[Jon Bagge]

I usually try and keep the overbrights too, and I don’t seem to have this problem. My stuff is usually from Avid. I export using the 709 option from Avid to keep the full range, then use standard Rec.709 (but NOT 16-235) in AE. This will keep the superbrights, but also put blacks at 16. Then I add a levels effect to move the blacks to 0.

I use Rec.709 working colour space, and render to Rec.709 (16-235) to go back to Avid.

Occasionally I encounter files where I can’t use the Interpret Footage, and I’m not sure how to get around that. I believe this happens when I use Avid DV codec, which is only for temporary use anyway. Any 1:1 or DNxHD is always fine.

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

Are you saying your head comp is time remapped so you can control the rotation? If that’s the case you can’t have the eyes inside that comp. You need a comp containing both the time remapped head comp and the eyes. You will then need to have the eyes match the head rotation as well as open/close.

Second the suggestion to look at Duduf for inverse kinematics/rigging tools. Also check out Daniel Gies for character rigging that will blow your mind
https://ae.tutsplus.com/sessions/how-to-create-and-rig-a-realistic-puppet/

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

If you’re not going for a dual socket machine, I’m not sure there is that much advantage in having a Xeon over an i7. You may be better off with a 6-core i7 (might even be cheaper?) 24GB RAM would be nice to aim for on a 6-core machine.

You can probably also save money by going for a supported Geforce card rather than Quadro.

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

You’re not using Magic Bullet Misfire by any chance are you?

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

I’d get more RAM. 10GB is nothing on an 8 core machine. Get 24 or 32GB before you consider any other upgrade.

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

Traditionally Symphony upgrades are more expensive than MC upgrades. Something to bear in mind if you’re considering the upgrade.

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

The question actually doesn’t make any sense. PAL/NTSC only applies to SD. In HD it’s a framesize and a framerate. So just do 1080p 29.97.

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

Someone else will have to comment on US issues of 29.97i versus 23.98p. I’m pretty sure there is no standard for 29.97p anywhere. (I could be wrong)

You have two overall choices regarding interlaced/progressive: The simplest is to create the whole project 1080p, and then make the other versions from this master. Some compression software can ‘re-interlace’ which will add inbetween frames to add interlacing to progressive footage. But you may be ok with simply converting from progressive to interlaced, which will make the two fields from the same point in time.
(This may be different if you can master to 23.98p I think)

Your better quality but lots more work option is to render the three versions out of after effects in the correct format. To do this, set your comps up for 1080 29.97. Do all your animation/whatever.

You can now render progressive for the web straight out.

Turn on field render (upper) for the broadcast HD version. Render again.
This will cause AE to render an additional frame inbetween the normal frames and use this for the second field. If you have progressive footage the second field will be from the same point in time as the first. If you’re using Time Remapping AE should properly render the interlaced frames as long as you use Pixel Motion interpolation.

Drop your master comp into a new comp with correct size for SD and scale it to fit. You can try to turn on collapse transformations for better overall quality, but depending on the kind of stuff you have in your master comp this may not work.
Turn on field render (lower) and render again.

Job done.

For upper/lower field you should be fine simply changing one to the other when you render provided your project contains progressive footage, animation created in AE, or footage of the correct field.

Rendering upper field in a project containing lower field footage or the other way around will look very bad and you will need some workarounds.

Hope this is of help. Someone else will have to help you with US specific issues.

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

For a new 8-core machine I’d say 16gig RAM is minimum. For a 12-core I’d say 24gig minimum, but ideally 32 or 48. (32 might be max on a macpro?)

That might just make the 12-core out of your budget. Personally I’d see what 32gig RAM on an 8-core would cost first. If you still have money to spare, go for the 12-core. (remember not to buy your RAM from Apple…)

I have 48gig on my 8-core PC. After effects will happily use ALL of it, although how much benefit I’m getting from having 48 rather than 32 I don’t really know.

As someone else mentioned, the Macpro’s are getting old now, and nobody knows what Apple will do next. Intel has released 8-core chips now, and HP are selling 16-core workstations….

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects

[Jon Bagge]

If your graphics card isn’t supported you can still render on the CPU. The more cores the better. It will just be much slower.

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https://www.jonbagge.net
Jon Bagge – Editor – London, UK
Avid – FCP – After Effects