Michael Hancock
Forum Replies Created
-
When you’re in effects mode you’re working in Fields–so yes, it is kind of like working at half frames. NTSC 30 frames a second when editing, 60 fields a second when effecting.
If you’re using the 3 and 4 keys (back and forward 1 frame) or arrow keys in effect mode you’re going forward 1 field. Something to definitely watch out for when you’re setting keyframes. Note, however, that advancing forward by using the keypad–for example, hitting +3–WILL advance you 3 frames, not 3 fields. Only when you use the arrow keys or Frame Backward/Frame Forward do you advance by field. I think. I double check tomorrow at work and post back if I’m wrong.
To adjust your keyframes, click one (or several) to select them then Alt+Drag with your mouse, or use the trim shortcuts on your keyboard (the default trim keys are m , . / ). These will move the keyframes as well.
Mike.
-
If you want one person standing next to themselves, shoot it so they don’t take up the same space in the room (say one person stage right, then other stage left) and lock off the camera. Shoot the person doing their bit stage right, then shoot them again stage left. Cut your two shots onto V1 and V2, apply a PIP to V2, crop it off so doesn’t cover the person on V1 and voila! You now have one person, on screen, standing next to themselves. If you want them to walk around or cross you’ll have to either rotoscope one of them out or shoot the scene empty (background plate) and try to pull a difference matte. Search these forums and the After Effects forums for some good info on rotoscoping and matting techniques.
Mike.
-
Have you tried exporting an MPEG-4 file directly out of Avid? Select your sequence, File–>Export, then click Options. You should be able to choose MPEG-4, then adjust the video and audio quality, sample rate, bit rate, etc…. It might save you some time and get you the quality you need (I’ve never used it so I can’t testify to the quality, but it’s worth a shot). Test it with a short sequence to get a feel for export times and quality.
Also, you were told it’s not “high quality”. That’s a very subjective thing to say–do you know how high of quality the client is expecting? I’d get specifics on what they didn’t like about it, and then check the Compression Forum here on the Cow–someone there will probably be able to help you with the specifics of how to get the best quality with a managable file size.
Mike.
PS. Here’s a direct link to the compression techniques forum.
https://forums.creativecow.net/cgi-bin/new_view_posts.cgi?forumid=20
-
I may be totally wrong about this, and if I am someone will hopefully correct me, but EMP allows AE to route a signal to your client monitor using the same resource as Avid–like a Mojo, right? If you have them both open they’re fighting over it, and Avid is like a two year old–sweet as pie but doesn’t like to share and throws a temper tantrum when you make it. Otherwise, use them one at a time and you should be good to go. Again, I could be way off base, but I’m guessing that’s what’s happening.
Mike.
-
I get them wrong all the time when I’m using them (Moving Parts is above Moving Picture, and I use Moving Picture more often but always go straight for the top effect). Nothing like starting to put the moves on a picture only to realize you’re using the wrong effect!
Mike.
-
Select your box, then go to the menus across the top of your screen and select Object–>Send To Back. This will put it behind your text.
Let us know if you run into more problems.
Mike.
-
Moving Picture doesn’t handle alphas–Moving Parts does, and they’re both by the same company, Stage Tools. They are definitely the way to go–I have both Moving Picture and Moving Parts and use them almost daily. High quality, fast renders, and very affordable.
Here’s the link to the company:Mike.
-
It’s been all over these boards that the newest FCP does crash with Avid codecs (coincidence?) 🙂 If you have the latest version, using Avid codecs is out of the question, so you might as well go with uncompressed or animation–animation will give you a smaller file size.
Mike.
-
Well, it’s in the manual, but if that’s not nearby–select the clips you want to group, then start exploring the menus across the top of your screen. It’s probably under Clip or Special–I’m not in front of the system and can’t remember. Look for Group and select it. For more information, hit F1 to open the built in help and search for multicam. That’s how I learned.
Mike.
-
When you’re in source record editing, look in your timeline. There is a button down there, next to or very near the hamburger menu in the lower left hand corner. I can’t remember exactly what it look like, but I’m thinking it looks like two little boxes side by side (that is, your Source/Record monitors). Hit it and it will turn green (highlighted), and your sequence will now reflect your source monitor. This allows you to quickly zero in on the sections you want, as well as view audio sample plots (I mostly use it to find the VO I need when I’m sent a 3 minute clip with 15 spots read back to back). Mark your In/Out points, then click it again to turn it off and cut it into your sequence.
Hope this works for you–I had been editing for a year before I noticed the button.
Mike.