4X3 Safe title and safe action in 16X9 mode

Anybody other than me need a 4X3 safe title and safe action when working in 16X9. Most of my HD stuff is broadcast in both HD and SD which means that in SD the sides get cropped. Would like to have an overlay for that.

Joe

I second that motion. I think there is a lot of this going on.
A camera op I was chatting to the other day said it had been a few months in a row of gigs shooting HD with at least one monitor in video village taped off for SD, for the client who doesn't understand the whole letterbox vs crop "thing".
It would be great in FCP if the Title safe had an option for this.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

Digital Heaven makes a plugin for this:

[www.digital-heaven.co.uk]

I use this one myself.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

I use the Digital Heaven plug-in too. Great value at $10.

I would like to see it be a normal function of FCP though, given that it comes up so often.

Joe

I agree total PITA. I have a frame I made in photoshop that I use, I'll send you a copy if you want this weekend.

I'll bet the DH thing will work, but it is now priced at $40, and it still requires an extra step. I hope a future release of FCP will acknowledge 4x3 as the boradcast standard for title safe.

-V

Personally I hate 4:3 protected on 16:9...

I have to use it all the time and it bugs the hell out of me. I welcome the time we get rid of 4:3 pandering altogether as it ruins the good use of the 16:9 space.

From a design point of view that sucks big time.

But to answer your question with an alternative to the software solutions given already.

Check your HD broadcast monitor to see if it has a title safe overlay or area marker function. The ones I use have 4:3 protected on 16:9 overlay as a standard option.

Or if you have a hardware legalizer that should have a built in title safe area overlay function too.

If you are not using a HD broadcast monitor for your onlines... why not?

Ben

PS. I agree its a definate must for the next release of FCP, in fact a customisable title safe would be preferable as this would allow us to add our own should we need to.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Ben-

I can't answer for Joe, but I can tell you why I don't have a broadcast HD monitor. Space. I work in a small compartment in a mobile production truck. A 20" HD monitor is just not in the space budget. First it would take up about 1/4 of the table I share with my producer. Then I would be sitting about a foot from it. Instead I have an SDI to DVI adaptor and use a 24" Dell hanging on the wall. I do have a 9"CRT in SD that I can use for a quick check of color after downconversion.

-Vance

Hi. I totally agree! I'm doing 4x3 safe subtitles at the moment in a 16x9 project! Apart from Digital Heaven's plugin, has anyone found an overlay / grid yet? There must be a pict file or something for this problem somewhere?

Thanks in advance for any help!

R

Ok...if you insist:



I built this for an HDTV 1920 / 1080 Square pixels project - works for me. Just lay it in your timeline & use the "Screen" Composite Mode on it to lose the black.

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

That's fantastic Joey - exactly what I'm after!! I think all FCP editors will need this at some time or other - it's a lifesaver!

Once again, many thanks!

Rob

Hey robk,

You are quite welcome...just please come back here & let us know how it worked out for you. We like to hear about the issues that are solved as well as issues themselves

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

It worked like a dream Joey, and now I can sleep better!
Hey, someone also directed me to the same file over on one of yahoo's websites: They're in the "Files" section, and you have to register to gain access, ..but these ones even have embedded alphas so no need to use composite mode:- just use as simple overlays! cool!

[movies.groups.yahoo.com]

Thanks again!

I tend to like to keep everything as simple as possible. It took me 30 seconds to make that file without even opening Photoshop. Composite Modes (Transfer / Blend Modes) are tremendously powerful tools that I personally prefer to use every chance I get. Either way - as long as it worked for you, I am happy

- Joey

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.