Mixing different formats on same timeline?
by iManvideo (Nigel Cooper)
on
Oct 5, 2006 at 5:56:56 pm
Mixing different formats on same timeline?
Using FCP as the edit software.
I intend shooting a short 30-second tv commercial on a Sony F350 XDCAM HD at full quality 35Mbps variable and in 1080p/25p progressive mode.
During the commercial there will be a picture-in-picture showing footage that was shot on a different camera with a different recording setting, a JVC GY-HD111 in 720p/25p mode.
I know the JVC camera is not really up to the quality required of a tv commercial, but as it is only being used as a picture-in-picture which will take up less than a quarter of the screen it will hold up just fine.
Question is, if I'm working on a native XDCAM HD timeline at 1080p/25p 35Mbps variable, how can I bring in the short clips from the JVC that I will be using for the smaller picture-in-picture shots?
Re: Mixing different formats on same timeline? by Jeff Carpenter on Oct 5, 2006 at 6:43:10 pm
The normal answer for mixing footage is to convert the less-used footage to the format of the most-used format and then import the converted version into your project.
This is because using any footage that's different from your project settings will need to be rendered. Converting ahead of time prevents the need for that.
But THIS is kind of different. You're using the footage as a PIP effect so it'll have to be rendered no matter what. I don't think converting gains you anything except lost time.
Since both formats are the same frame rate I'd suggest capturing each in their native format and then just drop the JVC footage into the timeline and re-size it. It will need to be rendered, but after that I'm pretty sure that will work just fine.
