Pan & Scan on stills

[Debe]

There are several, from “iPhoto” to “PhotoToMovie”.

With iPhoto, you get what you get. The newest version will allow you to set your target, so say that nice head shot doesn’t end on the throat, but very minimal tweaking allowed.

PhotoToMovie, although I’ve not used it myself, comes highly rated. I used to have a link, but it seems to have gone missing. Google it! It’s $50, if I remember rightly. I’ll likely pick up a copy the next time I have a project with more than a handful of stills. Gotta work within those self-imposed budgets! No spending that can’t be directly or indirectly billed for until the new video and audio monitors are paid off!

There are others…I’m sure several someones will add to the options!

debe

[Thaxter Clavemarlton]

Please use the SEARCH POSTS here on the COW to find countless answers to this exact question.

[Jeremy Garchow]

https://www.lyric.com/fcp-plugins/panzoompro/pzp.htm

———–
G5 Dual 2Ghz <> 4GB RAM <> FCP 5.02 <> Kona 2
ATTO 42XS <> Huge Systems 4105 Fibre

[Andy Mees]

i’d second Lyrics PanZoom filter or check out Moving Pictures Stage Tools
also, if you’re using the Final Cut Studio/Production bundle then you might want to check out using Motion for this … lots of control, I’ve had some very nice results from this.

[Chris Poisson]

Pan Zoom Pro is absolutely the best solution, I have tried them all and it wins hands down. BTW it is not a filter it is a generator, and it will give you moves as smooth as silk. It has amazing ease in ond out controls, rotation, freeze, and a built-in flicker filter. You can animate stills as much as 5 times faster than in the motion tab.

Probably the best thing about it tho, is that the start and stop controls require no keyframes, so you can put them on the same track and transitions have no keyframes to push around. So the speed of the move is controled by the length of the clip.

[Kevin Monahan]

I just use FCP. It works fine in most cases. You just have to grok how to control acceleration on the motion paths, how to control your bezier curve for scale and how to change the Anchor Point. Not too difficult. Are you having trouble there? If so, please check out my book or my seminar and I will teach you.

Regarding quality, you won’t lose anymore “quality” than with using other tools. You simply have to judge your rendered graphics AS YOU WORK on the video monitor. Many people work without a video monitor and then get confused when they judge the rendered graphics on the Canvas. Your first task is to consider FCP a system, not just an app. So you have to set it up to spec: DV Deck powered up at all times, video monitor and speakers connected to the deck, not the Mac.

I guess you can spend money on a third party app, but in most cases it’s totally unnecessary, as long as you know your FCP tools well. Many give up too easily….you can get acceptable to good moves in FCP. If you disagree with me, that’s fine–I just have not had to purchase a third party app for this stuff.

Kevin Monahan
Take My FCP Master’s Seminar!
fcpworld.com

[Debe]

I’ve always keyframed stills in FCP. After I’d built a half-dozen or so, I’d make copies and reuse the moves, tweaking as necessary.

I still find it takes a lot of time. I was thinking of looking into one of the third-party pieces of software for time-saving the next time I got a still project with more than, say, 20 stills.

So, Kevin, you don’t think the third party pieces of software would add a significant decrease in time spent tweaking positions in FCP? That’s my main reason for wanting to try out another way of moving stills other than keyframing.

debe

[Kevin Monahan]

I’m not sure. I’d guess you’d have to try them all out. I have a bullet proof method of controlling acceleration, so I’m OK with my current methods. Might be interested in the Lyric plug in though.

Kevin Monahan
Take My FCP Master’s Seminar!
fcpworld.com

[Matt Murray]

I really like and recommend highly Fotomagico.
I just finished a DVD slideshow in hi-res, imported to FCP and my client was astounded at the quality.
https://www.fotomagico.com/
Check out the sample hi-res slideshow.
Matt Murray
Lineside Productions
Wellington, FL
https://www.edgesportfishing.com
Florida Sailfish videos, pictures and more

Mac OS X 10.4.1 , QT 7.0 Dual 2.5 GHZ, 4 gigs RAM, 23″ HD display, JVC BR-3000 deck, 5 120 gig LaCie Firewire Drives, JVC 17″ H1700 NTSC monitor, FCP HD 5, DVDSP 4, Compressor 2.0, Motion 2.0
Soundtrack Pro 1

[Chris Poisson]

Kevin,

If you try PanZoom Pro you will be hooked forever, trust me.