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Photoshop Text into Final Cut Pro
I am really struggling with the integration of Photoshop with Final Cut Pro. I edit corporate training videos that have 30 or so PhotoShop files that need to be added to each program. I have just moved from the Accom Affinity editing system and I was able to create these PhotoShop files with an alpha channel then save them as a pict file for adding to each program – the results were outstanding.
Now with Final Cut when I create the PhotoShop file and save it as a TIFF or PICT or PSD file and then alpha or key out the background and add a drop shadow the anti-aliasing (or lack there of) looks bad.
The text created within a text slug looks good so I know its not a hardware problem.
I am working in a SD 4×3 format and have tried the PhotoShop presets for DV and D1. Have applied all of the different anti-aliasing schemes within PhotoShop – Smooth, Strong, Crisp, Sharp and None and they still look bad. I have purchased the book PhotoShop for Video by Richard Harrington but can not find anything specific to my issue. I’ve also read the manual – still nothing specific to my issue.
These graphics are static and just like basic lower thirds without any lower third background.
I do these programs in 30 different languages so I have people all over the world send me PhotoShop files for integration in to each video so it is very important I am able to send a template they can modify.
Any help will be greatly appreciated. I would be happy to pay for my education if necessary… I’ve been working on this problem for a long time and have just not been able to find an adequate solution.
Thanks, Ron Cole
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9 Replies
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Can you post a still of the offending text, so we can see exactly what the problem is?
Tech-T Productions
http://www.technical-t.com -
[Ron Cole] ”
Now with Final Cut when I create the PhotoShop file and save it as a TIFF or PICT or PSD file and then alpha or key out the background and add a drop shadow the anti-aliasing (or lack there of) looks bad.”You don’t need to key out anything. Create all your text layers on a blank layer. Final Cut Pro sees the empty area as blank and your text will automatically lay over your background.
This is what I do here with all my lower thirds. I’ll have all my name supers in one PSD file, each name on its own layer, and just drop them into the timeline. No need to key anything, the text just overlays onto the background.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media“Foul Water, Fiery Serpent” Winner, Best Documentary, LA Reel Film Festival.
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What are your timeline settings in FCP?
**Hindsight is always 1080p**
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My timeline settings are:
Frame Size 720 x 486 CCIR 601 NTSC (40:27)
Pixel Aspect Ration NTSC – CCIR 601 / DV (720×480)
Field Dominance Lower Even
Editing Timebase: 29.97Quicktime Compressor – Uncompressed 8-bit 4:2:2
Audio Setting – Rate: 48 khz
Depth: 16-bit
Config: Channel GroupedI think that’s it – let me know if there is any other information you need. Thanks, Ron?
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Dumb question: are you premultipying the alpha channels in photoshop?
And are you outputting photoshop files at timline-native resolution or larger?
I tend not to use pict or PNG, preferring targa, tif, or psd.
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It never used to, but now everything I bring into FCP6 (sequence DVPAL anamorphic 100% 16bit) from Photoshop (PSD made as DVPAL widescreen) looks TERRIBLE. It looks fine until rendered, then looks like total mince. In older versions it wasn’t like this. Does FCP6 do something funky when rendering now. I’m having to prep in Pshop, build the animation in After Effects, then go out to FCP to get what I need.
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I am having exactly the same problem. Very strange – the image looks great unrendered, then bad when rendered – ie pixellated.
I am receiving the files from a client and we’ve gone back and forth heaps of times trying different types of files etc, but still having the problem. I’m sure this never used to happen…
Any help much appreciated. -
Hi Kim, what I found that solved the problem with text was several different little things. First make sure the resolution of your graphic is the same as the resolution of your sequence. Then make sure you’ve got the correct pixel width – square or rectangular pixels, again to match your sequence. Then once you have everything correct in Photoshop and you are happy with the graphic or text, save it as a PNG file then import the PNG file into FCP and leave the PSD file for corrections if needed. This seems to give me the best results and the fastest system and editing performance. Hope this helps, Ron Cole – Digital Media Productions, Inc. Ventura, CA
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