I need to do a 4×3 downscale for broadcast from 16×9!! (1920×1080 – 720×480)

[Sascha Engel]

Hi Nick,

if You have AE – that will do a great job.
If not, Compressor also does it very good, just make sure you are checking the right settings.

Sascha

[Nick Kern]

Thanks for the hasty responses! And Dave, I have to say you’re forum posts have solved about %80 of my editing problems so double thanks!

I’m currently redoing the graphics in the 4×3 title safe. But here’s the workflow we’re using

Duplicating a FCP sequence and changing the sequence settings to the above 720×480 settings, rendering and rescaling. But if I just readjust the graphics in the 16×9 to be in the 4×3 title safe, can’t I just export an uncompressed 16×9 version and crop it in compressor and skip the whole sequence duplication/settings change/rescaling/re-render stuff?

[Sascha Engel]

First of all – yes, Dave is the Man! If they ever reach out the Golden Cow Award…he will be the top nominee.
Second: I personally would not do any of the re-scaling job in FCP.
In my opinion Final Cut really s…s in that department. Use Compressor instead.

Sascha

[Bret Williams]

Yes. You don’t want FCP doing the downscaling of your sequence. And you don’t want compressor doing it if you were going to mpeg2. Might work ok for a progressive sequence, but for interlaced compressor just drops the ball. I’d use After Effects. Just drop the master in a 720 sequence and scale the shot to fit height wise. Render it out as pro res.

And don’t forget to add pulldown. Nobody broadcasts at 24p. Unless their system is going to add pulldown on the fly. I’d have AE add the pulldown up to 29.97.