Squashed Text

My text I generate in FCP is getting squashed when I export to a custom preset in Compressor.

Where do I change my settings to fix this? FCP or Compressor?

Shooting with Sony V1U
Capturing at HDV - 1080i60 setting
Editing same as capture with Frame Size of 1440x1080 and PAR at 1440x1080
Creating text from FCP Text menu in Viewer
Exporting to Compressor - Encoder: H.264 --- Geometry: Frame Size 640x360 (Custom 16:9), Pixel Aspect > Default Size

I thought when you create text in Final Cut and drop it in the timeline, it adjusts its self to the proper sequence setting. But when I export thru Compressor it squashes the text to a square pixel aspect ratio, though the aspect ratio of the picture is fine.

I realize I could create the text in Photoshop and import the file but I am trying to create a FCP Project Template with template text along with a Custom Preset in Compressor for about 65 people who are being thrown into the world of video journalism for web video and with very little FCP knowledge. We don't have licenses for PhotoShop for all 65 people so I have to keep it in Final Cut.

-- Jeff

I'm not that savvy with NTSC numbers, but why 640? That's not a multiple of 1440.

I was using 640 because our Video Player on the web is able to display a max of 640. But maybe I'll re-think this, I wasn't even thinking about the 640 not being a multiple of 1440.

Thanks Jude.

-- Jeff

Which text generator is it? I had an issue with exporting Boris Text in Compressor. Was on DvcproHD 720p50. Had vertical distortion on some text. Exporting a QT movie and encoding that in Compressor pretty much cures that issue.

And yea, it should be encoded in square pixels.

Strypes- I was using the generic Text creator in the Viewer, not Boris. But I didn't try exporting a QT then encoding in Compressor, I'll try that next.

Jude- I tried exporting a size that was multiple of 1440 (480) and the text still got squashed. But thanks for the heads up on the "multiple" figure, that never even crossed my mind.

If I ever figure something out, I'll post my results.

Thanks for your help, guys.

-- Jeff

480 x 360, right?

I tried 480x360 and the text look perfect, but sadly my video became squashed. Then I tried 480x270, the picture was fine, my text wasn't.

So I'm gonna give up creating a template until I have a better solution.

Thanks for all your help, Jude.

-- Jeff

Sure you didn't apply Motion or Distort settings to your text by accident?


www.derekmok.com

I did apply an Opacity and a Drop Shadow from the Motion Tab but no Motion nor Distort.

I'm going to try what Strypes suggested about exporting a QT Movie then encoding it in Compressor, but I dont think its gonna work. I'll post if it does.

-- Jeff

Strypes - YOU'RE A LIFE SAVER!!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

To everyone else thank you as well for all the help and suggestions. I love this site.

Workflow:

Captured and Edited HD footage in HDV - 1080i60 from Easy Setup.
Added Text generated from Viewer. (Not Boris Text)
Exported a QuickTime Movie at Current Settings, Self-Contained.
Imported QT Movie into Compressor and applied a custom setting with a Frame Size of 640x360 with Pixel Aspect Ratio at Square.
Compressed and exported new file out of Compressor.

New file was perfect. Picture aspect was correct and so was the text that was added.

Frustrated Editor becomes Happy Camper.

I hope this helps anyone who runs into this problem in the future.

Cheers.

-- Jeff

Hmm... It seems like FCP runs into a random text issue every now and then on HD frame sizes. It's not consistent- had a frame with 2 or 3 layers of Boris Text and the distortion only showed up in one of them. I'm wondering, though, did you reposition the text under the motions tab? What happens if you reposition the text under the controls tab instead?

And yea, you should be rendering and exporting to ProRes422 (to prevent lossy HDV compression on Text and graphics).

Strypes- I am reposition the text under the Motion Tab, but I will give it a shot under the Control Tab and post results soon.

As for rendering and exporting to ProRes422, are you suggesting I capture it that way too? If so, the reason I'm capturing it HDV - 1080i60 is so that I can use timecode and mark my own Ins and Outs. Or is ONLY rendering and exporting to ProRes what you mean? What should I edit the sequence in?

-- Jeff

Text should be shifted from the Controls Tab instead of the Motion Tab.

Capturing HDV as ProRes is a workflow. Shane has made some posts on it as well. You get the benefits of shooting HDV, without the problems associated with editing long GOPs.

If your master isn't back to HDV tape, then rendering in Pro Res will be more beneficial, with ProRes being a much better codec designed for roundtrip work (you're sending it to Compressor for encoding).

> Text should be shifted from the Controls Tab instead of the Motion Tab.

Not necessarily. Motion tab parameters can be applied to multiple clips at once using Copy/Paste Attributes; the positioning in either Text or Boris Title 3D can't.

If you have a combination of movements (eg. words that have to stay on the right side but then scroll up across the whole screen), then use a combination of tactics -- Controls to move it to the right and Motion to move it up and down. Or, even better, use the Basic 3D filter to send it to the right -- which, once again, can be applied to 100 clips at once with Paste Attributes, and it stays still even if you change Motion parameters, for example when adjusting the speed/duration of a scroll.


www.derekmok.com

Hmm... that was an old advice, which was supposed to ensure higher quality text. Can't say i follow that all the time, because you can't copy/paste attributes.

However, i'm wondering if the distortion on the text could be due to having the text being framed off the edge of the screen. It's a wild shot, but exporting qt movie and exporting direct to compressor doesn't have the same results, in this case.

Okay... I tried shifting the placement of my text using the Origins in the Control Tab and then exporting it to Compressor with my custom setting. Sadly it did not work. The picture aspect was correct and my text was squashed like I started. I did export a QT Movie directly out of FCP and both the text and picture aspect for fine. So for the time being, I'm going to go with Strypes suggestion and Export a QT Movie out of FCP then import that file into Compressor and add and export a new file with my custom settings.

- Jeff

There is one type of modification to Boris titles that you must do in the Control tab instead of the Motion tab for best quality, and that is scaling. You lose the benefit of the vector nature of Boris titles if you use Motion scaling; titles can get real fuzzy if you scale them up much. Using the scaling in Controls keeps them crisp no matter how big you make them.

Scott