Jonathan Miller
Forum Replies Created
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Obviously, the faster a computer, the faster the preview and render. If you’re using 3D layers DOF and lights and casting shadows, you can speed the build of your comp by using the draft 3d mode to get everything in place and moving correctly and then turn it off to tweak the final look.
Probably the most overlooked way to help with long render times is to give your client realistic estimates of how long it will take to actually do the work. For instance, if a project will take you one week, then tell your client it will take 10 days or 2 weeks. Then, if you finish in one week, deliver it “early” and be their hero.
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
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Obviously, the faster a computer, the faster the preview and render. If you’re using 3D layers DOF and lights and casting shadows, you can speed the build of your comp by using the draft 3d mode to get everything in place and moving correctly and then turn it off to tweak the final look.
Probably the most overlooked way to help with long render times is to give your client realistic estimates of how long it will take to actually do the work. For instance, if a project will take you one week, then tell your client it will take 10 days or 2 weeks. Then, if you finish in one week, deliver it “early” and be their hero.
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
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Sorry, here’s the Blackmagic page if you want to read more. I know we’re not talking about Decklink, but it’s still relevant.
https://www.blackmagic-design.com/support/detail.asp?techID=101
Jon
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
-
It looks like DV50 is possible on the PC, but the codec is only available as a 3rd party purchase, or bundled with editing software.
Here’s what I found on the Blackmagic site:
Windows XP
In contrast to Mac OS X, there is no Windows equivalent of system-wide access to compressed QuickTime codecs.
Windows users have access to Microsoft’s DV25 software codec and hardware support for DV25 capture and playback via Firewire. Windows XP with Service Pack 2 also provides hardware support for capture and playback of DV50 and DV100 via Firewire. However Microsoft doesn’t supply the DV50 and DV100 codecs and they have to be purchased from a third party or bundled with a video application. This makes sharing DV50 and DV100 files more difficult as other Windows users may not have access to these codecs.
What I’m guessing (as a Mac-only user so I can’t be sure) is that let’s say you have Premier Pro and you can capture DV50 since PP supports it, but it’ll write the file with an AVI wrapper, not a MOV. You can try to download the codec Matrox has made freely available here: https://www.matrox.com/video/support/ds/software/codec/home.cfm but it may only be usable if your source file is an AVI.
My gut tells me you’re going to have difficulties with your footage since it was captured on a Mac. If you were to start on a PC, you’d probably be golden.
Sorry I can’t be any more help.
Jon
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
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Do you have access to a mac with QT Pro?
Then you can transcode the footage to something the PC can read. Maybe an uncompressed or the Animation codec? Maybe something cross platform like the Blackmagic codec since those cards work in either platform?
No need to stay in DVCPRO50.
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
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For all intents and purposes, there is no difference between standard DV and DVCAM. They both have the same color sampling (4:1:1 for NTSC or 4:2:0 for PAL) and both run at 25Mbps. With DVCAM, the tape runs through the camera faster and the audio is locked to the video, but that won’t help with chromakey footage.
If you must use one of those flavors of DV, then maybe look into a keying plug-in specifically designed to work with Mini-DV footage. Or, if you have the budget for a DVCAM camera, then maybe consider going with a consumer HDV camcorder and shooting in HD for delivery in SD. There are still problems keying HDV, but in my experience the added resolution of performing the key in HD and precomping that into an SD comp seems to really help things.
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
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Jack, thank you so much for the post here. Man, there’s nothing like going straight to the source for some tips.
Greatly appreciated. Of course, I have no projects right now that involve keying, but I’m going to print your explanation out and file it away.
Jon
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
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Why not just try to key out that small part of the footage by itself, then layer it over the previous key. In my experience, I rarely get a perfect key using only one layer of footage. I usually have to key things out in pieces, then build them up until I have what looks like a finished key. By layering it all up, your final result should look like one piece of footage, and can act like one if you precompose it.
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USACurrently producing these popular podcasts:
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No need for a plugin. I do this a few times a year and have made a graphic to use over and over.
http://www.treelineproductions.com/preview/starsparkle.psd.zip
Add the psd to your comp and keyframe the scale from zero to whatever size you want then back down to zero. At the same time, keyframe the rotation from zero to, say, 180.
So, you should have 3 keyframes for the scale, and 2 for the rotation.
Easy.
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USA -
Man, I totally know what you’re experiencing. I haven’t had the time to figure out how to fix it since I’m always crankin’ on deadline. I’ve adjusted values like crazy but no luck. It doesn’t happen with every clip, though. I hope someone has a detailed answer.
Good luck!
Jon
TreeLine Productions
Fort Collins, CO USA