[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

If what Todd recommended does not work, it may be that you need to roto, in which case Roto Brush can help, especially since you have RED footage with lots of detail.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

How are you trying to change the text- do you have two text layers and are cross fading or a different method?

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

I think you could use the new FreeForm Pro plugin if you have the budget for it. You can distort (bend) in 3d a simple cube spread (minus one face) to create your shape and then use Reflection Mapping to project your clip. I can’t play with AE now, so i can’t be sure.
On other idea I had was to actually import a 3d object using Zaxwerks Invigorator Pro, but I do not think you can use video as texture, only stills.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Camera mapping – here’s a couple of useful links:

https://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/3d_camera_projection/

https://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/3d_camera_projection_2/

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Yes, the plugin is designed to scale up to 1080, but I believe it also has a 2k preset.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Regarding the upscaling of footage- I used Instant HD from Magic Bullet/Red Giant with decent results, but Todd is right, there’s only so much you can expect of these plugins.
As far as the zoom, if you use Scale, 120% is the most you can go before you really start noticing pixelation. If you use the camera, in my experience, the result is pretty much the same.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Dave is right about the switch. As far as rendering the final piece, it depends what you want it for. If it’s web playback, like YouTube or the like, then a h264 compression is what you’re after. A f4v or flv. Don’t render that from After Effects though. Open the project in Adobe Media Encoder (File, Open After Effects Project)- you’ll get a menu that shows all the comps in that project. Choose the comp you want to render and then choose the compression from the presets.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Dave gave you the answer for the interpret footage issue. In that window you will find the check box for Preserve edges as well.
As far as Encoder- go to File/Add After Effects Composition. You’ll get a separate window to search for your AE project. Select the one you want. All the comps from that project will show up on the right. Select the one you want to render/compress. Once that opens up in Encoder, select the preset you want.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Exporting any compressed format (like f4v) from AE is not the best. Open the Project and choose the comp in Adobe Media Encoder and do your compression from there.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

You need to export from FCP using a better quality codec- ProRes will do. Bring that in AE, do your fx and then use Adobe Media Encoder to open the comp you need rendered and do the compression from there.
What you see in AE now is probably interlaced footage (DV NTSC lower)without interpreting that footage to deinterlace, or without the Preserve Edges switch on.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist