[Jeff Meyer]

Premiere is one of the most flexible editors out there for accepting codecs.

Try PhotoJPEG if you don’t need transparency. It’s pretty universal, and at quality 100 it looks good.
Use Animation codec inside of Quicktime or AVI and pick “Millions of Colors+” if you need to include transparency.

If you had said you were sending an animation from the beginning that would have made a world of difference.

[Jeff Meyer]

Mac OS Extended is only viewable if you’re bootcamping or if you install software on the PC.

I like the exFAT partition for cross-platform uses. Both can read and write, and it supports large files. Support begins at 10.6.5 on the Mac side, and at XP w/ Service Pack 2 on the Windows side.

For codecs, unless otherwise specified, It’s hard to go wrong with ProRes422 if the PC has a current version of Quicktime, or Animation if you need alpha.

[Jeff Meyer]

Try using Export -> Quicktime Conversion.
You should be able to find the MPG options you’re looking for this way.

[Jeff Meyer]

Now we’re starting to get somewhere. Starting. The fact that you’re prepping footage for another editor is useful information. We’re still missing critical details like HD, SD, camera make and model, the editing software this project is destined for, important details. I’ll fire a shotgun here and maybe I’ll hit a target.

Generally when handing assets off to another editor the best practice is to send the original media if possible. Some editing suites like Final Cut and Avid have their own proprietary codecs they like to use. If you shot to a card (P2, SxS, etc.) you send the entire card (even things that look insignificant like a “lastclip.txt” file) to the other editor. Make a folder for each card and treat the folder name like a reel name, Card 1, Card 2, or a descriptor of what is on that card. It is important to preserve the folder structure of the card. Keep a copy of the footage you’re sending off. Data transfers aren’t always perfect, and UPS isn’t always gentle.

If it’s a tape look for something native if it’s DV or HDV, or an uncompressed format for something more robust like HDCAM. Same practices as above, label the tapes as though they’re reels, and keep a copy.

If you’re sending motion graphics send them in Amimation codec with Millions of colors, or Millions of colors+ if transparency information needs to be included. Talk with the editor and make sure you deliver at the correct frame rate and frame size. The animation codec is supported by AVI and MOV.

I think that’s the most help I can be without you providing actual, useful information.

[Jeff Meyer]

If you can tell us the basics we can help.

1) Why are you transcoding? You’re in the Adobe CS area – Adobe CS5 work natively with most formats, so there’s no reason to transcode in many cases.

2) What are you transcoding? (Video from a camera? What camera? Motion graphics? How were they exported? Downloaded video? What format is it?)

3) What are you creating? Is this a commercial? A short film? Documentary? It’s also worth noting where it’s headed. Things are different when things are going to the web than they are when they’re destined for the big screen.

We aren’t trying to steal your project or your ideas, we’re trying to help you. Right now we have a list of SD and HD codecs that are lossy and lossless, different aspect ratios, delivery and editing formats, and there’s no apparent rhyme or reason behind any of this. When you go to the mechanic you don’t give him a list of parts your car uses, you say hey, I’m hearing a noise when I make a left-hand turn, can you look into that?

[Jeff Meyer]

Yup. 1440×1080 with the appropriate pixel aspect ratio. I would finish at 1920×1080, export (current settings) and bring the exported QT movie into a sequence with the appropriate specs. Using this method you’ll have a full raster copy in the event of sending it to another network that wants 1920.

If you change your sequence settings on your original sequence you’ll have to reconform things to match the new sequence, and items with motion attributes will move.

I recommend Apple ProRes422 instead of HDV. It’s higher quality.

[Jeff Meyer]

The trick is to understand that it shoots at 960×720, but the pixels are rectangles. With the proper pixel aspect ratio selected on your sequence settings. The proper display size is 1280×720.

As Christ suggested, Log and Transfer the footage in, then drop the clip on a blank sequence. FCP will ask you if you want to match the sequence settings to the media you’re using, pick YES. Your sequence and display settings will be correct automatically.

When you’re done export at current settings, then use Compressor to transcode it for web or other destinations if needed.

[Jeff Meyer]

Repaired permissions lately?

[Jeff Meyer]

If you’re constantly deleting render files and creating a fresh render it seems like the cost a $100 firewire drive should quickly vanish relative to the additional hourly they’re paying you while you wait for the computer to render. Sometimes you need to explain that in the pursuit of saving some pennies (not buying a hard drive) they’re spending a few dollars (your additional hourly). I’m making the assumption you’re on hourly. If you have a salary-based contract that logic won’t get you anywhere.

Also, one option no one has mentioned yet is to put the .motn files right onto your timeline without exporting a ProRes4444. Final Cut becomes less stable this way, but by taking out the intermediate chunk you are saving space. If you have one or two Motion files on a timeline this can work out well, but the more .motn files you have on a timeline the more likely it is to crash. Use this sparingly, because time wasted waiting for FCP to re-open is time wasted, but this could have a place in your workflow. Caps lock can be useful when working with .motn files, preventing Final Cut from trying to render while you scrub.

[Jeff Meyer]

Some HD formats always record 1080 as interlaced, such as DVCPRO HD when going to tape. By adapting how frames and fields are mixed it’s possible to use a 60i stream to deliver 60i, 30p or 24p. As the world moves more towards digital delivery and tape is phased out there will probably be less 1080i/24p.

Here’s some reading on the topic.

https://www.moviola.com/book/export/html/269