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Trying to find the best work flow available, taking 1080 footage and delivering 4:3 letterbox
Hey guys I’m brand new here, but also I’m here because I’ve always found answers here. This time though I’ve got some specifics.
I am currently shooting/editing a small tv show, a lot of which is shot on a green screen and the same, said footage, is now giving me a little bit of a headache. Also, before I get to that, I am being asked to edit on Premiere Pro (this is my first time EVER on the program), while normally I’m a seasoned FCP7 user. I feel as though I am going to revert to FCP7, at least I feel that way with the problems I’m having. So let me get to it,
I’m on an iMac using OSX Lion 10.7.5, it has Adobe Premiere Pro 5.5.0 (the entire suite really) and FCP7. So what I need to do is bring in my footage, edit it, render the green screen and then export to the stations requirements.
I shot on a Canon 5D MkIII, 1080p 24.
How I need to export; MPEG-2 Program Stream, 4:3 Letterbox, 29.97, 48Khz
I started off in Premiere Pro (as asked) and when I tried to export I wasn’t given the option of MPEG-2, so then I tried figuring out ways to export it, bring it in to AE, then export again, and then send it into Compressor to make it an MPEG-2. Long story short, I have failed to find a logical way to do this. It continually lost a great deal of quality (is that normal? I’m assuming so since it’s going to SD) and would get interlaced (again, normal? For tv? You’d think I’d remember all this).
I then did the same through FCP7, to AE, to Compressor. I know this work flow and had better and quicker results since I know it. But I am still having trouble turning this footage from HD to 4:3 Letterbox (sd?).
Compressors MPEG-2 only copies the resolution and frame rate, so I have to set that when it leaves AE (when I’m done green screening and making effects). So again, I don’t know what codecs to use, how to properly change the footage I have.
Also, the audio at one point came out offset when attached during an export from AE, so what did I do? I exported it again from AE without it, brought it BACK into FCP7, kicked it out with the original audio and back into Compressor to MPEG-2 it.
Am I getting all backwards here? I need to use Premiere or FCP7 (preferably) to do the regular edit and AE to do the green screen and other effects, and then kick it out however to get the final required formats in Compressor.
Now, some have mentioned that the former editing systems have green screen effects, but they are nothing compared to AE’s abilities, so it’s hard to sway me from using AE.
Also, here’s a link to Adobe with the same question if it helps any,
https://forums.adobe.com/message/5150038#5150038I appreciate any and all help that you can give me.
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5 Replies
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Matt, please forgive if these are obvious questions.
Is MPEG2 not available for export in Adobe Premiere Pro? How about in Adobe Media Encoder?
Is this by any chance a trial version of Adobe Premiere Pro? (The MPEG2 license might require the the non-trial version.)Rather than work around – it makes more sense to get Adobe Media Encoder working. Yes, I know you’re comfortable in FCP, but this is your first time on Premiere (so be patient!)
I don’t know how detailed/strong you are with Keylight (A fantastic keyer, but a render in AE.) Is Ultra available in 5.5? (I can’t recall if it’s available there or it came into the suite in version 6)
Last, since this is about compression (and DVDs…)
I don’t think you want to add letterboxing – this means encoding the black bars – a waste of data.
You have 4×3 SD or anamorphic 16×9 SD. Both have 720×480 pixels.
A DVD has the ability to ‘flag’ 16×9 content and appropriately add letterboxing for SD TVS (which are mostly at 4×3)…but will play wide screen on wide screen (HD) Tvs. 16×9 content on an HD tv gets appropriately stretched out correctly.
You’ll have to flag this manually in compressor.
Build the DVD using Encore or DVDSP as a disk image which you can then test in DVD player as a ‘real’ DVD before you actually burn a disk.
Best,
Jeff I. Greenberg
Author/Master Instructor/Speaker/Consulting
My contact info and more -
I did forget to mention, the Premiere and Encore that is on the Mac I’m using does not have MPEG-2 as an option, that’s what is making all of this such a hassle. I have to upload this to an FTP site so I’m not putting it on a DVD myself.
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[Matthew Bourgeois] “the Premiere and Encore that is on the Mac I’m using does not have MPEG-2 as an option”
That’s not right. Right there is your problem.
Yes, you can pass it off to Compressor as 16×9 SD files (and they’ll be flagged for later on.)
But I’d solve your MPEG2 problem; why even have encore (DVD authoring!) if you can’t create MPEG2 files? Have you run all the Adobe updaters? You might even want to do an uninstall/reinstall. This ‘working around’ the issue isn’t anywhere near as efficient as actually fixing it
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Long story short, I’m subletting a friends room while he’s out of the country and also using his Mac, after talking to him… let’s just say I’m unable to “officially” fix this.
He doesn’t want me uninstalling and reinstalling it. I think I just have to hassle my way through FCP7 ->AE -> Compres- Oh wait! Compressor just decided to sodomize me. It’s now giving me an error that says:
Unable to submit to queue. Please restart your computer or verify your Compressor installation is correct.
SO, Now I’m ready to slit my wrists, I do have my Mac to transfer files to and use my Compressor (mines older and I don’t use it to edit any more as it’s to slow, hence using my friends). But I’m on the verge of a break down. lol
FML
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Matt,
That’s really problematic. You should really fix it for him. When he gets back, make sure to come back to the Cow and help him get his Adobe working. This sideways handling is always a mistake. It’s better to get it working the way it should
In the meantime:
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS1888
https://www.digitalrebellion.com/compressorrepair/Meanwhile, I took the time to open compressor, throw an HD file in and build an MPEG2 2 ways for you.
1) A true 16×9 setting. When played in a DVD, the DVD player will display it correctly with the correct PAR or add letterboxing as appropriate.
2) A true 4×3 setting (which I don’t think you should use.) It’ll end up compressing the black padding (a waste of the bitrate)Best,
Jeff I. Greenberg
Author/Master Instructor/Speaker/Consulting
My contact info and more
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