Editing with FCPHD and Z1-Newbie Nightmare

[Cate Poole]

Just thought I would share this newbie nightmare with you all. I did my first Z1 shoot this weekend and had to downconvert the HDV to DV for editingin FCPHD. 16:9 downconvert choices in the Z1 were "squeeze", "letterbox" and edge crop. I chose letterbox.

When I captured the footage, FCPHD thought the clips were anamorphic (see anamorphic column in browser) and the image I got squished the people in the shot so they looked rather fat. My end delivery was a DVD that would be seen on a 4:3 consumer TV.

Here was the workflow that worked: (many thanks to hanumang at Apple discussions)

1. Take your original 4:3 sequence, and alter the clips (to non-anamorphic) if you haven't done that already. Then...
2. Select All Clips (Command-A)
3. Remove Attributes (Option-Command-V)
4. Select the Distort property (on the left-hand side, under Video), click OK

I'm not sure what was happening here, but it was a quick fix for a tight deadline.
I know FCP5 will have native HDV real-time editing so I am not stuck with this workflow forever, but this first experience with 16:9 and the ZR1 kept me up for two nights into the wee hours of the morning.

Anybody who is working with FCPHD and the ZR1 should post, because the workflow is not very clear.

P.S. When all was said and done...the footage DID look gorgeous on DVD!!

[Bryan McCullough]

Originally Posted by Cate Poole

Just thought I would share this newbie nightmare with you all. I did my first Z1 shoot this weekend and had to downconvert the HDV to DV for editingin FCPHD. 16:9 downconvert choices in the Z1 were "squeeze", "letterbox" and edge crop. I chose letterbox.

When I captured the footage, FCPHD thought the clips were anamorphic (see anamorphic column in browser) and the image I got squished the people in the shot so they looked rather fat. My end delivery was a DVD that would be seen on a 4:3 consumer TV.

Here was the workflow that worked: (many thanks to hanumang at Apple discussions)

1. Take your original 4:3 sequence, and alter the clips (to non-anamorphic) if you haven't done that already. Then...
2. Select All Clips (Command-A)
3. Remove Attributes (Option-Command-V)
4. Select the Distort property (on the left-hand side, under Video), click OK

I'm not sure what was happening here, but it was a quick fix for a tight deadline.
I know FCP5 will have native HDV real-time editing so I am not stuck with this workflow forever, but this first experience with 16:9 and the ZR1 kept me up for two nights into the wee hours of the morning.

Anybody who is working with FCPHD and the ZR1 should post, because the workflow is not very clear.

P.S. When all was said and done...the footage DID look gorgeous on DVD!!

I don't understand, you wanted the final image to be a normal (non anamorphic) 4:3 frame? Not a letterboxed 4:3 frame?

[Cate Poole]

_I don't understand, you wanted the final image to be a normal (non anamorphic) 4:3 frame? Not a letterboxed 4:3 frame?_

I did want a letterbox frame, but the letterbox image was distorted.

Frankly, I would like to edit and export the whole thing in 16:9 and let the consumer TVs do the letterboxing. Is that a better workflow?

If it is, then I will have to learn about 16:9 settings in FCPHD.

[Dylan Pank]

AFAIK, the 16:9 options in FCP only affect the way it is displayed in the timeline, whereas Compressor actually sets the 16:9 flags for squishing the DVD.

The DVD player sorts out the aspect ratio for 4:3 TVs, not the TV sets themselves (except in a few cases). If properly set up the DVD will automatically resize any 16:9 source on a 4:3 TV. Download in "squeeze" mode, edit in 16;9 and let compressor/DVD-SP make a 16:9 flagged DVD.

It's definitely the way to go for quality AND convenience. Letterbox editing should only be for widescreen VHS production.

[Bryan McCullough]

Yeah, this seems like a huge hassle for nothing.

Just select the widescreen sequence option in FCP and let the camera output an anamorphic signal.

You edit in 16x9 and let the DVD do the letterboxing.

Should you need a 4:3 lettboxed version (which I did for one show for VHS mastering) you can simply put your 16:9 project in a new 4:3 sequence and render it out.

[Eric Bilodeau]

Interesting,

I already did quite a few DV from HDV sources edit in FCP and it works absolutely fine for me. No distortion or anything. Are you capturing with standard DV NTSC capture or anamorphic? If I want a 4:3 with a letterboxed image, I send the downconvert from the Z1 in letterbox but I make sure I capture in DV NTSC (non anamorphic). My guess is that you captured in DV anamorphic so you had a doubled anamorphic look.

[Bryan McCullough]

I don't see why you'd ever want to output in letterbox for editing.

You can always make your anamorphic 16:9 into a letterboxed 4:3 later.

[Cate Poole]

Originally Posted by Bryan McCullough

I don't see why you'd ever want to output in letterbox for editing.

You can always make your anamorphic 16:9 into a letterboxed 4:3 later.

I think the Sony Z1 letterbox downconvert was where I made my first mistake. I never use camera features that can be done in post. As a 16:9 newbie I am just learning about this format and FCP. I like keeping the 16:9 workflow and letting DVD players handle the letter boxing.

[Dan Farzad]

if you want to output to 4:3 why are u shooting on 16:9?

[Bryan McCullough]

Originally Posted by Dan Farzad

if you want to output to 4:3 why are u shooting on 16:9?

The reason I do it is because you can't shoot HDV in 4:3. Given the option I'd rather have my footage in HDV than DV, even if I'm going to be delivering in 4:3 SD at first.