[Greg Sage]

After trying dozens of things, I finally got it.

Problem stems from mismatched resolution settings. Footage being inserted into small screen was at 1080, and larger comp was at 720. Nesting with collapsed transformations was going back into original footage layers and moving them along with big comp since collapsed back.

Mismatched resolutions meant that the movement didn’t match.

What I finally figured out was to name the old small-screen INSET 1080, then nest it in a new one that matches the resolution of the bigger comp, and call the intermediate comp INSET 720, then do the corner pinning to the new matched resolution comp, and collapse it’s transformations into the larger… BUT… NOT to collapse the step between 1080 comp and 720 comp.

Essentially, need to decouple the resolution issue, then recouple for all transformations moving forward.

Brain teaser for sure, but seems to be working.

Got a more complex issue about nested comp with displacement map… but now that I’ve got a grip on this, I’ll tackle it again and see if same concept applies… Decouple the displacement, then recouple for all transformations moving forward.

Not really sure I should be using the preserve resolution when nested check box at all. It doesn’t do what I thought it did… only collapse transformations does.

[Greg Sage]

Haven’t had a chance to check every bit yet, but after a quick look around, that appears to have been it. I must have a setting somewhere that allowed some comps to be created at 29.97, and others at 30 as I was setting things up.

Fixing individual comps now, and will dig through project settings and prefs when finished.

thx

[Greg Sage]

Sorry, I think I’ve mentioned too many things confusing the issue a bit. I have no intention of using FCP.

I’m using the Adobe suite, and with so many layers and effects going constantly, it’s done almost entirely in After Effects.

This should be a very easy thing to figure out. I only have one item I don’t control output details for… the GH2 footage which is AVCHD .mts files.

Everything else like C4d footage, I can specify any output I like.

Videos are being done in AE. I only mention ProRes because other people have suggested I use those settings.

This should be a very straight forward issue as there are very few variables. It’s just the same workflow over and over:

Flow = GH2 to After Effects To Media Encoder to Youtube with whatever the optimal steps are in between to get best use out of the greenscreen footage, and best possible viewer experience on YT.

I’m not saying I should use Pro Res. I’m asking what I should be using.

[Greg Sage]

ok

so just 16 bit, no color management?

Is there something in particular I need to be aware of in process of transcoding? Settings available somewhere? Preferred program?

[Greg Sage]

I’ll answer to the best of my ability. If I need to be looking at something else, just let me know.

The files coming off the GH2 are .MTS files which are 1080p AVCHD.

So… is that an AVCHD file in a .MTS wrapper?

Can’t control the file type off the camera, but from that point, I can choose everything else. If it needs to be transcoded, re-wrapped, or whatever, I can choose the settings.

So… convert to ProRes422 and .mov before editing? mp2? I’ve been quite unhappy with the keys I’ve gotten despite good lighting and the use if Intra-Frame 1080p setting on camera… not sure if my choice of conversion formats could have affected that.

I’m also combining that footage with jpg files, and png files half of which I create, and half of which I find. Then combining that with c4d output. Again, I can choose any output settings I want for the C4d stuff since I’m creating it.

Really, the only limitation I have in there anywhere is how the files come off the camera… which is avchd files in a .mts wrapper. Everything else can flow however I set it up.

Does that help, or do I need to be looking at some other aspect?

[Greg Sage]

Well, that’s really more what I’m talking about. I mess with the footage quite a bit, and am more concerned with it looking good than necessarily looking “correct.”

Doing basic white balance, and shooting with supposedly flat settings on camera, but no MacBeth chart or anything.

Really just trying to work out the technical settings going from camera to Youtube. Camera is what it is. Not ideal, and not 4:2:2, but GH2 is what I could afford.

Specifically, I’m wondering about setting from AE on out… so project settings, render settings, compression settings. Since ultimately using Media Encoder for the last step with the built in YT preset, if I get the first two right, that should take care of itself.

So, am I right so far in that I should be doing:

PROJECT SETTINGS
________________

16 bit
sRGB
Linearize color space
Adjust for embedded

RENDER SETTINGS
_______________

?????????

MEDIA ENCODER SETTINGS
______________________

YT 1920×1080, 8Mbps preset

[Greg Sage]

A bit past my current comprehension level, but that’s good. Clearly I need to learn a few key items here. Just read the above half a dozen times to sort it out. Will dig in, but let me see if I understand the following:

So… 4:4:4 is synonymous with 32 bit color? … and 4:2:0 is 8 bit? So it’s 8 bit coming off the GH2? Output specs show 4:2:0. I ask because I’ve seen some conflicting info out there including reference to a 16 bit 4:2:0 output.

So, really, it sounds like I want to stick with 16 bit until final output and watch out for a few things, right? Speaking of which, is there a way to look at an effect and know right off the bat if it’s processing in 8 or 16 bits?

C4d has an 8 bit dither checkbox for output. This should be off if rendering out in 16 bit?

Starting to see now why my first dvd experiment looked like a cartoon gone horribly wrong on the burned disc.

Good stuff, and I’ll read up, but to clarify… when you say:

“you can first find out by test rendering out to a h.264 in adobe media encoder. that will show the chroma subsampling and 8 bit dithering.”

How exactly? What am I looking for?

For simplicity’s sake, btw… I’m only concerned about how the vid looks on my site, and on Youtube… and even on my site, I need to compromise between quality and bandwidth issues. The dvd thing was just something I threw together to play at a party. Vids will be all online via embed players. No plans for broadcast, or physical distribution as they’re all available for free.

[Greg Sage]

Well, I think the 32 bit thing explains another issue I’ve been having where output was all blown out, but it looked great within AE. Looks like project was set to 32 bit, then when it output to settings I looked up for DVD, it was WAY over-saturated, so it must not have stepped-down properly.

I not only have TONS of gradients, but a bunch of color shifting where elements slowly rotate through the color wheel. It looks awful in 8 bit as it’s all jumpy and looses all the smoothness.

If it will help final YT viewing experience, I’ll be glad to work at 16 bit throughout. Not entirely clear from what I’ve read if YT is 8 bit only, or if the compression affects it in a somewhat less straight-forward fashion.

I do note that the Media Encoder settings they supposedly worked with YT to create says H.264 1920×1080 29.97 @8Mbps… but it’s been a bit harder to suss out what exactly happens to it from that point forward, or what exactly those figures mean in terms of the color bit depth.

Bottom line: If it the final output looks better for gradients and color shifts working at a 16bpc depth throughout the project, then that’s what I need to do. Just asking because there are so many layers that anything that can speed up processing is also welcomed.

[Greg Sage]

Well, it’s a small k-12 school, and there’s only a handfull of high schoolers, and one classroom each of the middle school grades.

Basically, it looks like there’s going to be two classes: One for high school, and one for middle school. I’m thinking at this point 9 students each class and split into 3 teams of 3 to rotate between talent, shooting, editing, etc. It’ll be a popular class with a waiting list, so I’m thinking there might be room for one other middle school class doing photoshop, photography, or something otherwise related.

As for the software, been hearing FCPX from a few sources.

As I said, small program, so there will be one room, one set of gear. Basically want very sturdy stands, and maximum safety. Still up in the air about the rest.

I may take you up on the peek at the curriculum. When I meet with the director next week, I’m going to tell her I can have a turnkey setup for her by the end of the first semsester that includes a full manual for both curriculum and gear. I won’t be there long-term, and looking to make it as easy as possible to replace myself when I go… including getting the new recruit up to snuff on the particulars of the gear used.

Perkins thing is interesting. Not my department, but I can pass it on.

As for the cat5, looking like hassles all the way around. Some wired, some not, etc.

Not sure if some parents might object to the stuff being on YT even if it is possible to make it private, so thinking about dumbing down to compressed SD and getting Amazon server account.

thx

[Greg Sage]

The idea is to teach them and have them produce everything moving forward with guidance as needed.

I’ve used FCP half a dozen times or so. Not really sure what the difference with FCPX is, but will look into it. The school doesn’t have any of the video equipment or software yet. Realistically, it’s likely going to be easier to pitch the monthly on Adobe CC than anything with a hefty tag up-front.

I like the idea that we’d have pro tools the kids can grow into over time, but know there are multiple approaches here.

No wifi in classes. They’re all connected via ethernet, then connected to projectors on smartboard systems. If the cat5 running through the ceiling is useful, perhaps I could bypass everything but the projectors… dunno. I’ll look at what inputs they have today.

Director said something about wanting to minimize issues where teacher isn’t logged in soon enough, so that class misses the broadcast, etc. Whatever minimizes steps on the teachers’ end is ideal… and of course whatever minimizes tech issues in general.