Improve already captured files/sequences in FCP S2

[Audiovideo]

[rafalaos] ” If you make to your DV footage a Chroma resampling (i.e. Nattress Chroma Sharpen) and CC, you do not get the same result in a DV time-line than in a 8b Unc one.

Also you can get a better MPG2 than the one of “”90 minutes” of Compressor. Just short the GOPs and set the OPEN. You will see the difference.”

This is interesting, rafael. But I want to make sure I understand. Are you saying to use Nattress Chroma Sharpen, then color correct? But I don’t understand when you say: “…you do not get the same result in a DV timeline than in a 8-bit uncompressed one.” Can you explain that again? Also…I understand about shortening the GOPs…but what do you mean when you say “set the OPEN”? Do you mean make them open GOPs instead of closed GOPs?

[Rafael Amador]

There is a lot wrote in this Forum about that. When working with DV (PAL or NTSC) we are discharging the 75% of the color information. We keep a value of chroma that is applied to four pixels. This is why some times the DV looks so blocky.
There are some plugins that based in the chroma and luma information, distribute this value in a more progresive way. Each of the pixels get a different Chroma value so the image doesn’t look so blocky. The result is much more natural. But this doen’t have much point if you keep editing in a DV time-line. If you keep in DV, in the moment of the compression you have to discharge again the 75% of the Chroma, so your image will look blocky again.
If you set your time-line with a 422 codec (ie 8b Unc) when exporting you will discharge some Chroma information again, but just the 50% instead of the 75%. The differnce between keeping the 50% over keeping the 25% of the Chroma is quite noticiable.
normally when making a movie that will end-up in a DVD, I edit in a DV time-line. When ready for CC I change the setting of the sequence to 8b Uncompressed. When he clips are CC I set the Nattress Chroma Sharpening before the 3WCC. I’m not sure but I think this must be the first effect applied because is suposed to treat the original footage (Probably I should set the filter before making the CC, but them I’ve got no RT).
Sorry if I can not explain you in a more scientific way how this works. You can get better information in the Nattress (Chroma Sharpening and Nicer) or in the 1z1screenworks (DVColor Interpolation or i2pChroma) web-sites.
About the MPG2, yes I meant open GOPs. With this method each GOP use their own “I” frame and also the adjacent “I” frame to calculate the inbetween frames. So you got two full pictures to build five pictures. With the closed (short or long) you get only one “I” frame to do the task. You will see how the compression artifacts around the moving shapes desapear.
Cheers,
rafael

[Audiovideo]

Thank you so much! This makes sense to me. I am guessing that you are using 8b unc instead of 10b unc because of little difference and a smaller file size. As far as GOPs, would a 6 or 9 length be small enough (instead of the normal 15)?

[Rafael Amador]

If I could print to video probably I would finish in 10b Unc to print in Digibeta. For the purpose of a DVD I think 8b Unc is good enough. Even DVCPro 50 could be good because although is compressed, at least is 422.
About the GOPs (I’m in PAL) I’ve making few tests with “IBP” structure and 6 frames size. They look much better than the long GOPs and they play quite well in all the DVD players that I tried. I was afraid that they would play jumpy in the domestic sets, but not at all.
To use those short GOPs you need to rise the data-rate (I’ve got it in 7,5Mbps the average bit rate and 8.8 the maximum). So better you compress your audio as AC3.
Anyway if you use open GOPs (that I think give better quality) you have to be aware of a limitation about the chapter markers. You can not set chapters in those MPG2. You got all the information in the Compressor’s Help.
heers,
rafael

[Audiovideo]

Thank you, again, rafael! I understand now. I went to the Nattress site and saw that they have the plug-ins you mentioned in the package called “Film Effects”. There are 2 plug-ins in the package called G Chroma Sharpen Interlaced and G Chroma Sharpen Progressive. They also have other package called “Nattress Advanced Plugins for Color V1.0 (not FCP6)”. That plug-in is called G Chroma Sharpen. The first package is specifically for FCP, but the second one is for “Color” (included with FCP Studio 2). Which one were you referring to?

[Rafael Amador]

I mean the one of the “Film Effects”. Normally I use the “Chroma Sharpen Interlaced”. If you work in NTSC you can use Nicer. Although thinking twice, if you work in NTSC, FC has its own “Chroma Smoothing” filter. You got it in EFFECTS>KEY>Color Smoothing 411. I’ve never tried because is only for NTSC. There is other free plugin that do the work in PAL and in NTSC and is free: TooMuchTooSoon Chroma resample. The only problem is that lets the boton line green, so you must crop it.
The Colors plugins I think were te former Final Touch plugins developed by Nattress and now working in Color.
Cheers,
rafael

[Audiovideo]

Thank you, rafael. I truly appreciate all your time, suggestions, and comments. You’ve been a tremendous help!!!