Pixel Aspect Ratio – Suggestions?

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Always interpret the footage with their inherent PARs. When working with footage with different PARs, always work in square PAR comps. Should you need to render to a non-square PAR, then precomp the square PAR ocmp into a non-square PAR comp at the final step and render away.

As for the different fps, I suggest you interpret the fps for your 3D rendered stuff as 29.97 – assuming that you final render will be at 29.97.

HTH
Roland Kahlenberg
broadcastGEMs
customizable animated backdrops with Adobe After Effects project files

[Jon Finster]

So it is okay to mix different PARs, as long as they’re interpreted correctly – I can drop my non-square PAR 720×480 QT movies into my square PAR 720×534 AE comp (the TIFFs & other files are all squared & 720×534 as well … only the QT is non-square & 720×480)?

Just clarifying.

My 3D software will only allow me to render 30fps.

Ultimately I want to render all of this to FCP. Should I leave it up to FCP to convert everything DV 720×480?

Thanks for the help.

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

[Finster] “So it is okay to mix different PARs, as long as they’re interpreted correctly – I can drop my non-square PAR 720×480 QT movies into my square PAR 720×534 AE comp (the TIFFs & other files are all squared & 720×534 as well … only the QT is non-square & 720×480)?”

Yup. Just ensure to stretch the non-square PAR layer to fit the domensions of the square PAR comp.

If you’re ever unsure, you can easily create a perfect circle on a square PAR image (720×534 in your case) and use that as a starting point for all your tests.

[Finster] “My 3D software will only allow me to render 30fps.”
As long as you’rem not having to time-match to any other frame from another footage then the slight descrepancy between 29.97 and 30 fps is largely negligible.

Just do everything in AE. I don’t use FCP so I can’t say one way or another to this Q.

Good Luck
Roland Kahlenberg
broadcastGEMs
customizable animated backdrops with Adobe After Effects project files

[Finster] “Ultimately I want to render all of this to FCP. Should I leave it up to FCP to convert everything DV 720×480?”

[Jon Finster]

Makes sense. Thanks again for the help Roland.

[Tom Hepburn]

“My 3D software will only allow me to render 30fps”

As long as your 3D software allows you to import sequences you are not limited to FPS. I’m assuming (always a mistake) that you are concerned about 29.97 compared to 30 fps? I would animate assuming 30 fps, and interpet that in AE at 29.97. Unless you’re lip synching there shouldn’t be a problem

T