Exporting Assets

[David Scattergood]

Hi all,

Having created a few reels/clips within FCP then exported out to show on a website, there have been a few gremlins rearing their heads.
First off I created a 45 sec 'promo' via FCP (and Logic etc), exported out to compressor as a H.264 LAN file (QT 7 for downloads) and ended up with a 9mb H.264 file which looks really nice considering the size.
The resulting footage when set up in flash is really, really awful (it's 'blown up and pixelated - doesn't help the fact that it's a martial arts promo and as such there is a lot of fast motion). I've posted a query regarding the web issues on web threads on this forum (I'm not really involved in the web end of the chain).
The guy looking after the web has asked me to send him the assets from the timeline (rather than the original footage, HDV 25p btw)...which is where I've become a little stuck.
If I 'reveal in finder' on the timeline clips I get pointed to QT files - might these be considered the assets? Or are they the render files (FCP files) from within the FCP Documents folder on the hard drive??
Fortunately there are only a few clips in this timeline but I can imagine a larger reel/movie would be a royal pain sending all the assets (via a FTP server) this way...and I'm none to sure what this would achieve?

Many thanks.

[David Scattergood]

I must admit my file management is not at it's best but then again I'm convinced FCP's isn't either.
Just realised that the 'find in finder' route (the QT files) is pre render/edits etc. So at the moment I'm having to comb through the render files in Finder until I can see the clip (the same which appears in the timeline) I require - is there a better way?
If I were to delete the render files in a 'spring clean', where would I find these clips residing then??
I'm having a good rummage through this site and google for answers but it's not all together clear as yet.
Cheers.

[Shaun Roemich]

David: in order to send him your edited "source assets":
- set in and out points for the segment to be exported on your timeline
- in the Browser right click (or ctrl-click if you don't have a two button mouse) on the timeline in question
- select Export => Quicktime movie
- ensure Setting: Current settings and Include: Audio and Video are selected as well as the tick box on "Make movie self contained"
- Select a place to save this file (which will be exported using the same codec as your timeline with a .mov extension)
- Find a way to get the rather large file to your web guy, possible FTP.

[David Scattergood]

Originally Posted by Shaun Roemich

David: in order to send him your edited "source assets":
- set in and out points for the segment to be exported on your timeline
- in the Browser right click (or ctrl-click if you don't have a two button mouse) on the timeline in question
- select Export => Quicktime movie
- ensure Setting: Current settings and Include: Audio and Video are selected as well as the tick box on "Make movie self contained"
- Select a place to save this file (which will be exported using the same codec as your timeline with a .mov extension)
- Find a way to get the rather large file to your web guy, possible FTP.

Ah...this is what I do anyway...trust me to go 'around the houses' and rummage through render drawers.
Our collective heads are in bits over this. We have nice footage as a 9mb 640x404 H.264 file (running at 45 secs).
I've attached the H.264 file here and added the link to the flash site...the difference in quality is quite apparent. I've had huge help over on the web side of this forum but as it's not my area (web) I've struggled to get this resolved. I can't think of any other codec or compression to use when exporting from FCP (either HD or SD). MP4 was absolutely awful and a straight QT export to large a file...the fight goes on :(

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Thanks Shaun,

[Shaun Roemich]

Well, as far as web video goes, the video attached to the site is actually quite good, given the high motion of the clip. Yes, the h.264 looks better, but I'm sure the camera original media makes the h.264 look like crap too. Perfectionists of the world unite!

GREAT work, by the way. Very exciting and compelling. Maybe look at a better Flash encoder? What are you using?

[David Scattergood]

Originally Posted by Shaun Roemich

Well, as far as web video goes, the video attached to the site is actually quite good, given the high motion of the clip. Yes, the h.264 looks better, but I'm sure the camera original media makes the h.264 look like crap too. Perfectionists of the world unite!

GREAT work, by the way. Very exciting and compelling. Maybe look at a better Flash encoder? What are you using?

I think the web guy is using on2 vp6...but my knowledge falls off very quickly when it comes to the 'interwebs viscera'.
I assumed that the H.264 9mb file would (being such a small file) play exactly the same when viewed on a website...clearly there are many more factors influencing the outcome.
Josh Chesarek posted up my h.264 on his website and it looks very good...how we achieve the same is another story. I'd read that H.264 is not fully supported yet, but again I really don't know what I'm talking about in this respect. I've seen dozons of reels on production companies, et al, websites and there is fair amount of pixilation/bluriness...so we're not alone (and yes - such motion doesn't help!) but I'd like it to look like the exported file (yup, perfectionists should indeed share the same padded cell!).

Thanks for the compliments by the way...just realised it's my first clip I've posted on here (the music's mine also).

[Gary Nattrass]

David have you tried exporting the final file in pro res 422 or HDV and then doing an export for desktop web in quicktime to give a good quality mp4 file for upload?

If you have a look at my pub web site VVVVVV that is how most of the videos on there were done.

[David Scattergood]

Originally Posted by Gary Nattrass

David have you tried exporting the final file in pro res 422 or HDV and then doing an export for desktop web in quicktime to give a good quality mp4 file for upload?

If you have a look at my pub web site VVVVVV that is how most of the videos on there were done.

Hi Gary - no, I haven't tried that but I will give it a go. I haven't upgraded to FCP6 yet so running 5 I don't have (presumably) have the Pro res 422 option. So I export the HDV timeline as HDV output QT file then again export that HDV QT file as desktop web...I'll open FCP shortly (just about to nip out) then give that a whirl. When I did a straight export from the timeline to MP4, the results were horrendous mind.
I'll let you know if I manage to export via your suggestion - many thanks for this.
Dave - I'll also take a 'butchers' at your website.
Cheers.