What Codec should I use in Motion

[Bret Williams]

You should render to the prores codec. You shouldn’t have to render in your timeline.

HDV is the lowest flavor of HD. Much lesser quality than Pro Res.

[Mark Laslo]

I could not find ProRes as an option anywhere in the project settings, could you point me in the right direction? It was not in the area where I chose the HDV preset.

Thanks,

Mark

[Mark Laslo]

Also I just realized I may be doing this wrong but I am not exporting my motion project, but instead directly importing the motion file onto the timeline. Is this proper or wrong?

Thanks
Mark

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Mark,
Rendering inside FC, should be the best way; however many people prefer to export the Motion Project, because many times the “round trip” doesn’t works as it should. Quite often FC has problems to do the rendering.
If the Motion Project is rendered inside FC, you don’t have to worry about codecs.
The Project is rendered with the same codec than the FC sequence

If you want to export the Motion project as a QT movie, you will find the codecs options in the “Export Window”. If you need to export with Alpha Channel, choose Prores 444 or Animation.
If you don’t need Alpha Channel, export with the same codec of your FC sequence to avoid further rendering.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Ryan Atkins]

No, he’s right. ProRes isn’t an option when you want to set up your Motion project. It allows you to export as ProRes, but set it up.

I’d use XDCAM EX 720p30. You’ll want your motion graphics to be progressive and the codec runs at 35 mb/s. You can then export as ProRes though, no big deal…though you are adding more information and will lead to a bigger file size.

[John Pale]

Theres no ProRes preset because you work uncompressed in Motion. There is an XDCAM preset because it uses a specific frame size.

To the original poster…

Why are you using 29.97 as your 720p frame rate?
Why not 59.94?

[Mark Laslo]

Thanks all for the responses,

Jon – That is how the clips are being pulled in when I do log and transfer from the AVCCAM footage and I never realized it was 29.97 instead of 59.94. I am going to check my settings and see if I missed a setting because I am pretty sure the HMC-150 shoots 720P. I’m still learning the ropes of tapeless HD.

Thanks,

Mark

[Rafael Amador]

[Ryan Atkins] “No, he’s right. ProRes isn’t an option when you want to set up your Motion project. It allows you to export as ProRes, but set it up.”
When you setup a Motion Project the codec options are not for rendering. They are just like Presets so people don’t get lost building the project (size, pixels aspect,..).
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Ryan Atkins]

Agreed. But, these presets are the same idea as using an easy setup in FCP.

[Rafael Amador]

[John Pale] “Theres no ProRes preset because you work uncompressed in Motion.”

Right.
In fact Motion works internally in 8/16/32b RGB.
After this rendering, the movie is converted to the codec of your choice.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com