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NTSC DV(3:2), NTSC(4:3), Quicktime, and workflow
Hi all,
This has the potential to be a complicated post, so I’ll try to make it simple:
The basics:
I’m editing a video in FCP. Shot on DV at 30p.Every shot is green-screened, and I am sending the shots to someone else for keying and animation work to be done.
I have completed a final cut of the video.
Without going into details and rationale, I will need to export every cut to a Quicktime file (uncompressed). The animator will then pull in the files to do the work. He will then give me the affected files as .mov’s, which I will import back into a FCP session and reassemble the video.
Here is the issue – quicktime displays the files stretched. This is understandable, given the whole square/rect pixel aspect ratio deal with computer screens.
My question: what is the best workflow…? will the animator just have to deal with the stretched images to do his work, and then when I receive the 720×480 files back from him everything will still be ok in FCP when I put the pieces back together? OR, if I export the files to QT at 640×480 for the animator, when I get them back I’ll just have to pull them onto a sequence that is set-up for 4:3 rather than 3:2? Any potential problems for loss of fidelity in any of these conversion processes? Or should I just change my current sequence to 4:3, render all of my cuts, then give them to the animator?
If anyone has any suggestions, that’d be great.. and if someone has an easy explanation for me regarding the reason for NTSC DV at 3:2 vs the standard NTSC of 4:3, that’d be cool too.
Thanks,
KeithDual 1.8 G5
1.25 GB RAM
FCP 4.5
OS 10.3.8 -
2 Replies
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Why don’t you media manage your timeline to 8 but or 10 bit uncompressed. Select the “recompress” option. You then will have new files that will have the uncompressed codec. NO reason for you to go to 640×480. Keep the files at 720×486 (that’s what they will be after media managing to uncompressed). Your animator will then work with them at 720×486 and then export their final movie at the same. Can your media drives handle 8 or 10 bit uncompressed?
I would suggest to your animator that they buy the automatic duck plug in. That way you export an XML, you give them the 10 bit media, they import your xml into after effects (are they animating in after effects?) and your cut is in tact. Make sense?
Jeremy
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Actually, with your original idea of exporting to Animation 720 x 480, that will be fine. Make sure the compositor works in a 720 x 480 NTSC comp. Also be sure they render to lower fields.
Everything will be fine. You don’t have to go to 720 x 486, and definately don’t squeeze it down to 640 x 480.
I think your first hunch is correct. We work in squished images in AE all the time…no biggie.
Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media
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