Tim Kurkoski
Forum Replies Created
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What version of Encore are you using? 1.0 and 1.5 don’t handle QT ref files very swiftly. If you’re not on 2.0 yet, I’d recommend either upgrading or not using QT ref files.
The error message about the frame dimensions is not necessarily accurate- often times Encore finds something it doesn’t like with the file, but doesn’t have a proper err message for it, so it falls back to another err message about a problem with the file.
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The thing to remember about transparent GIFs is that they don’t do transparency like Photoshop does. Photoshop can do variable transparency, where a pixel can have a transparency value between 0% and 100%. The way transparency works for GIF files is that one color value is transparent, and the pixels that have that color are 100% transparent. No feathering or anti-aliasing.
Since Photoshop normally uses anti-aliased/feathered/partially transparent edges, when you translate the artwork into a GIF only the color at the very edge becomes transparent, and you get all these dangling pixels that should have been partially transparent.
There are a couple of ways to get around this. One is to use the same background color in Photoshop as your web page will have. That way the one-color transparency will mesh better. The second way is to design all of your web graphics completely in Photoshop, and slice them up for output without using transparency (background colors included).
The third option is, if you absolutely need transparency on your image, is not to use GIF. Unfortunately, the only alternative is PNG with transparency (32-bit PNG), which IE6 doesn’t support.
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No. You need an HDV camera or deck that supports the resolution your footage was shot in.
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Applying a very slight blur may help. For individual spots, use the Blur Tool or Smudge Tool.
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Shape layers are special layers, you can’t paint or draw directly on them.
What you can do is add a Gradient Overlay layer style.
Another option, slightly more cumbersome but possibly useful in some situations, is to create the gradient on a new layer above the shape layer, then set the shape layer as a clipping mask: hold down the Alt/Option key while clicking on the line dividing the layers. (Something to note that I found while testing this- layer styles will be applied AFTER the clipping mask is done, so make sure you have any overlay styles turned off to see the results.)
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I think you’re out of luck until you upgrade, then. You can look for the options as I described, but like I said, my memory tells me that CS was the first version to include the feature.
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This is a known problem. Hopefully Adobe will fix it for us.
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What version of AE are you using?
I would just set up several pre-comps and adjust the source comp as necessary for each section.
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History states are not normally saved with the files, but you can turn this option on in the General Preferences, in the History Log section. I’m sure the Help files can enlighten you on what the different options do.
You didn’t mention what version of Photoshop you’re using. The History Log is in Photoshop CS2, and I think it was first introduced in Photoshop CS.
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Your best option is to create two DVD’s- one in NTSC for North America and another in PAL for the rest of the world. (Many PAL-based DVD players can also play NTSC discs, but to be on the safe side your best bet is to make two discs.)
If you only have time to work in one standard, start with PAL, as it converts to NTSC easier than the other way around. If you have the time, complete your work in PAL, then make a copy of the project and change the composition settings and framerate to NTSC, and make adjustments as necessary.
Your choice of bit depth is dependent on what source material you have, and what you want to do with it. DVD is an 8-bpc (bit per channel) format, so there’s no technical need to go above that. 16-bpc images are good to start with if you have them, as you can get smoother results with many effects or other transformations. 32-bpc images are rare, but working in 32-bpc mode in AE can change how some effects work and give some dramatic results. Experiment and see what works for you.
To make your DVD, you need to use a DVD Authoring program. I’m only aware of a couple of DVD authoring apps for Mac, as I do my DVD work on Windows. Apple makes iDVD (you probably have it on your computer already) and DVD Studio Pro. I think there’s a program called Toast you could look at, and certainly you can search around for other options. They all have varying control over the menus and programming for the DVD.