[Denise Quesnel]

For Quicktime I always use H.264. It is the best quality/smallest size codec.

You can find that setting in Compressor, or alternatively you can use MPEG Streamclip a free program (Google it). With Streamclip you can specify file size and a bunch of details that are optimal for web download.

I don’t know how to help you with WMV – I think Streamclip supports it but only if Flip 4 Mac is working/running. If Flip 4 Mac is not working for you inside Compressor try exporting your video in FCP and bring it into Streamclip.

I find sending a video directly from FCP into Compressor takes longer to finish than exporting the quicktime with its current settings from FCP to a folder and compressing from that point.

[Denise Quesnel]

I think I should specify too that I completely intend to charge for the time I spent at the client’s studio, that was always clear. Everytime I went there to do any work for the client I charged, and we had always been clear about it. But what I was wondering was if it would be fair to charge a ‘training fee’ in particular, in this case it would obviously be more than the regular rate I would have charged.

What made the situation really complicated was the ‘surprise attack’, telling me I would be helping him work on something and then getting there (to another municipality no less) to find out what he really wanted me to do was train someone. Like I said in my first post, in hindsight I should have walked out.

“When you told the client you would train a new person, did you specify that you would train them for a fee, or for free? If you did one or the other, then you should stick to that.” – Chris

I had brought up the subject of training someone before, and was going to mention my standard training rate, but the client had interrupted me at some point and changed the subject. It never came up in all honesty I forgot, but had he brought up the fact that he had hired someone instead of ‘surprising’ (or lying?) to me when I came in the office, it would have been discussed along with the fact that I don’t train on illegally downloaded software etc. Thanks for the reply Chris, it is true that all fees/charges should be brought up (ideally signed on paper) to avoid disagreement.

And Mark, thanks for your honesty! I admit I have given this client too many breaks in the past, that stopped a few months ago but I am absolutely opposed to enabling grinders which is one of the reasons I turn down ALL free projects for example. I am always clear about my terms but like I said above, what makes this situation difficult is that the client told me I was coming in for one agenda and surprised me with something completely different.

And Tahir, that is all true. Same thing as I mentioned several times though- it was a situation where the agenda was changed without my knowledge. You are right about ending up wasting time and money though if we aren’t 100% clear on a project, I think we have all been there before and it is always a lesson learned, never repeated!

I am certainly charging the client a training fee rather than my regular rate – he put me in a really tough spot and I will communicate to him that and how I typically go about with training.

[Denise Quesnel]

I’ve used a process before that is similar to what you explained Sean. If you want to use the same settings as on the FCP timeline,

In FCP – Export > Quicktime Movie
make sure you don’t have recompress all frames checked , or make movie self-contained

Import the resulting movie into AE, do your thing, and then when you are ready for the render make sure you ask it to use the same settings you had in FCP. As Walter said, AE supports pretty much anything. If you export it as the same setting you should not have to render it back in FCP.

However I *always* would export as Animation, since it is lossless it is going to be the same quality (and not rendered twice) as everything else on my FCP timeline.

Best to get automatic duck though- it really eases the process and is worth the cash.

[Denise Quesnel]

Thanks Stephen, that helps confirm what I was feeling. I have provided this client with extremely generous rates and exemplary service, and it is too bad he cannot tell me up front what direction he wants to take. I imagine he will probably hire students or interns to take on the work I was doing (including editing) for cheaper rates but I am OK with not having him as a client at this point. There are other clients that have been more professional to me and I am looking forward to continuing my relationships with those.