After Effects at DVinfo.net

Ron Jones · September 13th, 2007, 01:06 PM

I am thinking about getting After Effects. I use FCP 5. for my editing.
Will After Effects and FCP work well together?

Thanks Ron

Daniel Ross · September 15th, 2007, 09:42 AM

Sure. I do it all the time.

There are of a course a few details/techniques to work out, but it won't be a problem. Workflow is fine.

Any specific questions?

Ron Jones · September 17th, 2007, 07:59 AM

To be truthful l don’t know a lot about After Effects. But before l dig into the software l wanted to get some feedback on workfiow with FCP.
When you say some details/techniques to be work out. Can you say generally what they are?

Thanks, Ron

Emre Safak · September 17th, 2007, 08:07 AM

Why don't you use Motion?

Daniel Ross · September 17th, 2007, 08:46 AM

Motion is very limited and designed for people who like presets (very cool presets, but presets all the same). It is meant to integrate with FCP, though.

As for details of the workflow, don't let that scare you too much. Things like-- interlacing, anamorphic, etc.
You may have an interlaced project in FCP that you bring into AE and deinterlace. Then you'll bring that into FCP as deinterlaced.
Things like that are just details you need to work out, though.

With FCP you can export a quicktime movie and not check "self-contained". that will make a small reference to your file, rather than a large movie, and lose no quality. You can then use this in AE without any problems.

I like using them together. I haven't run into any hindering problems.

I suppose one weird thing is that my anamorphic files from FCP are output with a 1.21:1 aspect ratio, which doesn't work too nicely in AE, since that option isn't available by default. Just changing this to 1.2:1 after import fixes it, though. (This only happens with AE 6.5, not AE7 or CS3.)
That's the type of thing you'll need to figure out, but it won't be a huge problem for you or anything.

Ron Jones · September 17th, 2007, 10:02 AM

Thanks for the info Daniel. May need to ask some question later.

Ron

September 13th, 2007, 01:06 PM	#1
Ron Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 95	After Effects I am thinking about getting After Effects. I use FCP 5. for my editing. Will After Effects and FCP work well together? Thanks Ron

September 15th, 2007, 09:42 AM	#2
Daniel Ross Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Marin & Davis, CA, USA Posts: 418	Sure. I do it all the time. There are of a course a few details/techniques to work out, but it won't be a problem. Workflow is fine. Any specific questions?

September 17th, 2007, 07:59 AM	#3
Ron Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 95	To be truthful l don’t know a lot about After Effects. But before l dig into the software l wanted to get some feedback on workfiow with FCP. When you say some details/techniques to be work out. Can you say generally what they are? Thanks, Ron

September 17th, 2007, 08:07 AM	#4
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	Why don't you use Motion?

September 17th, 2007, 08:46 AM	#5
Daniel Ross Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Marin & Davis, CA, USA Posts: 418	Motion is very limited and designed for people who like presets (very cool presets, but presets all the same). It is meant to integrate with FCP, though. As for details of the workflow, don't let that scare you too much. Things like-- interlacing, anamorphic, etc. You may have an interlaced project in FCP that you bring into AE and deinterlace. Then you'll bring that into FCP as deinterlaced. Things like that are just details you need to work out, though. With FCP you can export a quicktime movie and not check "self-contained". that will make a small reference to your file, rather than a large movie, and lose no quality. You can then use this in AE without any problems. I like using them together. I haven't run into any hindering problems. I suppose one weird thing is that my anamorphic files from FCP are output with a 1.21:1 aspect ratio, which doesn't work too nicely in AE, since that option isn't available by default. Just changing this to 1.2:1 after import fixes it, though. (This only happens with AE 6.5, not AE7 or CS3.) That's the type of thing you'll need to figure out, but it won't be a huge problem for you or anything.

September 17th, 2007, 10:02 AM	#6
Ron Jones Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 95	Thanks for the info Daniel. May need to ask some question later. Ron