Strobing Graphics

[Walter Soyka]

[Stephen Smith] “I took the same Motion project file and changed it’s frame rate to 29.97 and then brought it into a new FCP project file set to the 29.97 frame rate and then the animation looks perfectly smooth. I took that 29.97 animation and ran it through Cinema Tools and conformed it to 23.98 and then brought it back into my 23.98 FCP timeline and it looks no different then the other animation. I can’t figure out how to smooth this out.”

I didn’t quite understand what you were referring to here — when you conform a clean 29.97 clip to 23.976, does it strobe or not?

You may need to alter the speed of the movement a little, or add a little (or a lot) of motion blur.

Any chance you can post a short clip?

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
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[Stephen Smith]

Walter,
When I conform a clean 29.97 clip to 23.976 (23.98, apple rounds up the number) it strobes just like the clip created in 23.98. I can’t figure out what is wrong with the cadence.

Here is a link to the clip:

Strobing Animation

As you can see the movement is not crazy and should look great. Movie title opens such as the one on Catch Me if You can has text moving at the same speed but looks great.

I did try to add Motion blur and it still strobes.

Stephen Smith
Utah Video Productions

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[Stephen Smith]

Also, keep in mind that the sample is small. It looks real bad when you look at it on a big monitor and even worse when projected off a blue ray.

Stephen Smith
Utah Video Productions

Check out my Motion Training DVD

Check out my Motion Tutorials

[Walter Soyka]

Hi Stephen,

I think that this move is just too “big” for 24p. Changing that camera move or pulling out of that tight close up are probably your best bets.

If you watch the Catch Me If You Can title design, you’ll see that there’s a lot going on: there’s some pretty heavy motion blur in places, as well as those intentionally-staccato-looking cutout animations. They have big objects, and they have drastic moves, but they rarely combine them.

There is also some strobing, but it’s never where you’re looking. They draw your attention into something with clean, subtle motion, while the big moves are causing strobing around the periphery — just like how a magician uses misdirection to pull off an illusion.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Walter Soyka]

[Walter Soyka] “Changing that camera move…”

I should clarify this a little: a cinematographer will move with the subject to minimize strobing. Instead of just sliding the camera over the headline (dollying), if you lock its point of interest on the headline while the camera moves (panning with the subject while dollying against it), it will help minimize strobing.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events