AE->FCP->DVD problems: interlacing/aspect ratio
by Kevin Gottlieb
on
Aug 28, 2008 at 9:38:08 pm
Hi there,
First time poster here - have looked thru the archive and the FAQs for both AE and FCP - so apologies if this is a repeat question (if anyone has a thread to refer me to instead, I'll be just as happy)...
Motion design created totally in AE - animators worked in 720x540 so we could present to clients online, then for final renders provided 720x486 16bit Animation Compressed QTs as files on multiple DVD-r's.
Sent DVD-r's to my out-of-town client, an editor. Editor working in FCP, sequence settings are kept at animation compression so no conversion necessary (we've heard FCP can add fields, etc). and he strings animations together in his sequence, adds other segments, sound, etc, ultimately to be used for a live presentation on video monitors. was hoping to show his client a DVD of the piece today.
Goes to output to DVD using FCP compressor. Calls to say there are interfacing & artifacts. We discuss, we realize that maybe the fact that it's 486 and not 480 (true DV) is the culprit. our animation is all progressive, no fields rendered, but along the way to DVD, interlacing is introduced.
he does a test, cropping to 480, comes out looking the same. we've uploaded a few renders at 480 for him and are waiting to find out how those work.
however there's another issue - the animations feature a sphere, which is looking squished when he outputs. meaning there's an aspect ratio problem as well. i'm waiting for him to return to his platform - have asked him to make sure his import was correct - set to progressive, 4:3, etc. i've thought that if he converts our files to MPEG-2's first, in QT Pro, prior to FCP import that we might get around this, but not sure if that's going to help...
i'm certain the issue is somewhere in his workflow - can anyone offer some insight, other troubleshooting ideas or solutions? thanks so much for the help!
Re: AE->FCP->DVD problems: interlacing/aspect ratio by David Roth Weiss on Aug 28, 2008 at 11:24:33 pm
Kevin,
This is awfully difficult to diagnose 2nd or 3rd hand, as there are many questions that need to be answered from your client's perspective.
For example, does your editor/client have a broadcast monitor? It sounds as if he was working entirely off of a computer monitor. Hpow did he monitor the DVD?
Also, the animation codec is not a typical native editing codec for FCP, and FCP does not work particularly well with sequence settings set to that codec. What is the format of the other material that he added, i.e. the "other segments" you mentioned? Was it Betacam, or Digibeta, or DV?
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles
POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW's Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
Re: AE->FCP->DVD problems: interlacing/aspect ratio by Rafael Amador on Aug 29, 2008 at 1:54:27 am
Tell your editor to have a look to the FC Browser to see how the Animation clips are interpreted.
[Kevin Gottlieb]". i've thought that if he converts our files to MPEG-2's first, in QT Pro, prior to FCP import that we might get around this, but not sure if that's going to help... " This makes no sense.
What you need is a bit of consistency in the workflow.
If you go to end in SD NTSC, what are you doing building 720x540 images in AE?
If you go to make an interlaced movie, why are you exporting progressive animation?
Rafael
