred to film and looked even more amazing. This workflow was done at the advice of a seasoned tech person, and it did the trick.
What I don’t know about the above workflow was how the post house scaled up to 1920, and I can’t find those folks anymore to ask them.
Now I need to deliver my current project to color correction and want to scale up to 1920 again. Can I do that just by using Quicktime during my conversion to 10bit uncompressed? Or do I need specific hardware to process that scaling?
I’m fuzzy on this scaling issue because it just doesn’t make sense to me anyway that you can scale up that much and still have a gorgeous image.
Advice? Questions? Thanks!
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7 Replies
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It’s not magic. You can put 720p footage on a 1080p sequence in FCP and render it and it will look good. After Effects will do an even better job though you may not even be able to tell the difference.
Products from companies like Teranex are the best, but they are total overkill for this. Those excel at upconverting analog SD to HD. You shot it digitally, HD, and progressive-scan. It’s very easy to up-scale that type of footage.
Sean
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I don’t know about upscaling, but down scaling is completely awful and un-useable in my world.
Much better off using compressor with the resize setting set for highest quality. Thats almost as good as a Teranex but it will take a long time to do. (run it over a weekend)
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Thanks. Is there any advantage/disadvantage to scaling up in FCP vs outside of FCP in Quicktime? My previous workflow specified not using FCP, but exporting from FCP to QT then using QT to do the conversion to 10bit uncompressed.
Thanks.
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[Chris Borjis] “Much better off using compressor with the resize setting set for highest quality.”
I agree, Compressor’s Advanced Format Conversions are the way to go, much better than FCP.
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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[Greg Newman] “‘m fuzzy on this scaling issue because it just doesn’t make sense to me anyway that you can scale up that much and still have a gorgeous image.”
That’s why you get hardware converters like the Konas. 720 to 1080 cross conversion is part of their Kona 3 package. We use it all the the time and the image is just stunning.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
Read my Blog!
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We are shooting and editing almost everything 720p P2 and DVCPro100 from tape. We also have to deliver 1080i to PBS on HDCam so we cross convert all the time using the Kona cards. We just got an AJA FS1 as well as it will do the up,down and cross convert and keep the closed captions which the tape decks won’t do.
Jim Calahan
KVIE, Sacramento -
Ok, so far most recommend the hardware card route for upscaling, which of course makes complete sense. One response suggested that upscaling through FCP (or presumably outside FCP in Quicktime) would be fine.
I currently do not have any hardware cards for this conversion, and Advanced Format Conversions are not available in my copy of Compressor. While those are obviously the better paths to follow, am I still going to be ok upscaling my 1280 to 1920 in quicktime? Final thoughts on this?
Thanks.
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