Codecs and sequence settings in FCE

Hello.
I'm making a video for a local theater. All of the video is coming straight out of Adobe After Effects render queue. I've been having some issues however.
The default codec out of quicktime is the animation codec. Which produces a good quality image. However the preset codec in FCE is the DV/DVC Pro codec. So when i add it it squishes the video and makes me render it, it just looks bad (the video is 16:9). I changed the codec in AAE to the DV/DVCPRO codec, and it worked, as in it kept the aspect ratio and didn't require a render), however the quality kind of *****. I tried to change the sequence settings in the Easy Setup to match something else (like animation or the proress codec) that AAE can export out of the render queue, but none of these exist, unless i'm overlooking something.
So my dilemma is that i can't get a good quality codec to match up between the programs. The only one that works DV/DVCPRO has less than desirable quality. I always thought that FC was supposed to adjust its sequence to the first clip added, maybe that is only for FCP..
regardless, some advice would be appreciated!

danwayfilms wrote:
... I always thought that FC was supposed to adjust its sequence to the first clip added, maybe that is only for FCP..
Hi(Bonjour)!
FCE is limited to 2 video codec family: DV/DVCPRO for standard definition and Apple Intermediate codec for HD.
Animation codec in million+ color is the best quality you can get fron AE. But resulting movie have to be rendered when inserted in FCE timeline as FCE cannot use animation codec natively.
FCP allow editing in many more codec than FCE.
How do you want to distribute your movie in theater ?
Michel Boissonneault

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HDV and sequence settings

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And I'm currently waiting for verification from the shooter on his settings, though this is what their camera says the tapes are set to.
What else can I check in my project?

Here's a neat way to make sure your sequence settings match your clip. Select your clip in the browser and control click and choose make multiclip sequence. It will create a sequence that matches the clip settings. This should solve your problem.

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I am importing to FCP to add chapter marks for iDVD which I figured out.

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It would be better however to get that file in true DV size which is 720X480...
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And in CS4, if there is not a matching Preset, you can choose the Desktop Preset, which will allow you to customize nearly every attribute to match your source footage. The name is a bit of a misnomer, but has been around for a long time. I would have called it the "Custom Preset," but Adobe never called.
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With Premiere Elements 11, when Publish/Share (saving) a finished video, selecting H.264 .mov file type, what are the recommended Aspect and Codec settings , for a crisp video with a small file size?

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We will customize a very detailed reply, but
(a) What are the properties of your source media?
(b) What did you or the program set as the project preset to match the properties of the source media?
(c) What specific requirements do you have for this H.264.mov export file?
File size can be a compromise between bitrate, file size, and quality.
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FAQ: Why are some codecs and sequence presets missing from my installation of Premiere Pro?

If you're having problems with sequence presets and codecs missing from Premiere Pro, see this document for solutions for this activation issue.
This document relates to the following problems:
missing sequence presets when creating a new sequence
Encore error: "Encore will not launch in non-royalty bearing mode. The application needs to be serialized with a royalty bearing serial number."
When opening a project in Premiere Pro: "Error Adobe Premiere Pro: This project contained a sequence that could not be opened. No sequence preview preset file or codec could be associated with this sequence type."
When importing footage, the footage is missing audio or video.
These failures are all because Premiere Pro and Encore use some codecs that require activation before they can be used. If activation of these codecs has failed, these codecs will not be available to use.

1. Deactivate
2. Uninstall everything Adobe
3. Run Clean Script CS4 2 or 3 times. Look here: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/406/kb406241.html
4. Reinstall and activate
5. Update
Why did this happen? Because you have in the past used a trial version or your installation was faulty.

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Hi,
The entire SD workflow from ingest to delivery to the broadcaster in our facility is IMX50, I can't see this in the list of codecs.
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Take a look at this and see if you can find something under Premiere MXF since it sort of sounds like MXF maybe a advanced version of IMX
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EDIT AGAIN!
Here you are

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Your settings aren't wrong for what you're trying to do; it's just that when enlarging and stretching your footage to fill the 16:9 frame, you are deteriorating and softening it considerably, as well as losing part of the top and bottom of the image.
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Best Capture and Sequence settings for project ending up as digital file

Hi. Looking for capture/setting advice.
I am used to working in broadcast NTSC 10-bit uncompressed video, but I now have a project which needs to end up as MPEG-1 files. The tapes I have were recorded NTSC 4:3. Should I capture the footage in DV instead of Uncompressed 10-bit, and set my sequence frame size as DV? Will this avoid the reshaping of the image when I output to an MPEG1, or will I lose quality?
Thanks for the knowledge.

The tapes were recorded on DVCAM 4:3, but we have an
analogue capture board (AJA IO).
Then for best quality you should be capturing via FireWire as DV (its native format) and then editing in an uncompressed sequence.
This issue came up after I had captured and edited in
the 10-bit uncompressed (space is not an issue), then
was called upon to export stills of the footage,
which, of course, came out in the 720 x 486 format,
much to the consternation of the person who had to
use the stills. This person didn't understand how
the MPEG1 files could come out square, but the stills
came out in 720 x486. So it made me wonder whether I
shoudn't be editing in DV or some other "square"
format to begin with.
DV (DVCam) isn't a square pixel format. It's the same as what you've got except it's missing a measly six usually-blank lines at the top. You just have to make sure it doesn't get stretched into the 486 lines.
For your graphics person: all they have to do is stretch them to 10% narrower or 11% taller when they place them. That's all.

Recoloring and sequences settings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPvuNsRccVw&feature=youtu.be
i was wondering how can i change my color like this mv? or is there any plug in that i could use for this one?
also how can i change sequences from 16:9 to 4:3 in one scene?
cheers

It looks like some minimal color correction... but mostly "Star Filter"
If you have Magic Bullet Looks, there is a nice one built in.
There are also other methods available using After Effects.
Here is a thread with a couple of tutorials for Photoshop / Premiere,
along with a couple of third-party solutions:
Cross Screen/Star filter for CS6
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4711475#4711475
also how can i change sequences from 16:9 to 4:3 in one scene?
Not sure what you mean here...

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Hi CJ,
Welcome to the discussion agora,
...the DV NTSC anamorphic for capture and sequence settings which seems to work fine except when I export to QT movie it appears to be displaying in 4:3 instead of how it previews which is 16:9.
That's normal. Are you watching it in QT? QT displays square pixels while your movie has rectangular ones.
Go to QT main menu>Window>show movie properties>presentation check box and change *conform aperture*.
Since you say that you are new to FCP bookmark these links as they might turn useful in many occasions:
http://www.kenstone.net/fcphomepage/fcp_homepageindex.html#fcp
http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modListing.asp#titleListing
g.

Sequence settings to avoid re-rendering

After importing AVCHD files from my Panasonic SD1 and placing them in the timeline, a full time-consuming render is required. Plus, every cut or change I make requires re-rendering. This implies that the clip and sequence settings are incompatible.
Imported clips are 1440x1080 and use the ProRes422 codec. The sequence is set to 1080i using the Apple Intermediate Codec.
I haven't located a way set clip properties to match sequence settings. Can anyone help?

Thanks, Michael.
Do you know of a way to force FCE to use AIC rather than jumping the fence and snatching the ProRes codec from my FCP6 install?

Sequence settings for digibeta anamorphic capture?

I will be capturing from digibeta where the image is 16x9 anamorphic, using an AJA Kona card. What capture settings and sequence settings must I use to properly deal with the anamorphic image? I am renting the editing suite so I do not have access to it now. I need to prepare still images and titles using the same sequence settings that I will be using to capture. Does the Kona card come with sequence presets that I would not have in final cut pro 5.1, and if so can I edit my sequence settings to match?
Thanks,
Mike

The templates can be found in the new image settings, under "film and video" from memory.
But you could save yourself some trouble, and possibly aspect issues with an older version of Photoshop, by just making a new image in Photoshop that is 1024 x 480 (NTSC land).
Paste your images into that as your template.
Technically the images size IS 720x480 in your project, and then stretched out, but giving it 1024 x 480 starts you at a higher resolution, and avoids any graphics changing shape.
Though FCP handles larger images, and you would be fine to just have all stills under 2000 pixels, and resize in FCP.
Sure it needs to render, but then again you can do non-loss moves into stills.
Oh, and as for presets;
I prefer to use good old ProRes(HQ) rather then card specific codecs.
This way you can archive the project to a harddrive and later edit or change in a suite with a blackmagic card, or even a cardless machine(as in capture card!).
I believe there is an anamorphic Prores(HQ) anamorphic SD option,
or at the very least you can duplicate a Prores setting and tick the anamorphic option!
If you had the harddrive bandwidth and space you could choose to go uncompressed?
Digital beta is about 2:1 10bit, so close to ProRes(HQ).
Uncompressed is best though, but takes space and speed!
FC

...when converting sequence settings to SORENSON...

...it took 5 hours to render a 28 minute video. Now when I attempt to play the video it lags i.e: spinning wheel for ebery action and 20 or so seconds to respond. Is this a settings problem or is this to be expected of Sorenson render. Thanks

A single standard DV clip will play without need for rendering in a properly configured FCP sequence on any mac built within the last 5 years. (I can still cut DV on my 2002 G4 laptop without issues.)
If it doesn't, the issue is either:
1. a mismatch between clip and sequence settings. (test using a straightforward clip and sequence)
2. a drive problem that prevents adequate throughput. (verify disk throughput using AJA System Test)
To deal with issue 1 -
• Create a new sequence using the DV/PAL easy preset. Do not change any settings.
• Export a file from Mpeg streamclip where you used the standard DV/PAL setting for conversion. Do not change any settings.
• Import that clip into the new sequence.
• Do you have to render?
regarding the AJA system test -
It can be downloaded from the AJA website. I believe it will be found under the Kona utilities. Run it and report back with your write/read speeds are for DV.
FWIW you should not be using the system hard drive (the one with OSX installed) as your media drive. Video material should be stored on a second drive as the system drive has enough to do running the computer and the program.
x

Sequence Settings while using HD footage in 4:3 Aspect Ratio

Maybe this is a silly question but I'm still a little confused when it comes to aspect ratios and sequence settings. I'm in FCP 7 and I want to edit HD footage in a 4:3 aspect ratio.
What should my sequence settings be if I don't want to have to continually render? Or is that even possible?

Tom said the magic words: edited sequence.
For ease of editing, cut your show in its native format, THEN drop into anSD sequence.
i've got a corporate client who does this all the time. But it only allows them to be very sloppy in their shooting, because they can always reframe stuff at this stage. you should see some of that stuff!

Codecs and sequence settings in FCE

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