Brendan Coots
Forum Replies Created
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Hi Serge,
The differences are of no real consequence if your WORK is of no real consequence. The difference between SDI and Component probably won’t negatively impact your ability to do general color work, but composite should be avoided outright. I use component connections through a Blackmagic Decklink pro and have come to fully trust the results, but another station in my studio has composite and you can clearly tell the difference – blacks are not to be trusted and certain color ranges don’t reproduce properly.
These three different options have increasingly limited color reproduction capabilities as you go down the list from SDI to composite. With each step you must rely more and more on your scopes and less on your eyes, which isn’t always practical.
I wouldn’t feel like you HAVE to have SDI, but component should be the minimum for serious color work.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
Some of this info has changed a little since CS3, but make sure you are doing all of the correct steps for a 32-bit workflow within AE. I should also add that most AE effects are not up to the task of preserving over-bright info.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
I can back up everything Kevin has said regarding RAM. I use OWC RAM in all of my studio’s Macs, and haven’t had any issues.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
“About that blue gun: What if I simply switch AE’s composition window to the blue channel and send that to the monitor during calibration?”
That would be the same basic thing as using a blue gel over the screen during this part of calibration. The problem with these options is that neither technique shuts down the red and green guns. This is crucial as they will still be contributing to the on-screen image, and when you dial in your settings it won’t be based solely on the blue gun. Here is the technical explanation:
“the red and green phosphors emit small but meaningful amounts of light in the blue spectrum. Therefore blue light gets through when the desired behaviour is no light getting through.”
Also, switching the comp viewer to blue-only wouldn’t show that on the monitor. When using a broadcast monitor you typically only see After Effects’ output, i.e. the finished result, NOT what you see in the comp viewer.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
This is a common problem that has many, many possible causes. Here’s some usual suspects and possible solutions:
– poor lighting on the green screen, resulting in the keyer having a hard time with fine details like hair
– Reshoot, or sacrifice the hair detail in return for a more smooth effect– poor keyer settings that are pushing and pulling the footage in two directions at once
– Start over with fresh key settings, and do things one step at a time to ensure you aren’t overcorrecting. Set the key color, adjust the matte values and go from there.– blonde hair picking up a lot of green screen spill, making it tough to key
– Reshoot or key agressively to remove the hair in return for a smooth key– noise introduced by the keyer
– This doesn’t really sound like it applies to your situation. The solution requires multiple steps so I’ll skip it for now– trying to use a “catch-all” keyer setting for the entire subject
– Divide up your keying according to needs. If the head has fine details it might warrant its own keyer settings, as will other trouble spots. Duplicate your footage once for each “problem spot” identified. Using masks on each layer, isolate the elements so that each layer represents one part, such as layer 1 being the head, layer two the body and layer three some other problem area. Now key each layer with its own settings, optimized for that particular task (such as the fine hair on the subject’s head). This is how the pros routinely key on feature films, even with perfectly lit film plates.Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
You can easily mix progressive footage with interlaced provided you set it up correctly. Just right-click the footage in your bin, choose “Interpret Footage” and tell AE what type of interlacing is on the file. Once you do that and add the footage to your comp, it will work fine.
If that doesn’t give you the results you want, you can always try Twixtor FieldsKit.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
All of the options you mentioned are available within AE Natively, provided you know where to look and are willing to build up your effects. Strokes are easily set in the text parameters window. You can get animatable pseudo-bevels, gradients etc. using the Effect>Generate>Light Sweep effect. You can get shadows using Effect>Perspective>Drop Shadow.
If these options combined aren’t giving you what you need, you could try Zaxworks 3D Invigorator.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
“this new sequence has properties that are different from the original footage.
Original w/HD: 960×720, Frame Rate 23.976, PAR 1.333
Animation codec: 1707×720, Frame Rate 29.97, PAR 1.0 “The most likely cause is that she output it incorrectly, because 1707 doesn’t map to any logical value, such as an even multiple of the actual frame size. With a PAR of 1.0, it sounds like she’s trying to deliver a square pixel file so that you have less issues but something’s not working quite right.
The best approach for the size issue might be for her to use Compressor to output the file using the animation codec, and in the output dimensions manually set it to 1280×720. This will force Compressor to stretch the image to 1280 when outputting it. You should also return the file to her in Animation codec. This way, you guys are using an uncompressed/lossless round trip. If you used DVCPRO HD for these steps, you’d be double-compressing the footage by the time it makes it back into the edit, then she’d be compressing it a third time upon output. Not good.
As for the frame rate, there is a lot of confusion around HD frame rates since there is a lot of trickery going on behind the scenes. Most 24p is actually 29.97 with pulldown, and while FCP reads this correctly and handles it properly within the edit, outputting the file with the right frame rate can be another story altogether.
When you import footage to AE right-click it and do the Interpret Footage option. AE tends to read the metadata in the file correctly and should tell you what frame rate, size, PAR etc. the file actually is. To further avoid confusion or potential problems you may want to just drag the footage to the Make New Comp icon, which will automatically create a comp with the correct settings so you don’t have to guess. Based on what you’ve said, I would imagine the footage was shot 60i (aka 29.97).Hope this helps!
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
Subcomp the footage into a DVCPRO HD 960×720 1.33 PAR comp. Nest this “footage” composition into a new 1280×720 square pixel composition. Apply any effects, keying etc. to the nested comp (call the comp raw_footage or something). Once you’re done, output from this 1280×720 square pixel comp, and make sure it’s outputting a square pixel file just like the comp settings. In her edit (assuming she’s using FCP) it should properly drop in to the edit without issue even though her other footage is 960×720 with PAR. Do a test to make sure this all works as expected before going into production.
Also, it seems a little odd that you are seeing 720p60 AND 24p in the settings. 720p60 refers to 60i, otherwise known as standard old 29.97. 24p is usually 29.97 with pulldown, but the two are definitely different frame rates. Strange that it is listing two different flavors of frame rate, you may want to do some testing to make sure your AE output plays back properly in her edit given these anomalies.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com -
“What, in your view, would make up a “sensitive project”?
Really, anything for broadcast (especially on major networks) is going to have to pass technical muster with the stations, and their standards vary so it’s best to make sure everything is tight and accurate, especially with regard to IRE levels. It would be quite embarrassing to find out the station rejected your work because your levels are too hot, especially if you have to explain this to a client who paid you to do it right the first time.
“Can I interpret “gun” as “channel”? (curious)”
Pretty much. A CRT monitor/television has three “guns” (RGB) and each shoots one of the three colors to create the complete picture. To properly calibrate a broadcast monitor you will need to enable Blue Gun, which only shows you the blue channel and allows you to make several key adjustments. Some people say it’s okay to use a blue gel held up over the monitor instead, but this is just as bad as not calibrating at all since it’s so inaccurate. Here’s a reasonably clear and thorough tutorial on monitor calibration.
“What’s the big difference between BNC and SDI? “
SDI (Serial Digital Input) is an all-digital connectivity option (similar to HDMI) and is a high quality, high bandwidth connection. It is a video transmission standard, like composite or s-video is, rather than solely a type of connector or cable. It should also be noted that many professional broadcast tape decks and cameras use SDI to connect to your capture system for the highest quality signal path.
BNC is just a type of connector found on pro-grade monitors and cables, so when I said to ensure it has BNC connections what I really meant is make sure it has professional grade connections. This is a small but important sign that the monitor is meant for professional use and may offer better visual quality. BNC is not a video connection standard like composite, component, HDMI or SDI is, it’s just a connector style that twists and locks. See below:
Most broadcast monitors have (at minimum) composite analog connections via BNC connectors, and this is probably what you will be using given your price range. Component connection is one step better than composite, and SDI is the best option. You will pay a little more to have each higher step of connection type on the monitor, but it will be worth every penny in quality. All three connection types – composite, component and SDI – are usually served up via BNC connectors.
Brendan Coots
Splitvision Digital
http://www.splitvisiondigital.com