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Need help exporting QT – FCP to AVID
I have a feature shot on DV (720×480), edited on Final Cut Pro. I need to send it to an AVID for layoff to Digibeta. I was told to provide a Quicktime using the Animation codec but to make sure it’s NOT Apple Animation. The problem is there’s only one “Animation” option for export in Final Cut and Quicktime Pro, and when I do it comes out as “Apple Animation” when I view the settings in QT Pro. How do I create an AVID-friendly file using FCP? Keep in mind the feature is 2 hours.
Help. Thanks!
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11 Replies
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I think whoever told you that meant not to use Apple Uncompressed, which would be unavailable on your Avid system (its installed by FCP)
Animation will work fine, however the file size will be colossal for a project that long.
Avid will import DV-NTSC just fine…the file size will be much smaller…but I can understand you not wanting to subject your graphics and filters to DV compression….but it this is a simple sequence, with no effects or compositing, you might want to do that instead -
My suggestion would be download and install the Avid codecs on your Mac, and export in the Avid uncompressed 1:1 format, or even Avid DV50.
However it’s worth exporting a few small clips with different settings to test import into the Avid first, just to make sure you find the best setting.
Uncompressed (1:1) Avid media will be around 170Mbit/s
Otherwise, Animation should be fine, there will be an import delay on the Avid side though.
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I don’t think he can do the Avid codec in 1:1 because it requires the video to be 720 x 486. Maybe they’ve changed that in recent versions.
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That could be a very valid point – I am in PAL world, these trivialities don’t affect me 🙂
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oops
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John,
Thanks for the advice. I’m always confused when it comes to compression with DV footage. Since the footage is compressed to begin with, is sending a DV Quicktime to AVID and laying off to Digi going to produce the same results as using an Animation Quicktime? It seems to me that if they’re close enough, then the Animation won’t be worth the wait.
I’m just trying to get it to look the best it can because I already have to scale it up 121% to make it 4:3 anamorphic from a 4:3 1.85 Letterbox timeline.
-Steve
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That’s a great idea, too. But why does the 486 cause a problem? Can’t I just change my sequence to 486 from 480? And will the AVID codec add any weird compression to DV footage?
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I think that QT used to support Animation in .AVI,
I don’t see the option anymore.
(Dream it?)Mac OX 10.5.2-FC 6.02-QT 7.4.1
G5 2x2Gh 4GbRAM-BlackMagic Extreme
PMBP 17″Core2Duo 4GbRAM-AJA ioHD
JVC DTV-17″
SONY EX-1 . SONY PD170
..and always a big mess on top of the table. -
[Steve Gifford] “But why does the 486 cause a problem? Can’t I just change my sequence to 486 from 480?”
If you export to an Avid Meridian codec (compressed or uncompressed) you have to have a frame size of 486–the file won’t export otherwise. You’ll get an error. It’s just the nature of that particular codec.
You can change your sequence settings to 486 so you can export to an Avid Meridien codec, which your Avid editor will like because it will import faster on his end. You’ll just have 4 lines of nothing, but they’ll be out of safe title so I wouldn’t worry about it.
Michael.
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[Michael Hancock] “You’ll just have 4 lines of nothing”
I mean 6 lines. It was too early when I typed this and I hadn’t had my coffee.
Michael.
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