Moves on still images: FCP or AE? at DVinfo.net

Peter Richardson · May 23rd, 2010, 01:31 PM

Hi guys,

I am finishing up a project that has a number of pans and zooms (the "Ken Burns" effect if you will) on high res still images. These are all 2-D moves, not 3-D moves. I have created all of these in FCP We are getting ready to finish the film for delivery to a very quality focused broadcaster, and so I'm wondering if I need to recreate all these moves in After Effects instead of in FCP for optimum quality. The project is currently 720p but will be uprezzed to 1080 for delivery, so one advantage of recreating in AE is that we could do all these stills moves at 1080 and then bring them back into project after the uprez. Any advice would be great.

Thanks!

Peter

Robert Lane · May 23rd, 2010, 03:26 PM

FCP can handle moves quite nicely - and easily - however FCP has also been notoriously odd when any filters or effects are applied to stills later. If you're experienced with AE I'd make those sequences in AE and bring them in after the uprez; anything that FCP does with it's built in motion tool does not look good when res is pushed up.

Duncan Craig · May 24th, 2010, 03:12 PM

FCP is pisspoor at making feathered pans and zooms. Zooms are OK, but add a move and you'll be looking for another application. There are some plugins which can improve the Ken Burns type effects.

But try Motion instead, it gives you much better bezier handling in the keyframe editor window, compared to AE's unintuitive beziers (although easyease isn't too bad sometimes)

Peter Richardson · May 25th, 2010, 12:47 AM

Thanks Robert and Duncan! Will recreate the stills in AE then.

Peter

Dean Sensui · May 26th, 2010, 04:38 PM

If I have to do that sort of work, I do it in FCP for timing and scale. Then use Automatic Duck to transfer the project to After Effects where it's rendered.

Sometimes a few adjustments have to be made in AE but keyframing movements in AE is a lot easier to do than in FCP.

Peter Richardson · May 29th, 2010, 07:50 PM

Thanks Dean!

May 23rd, 2010, 01:31 PM	#1
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Moves on still images: FCP or AE? Hi guys, I am finishing up a project that has a number of pans and zooms (the "Ken Burns" effect if you will) on high res still images. These are all 2-D moves, not 3-D moves. I have created all of these in FCP We are getting ready to finish the film for delivery to a very quality focused broadcaster, and so I'm wondering if I need to recreate all these moves in After Effects instead of in FCP for optimum quality. The project is currently 720p but will be uprezzed to 1080 for delivery, so one advantage of recreating in AE is that we could do all these stills moves at 1080 and then bring them back into project after the uprez. Any advice would be great. Thanks! Peter

May 24th, 2010, 03:12 PM	#3
Duncan Craig Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Leeds, UK Posts: 660 Images: 10	FCP is pisspoor at making feathered pans and zooms. Zooms are OK, but add a move and you'll be looking for another application. There are some plugins which can improve the Ken Burns type effects. But try Motion instead, it gives you much better bezier handling in the keyframe editor window, compared to AE's unintuitive beziers (although easyease isn't too bad sometimes) __________________ FCPX/LS300/EX1/FS100/GoPro/Vinten/HotHead/Jib/Track/Dedos/Lightstorm/Coollights

May 26th, 2010, 04:38 PM	#5
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	If I have to do that sort of work, I do it in FCP for timing and scale. Then use Automatic Duck to transfer the project to After Effects where it's rendered. Sometimes a few adjustments have to be made in AE but keyframing movements in AE is a lot easier to do than in FCP. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

May 23rd, 2010, 03:26 PM	#2
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,823 Images: 15	FCP can handle moves quite nicely - and easily - however FCP has also been notoriously odd when any filters or effects are applied to stills later. If you're experienced with AE I'd make those sequences in AE and bring them in after the uprez; anything that FCP does with it's built in motion tool does not look good when res is pushed up.

May 25th, 2010, 12:47 AM	#4
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Thanks Robert and Duncan! Will recreate the stills in AE then. Peter

May 29th, 2010, 07:50 PM	#6
Peter Richardson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 608	Thanks Dean!