SmoothCam jitters.

I'm running FCP 7. I've been using the Smoothcam filter to stabilize a number scenes in my 20 minute video. They look great in Preview mode in the Canvas. However, when I render them or export the sequence to a QT movie for compression for DVD, they jitter even worse then they did before I applied the Smoothcam filter. I should mention that when I play the rendered scenes back in the canvas, they look totally solid. But when I play them back fullscreen on my 27" iMac, they jitter like crazy.
I have a client screening and have to make DVDs very soon.
How can I fix this?
I've been told this is an FCP 7 bug and that Motion stabilizing can fix the problem but I haven't been able to get that to work effectively.

Thanks,
Phil

Have you tried exporting the rendered portion as a stand-alone, full-quality, self-contained QuickTime movie?


www.derekmok.com

No but I'll try it. I have about 15 scenes that I have to do this to.

Thanks for the input. I'll let you know.

Just tried it. Same problem. Looks fine on the canvas but the jitters are very evident on the large screen.

Did you re-import the movie file into the timeline? If a flattened movie file looks fine anywhere, it is a practical impossibility for it to look different on output.


www.derekmok.com

No, I just played it full screen and it jumped like the other one. Small screen, it's fine.

Disable the original clip with the SmoothCam filter (CONTROL-B). Plug the exported file into its place. Play and see.


www.derekmok.com

Yeah, it's the same.

This problem is unique to FCP version 7, re-exporting as a self contained QT won't solve it in my experience either, however you can work around the problem by using the smooth/stabilize facility in Motion after experimenting with both sets of parameters. Theres actually many threads on this issue out there, browsing the Creative Cow forums may help also.

You certainly shouldn't have to pay-out for 3rd party plug-ins.

Bluey,

Bluey,

I couldn't get Motion to do the job. It brought in a huge border at the bottom of the frame and when I hit Zoom to correct it, it blew the shot to a ridiculously huge size.
Right now, I'm trying to de-interlace through Compressor. Someone suggested importing into FCP X (which I downloaded the trial version).
If you can tell me how to get Motion to work right, I'd appreciate it. The shots in question are pans and zooms that have slight camera hitches in them.

Thanks for the input.

Hi Phil - i couldn't tell you exactly how i did it, it was over a month ago - but i did get it to work, it can work. on a few of the shots i had to re-trim in order to lose more defined camera movements, but the majority of the shots were tripod-held, and the movement came from the passing vibration of cars on a motorway bridge. if there are defined pans and zooms in your shots granted it may not work so well.

There are a number of parameters in both smooth/stabilize filters, i found it to be a case of utilising the right combination, however if you reach a dead end and become frustrated enough to spring for a plug-in i found [www.lockandloadx.com] to work well in tests also,

Bluey,

Thanks, Bluey. I just downloaded the L&L trial version. I'll let you know. I need a life saver!

There are defined pans and zooms but SmoothCam handles them beautifully with the 2.5 default setting. It's just the damn FCP 7 interlace bug that won't allow the render to play at full screen.

Phil

P.S.

Where are you located?

London . . why? PM may be best to not clutter the thread . .

Bluey,

philsfilm, is your material interlaced? Different players can play the same interlaced material quite differently. Your FCP playing on the canvas might be hiding SmoothCam's poor job with jiggly interlaced image, a field dominance error, etc., that your fullscreen player, whatever it is and however it is set, reveals.

Dennis Couzin
Berlin, Germany