[Adam Taylor]

i don’t think you will be able to import the individual layers in a CMYK Photoshop psd. I had exactly this problem yesterday – AE simply flattened it all into one layer then imported that.

I had to convert the psd to RGB in Photoshop before i could import a psd with all layers available. One thing to be aware of is that doing this will often mean that adjustment layers will get lost, as it seems they cannot be converted between the two colour modes.

I got around that by making a dupe of the layers affected by the adjustment layer and merging them with the Adjustment layer – that way, in AE you will have both the affected version and unaffected version of those layers.

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

I think you’re reading too much into the request Michael.

He only asked if there was a Letterbox Mask template. I don’t think there is (but i could be wrong as i never use letterbox – what a waste of pixels)

He has a 4:3 shot and wants it letterboxed – so all he needs do is stick black bars over the top/bottom of his shot.

However, an easy way would be to nest the entire timeline then use the crop filter to trim off the top /bottom of the shot – revealing black beneath (unless there is another layer of video below)

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

You should try living here Kevin!
Diesel is so expensive now, i’m actually moving house to be nearer work so i don’t need to drive in. In the last 3 years the cost of filling my tank has risen from £45 to £65 and there seems no sign the trend is ever going to reverse!
If you come to visit, bring your own fuel!!!

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

doh!!

thanks Jeff – you just reminded me i already have the Apple Remote Desktop software – and although i have almost never used it, it might be just the ticket!

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

Jerry – your reply has intrigued me….Its not a problem i have as all my work is done in the mac and never touchs a pc, but how can mac files that appear darker on a pc show no change on the scopes?
Can you explain it in a bit more detail, please?

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

won’t those extra 2 bits also give you a little more latitude when you send the video through Color?

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

i see your problem. Unfortunately i can’t see a way to repair this shot without the source material.

I think the problem might be something to do with how the speed effect has been rendered and how it has handled the interlaced fields.

Did you do it using the Modify/Speed method and then enter 500% ? or did you use the time remap function on the motion tab of the browser?

I think you will get a better smoother speed effect using the 2nd option mentioned above. Also – try deinterlacing the original shot before doing the speed change.

if you want to upload the unaffected source shot, i will try to do more ifi can…

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

Impressive – a world tour that manages to miss out all of Europe !!

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

hmmmm….whilst i download the file one other thought has struck me….have you tried applying the line art filter before doing the speed effect? maybe grasping at straws but you never know….

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK

[Adam Taylor]

one final thought – have you tried applying the speed effect to the clip. Then render the clip, then export the clip as an uncompressed quicktime. Import the new clip back into FCP and then apply the line art filter.

Doing it this way, you are not asking FCP to apply effects on top of speed changes. You are giving it a simple video clip running at normal speed which could make it a whole lot less computationally challenging.

adam

Editor/Mixer
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK