Anamorphic problems....HELP!!!!

I captured (what the client told me was) DV NTSC anamorphic footage. I bring it into my DV timeline with the anamorphic checkbox checked. Everything looks beautiful.

But when I export a self contained movie for DVD studio pro, the aspcect ratio changes and everything looks squeezed.

If i import that same file into the same timeline, it also looks squeezed....

What have I done wrong?

How can i export something that can be viewed normally on a 4:3 monitor?

BTW, I'm using Final Cut 5.1.2

done wrong? - nothing.

in dvdsp set the TRACK to 16:9.

that's it.
fp

Your anamorphic footage is always a 4x3 image made from some form of 16x9 squeezed in to the frame. When you check off the anamorphic setting in FCP, it's just a way of telling FCP to play it back unsqueezed to 16x9. The files are still 4:3 on the disk.

For DVDSP, do what frankpledge suggests and change the playback setting of the track to 16x9.
That forces DVDSP to unsqueeze your footage to 16x9, which it will do in playback.

If you want to make a quicktime file that plays back properly you'll have to adjust the playback size from within quicktime.

If you want to check your output file back in FCP you'll have to check off the anamorphic setting for the imported file, like you did with the source files.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

Thanks. I'll try that. The thing is, the DVD's are just Client check discs. The final product will be for the web.

But one thing I'd like to do is to be able to record to DVD to a real time DVD burner-straight from the timeline. How would I be able to do that and have the DVD be able to be viewed on a 4:3 monitor?

Even if the DVD is just for client check, i'd still go through Studio Pro with all the 16x9 settings. Do a constant bit-rate single pass encode and it doesnt take very long and will mux and burn to disc with out seriously slowing your editing performance. Theres no reason to go to an analoge signal with crappy built in menus when Studio Pro is so easy. Although, if you need to, im sure there is some setting buried in the Burners menu that will tell it to unsqueeze the feed from the timeline.

For web, Compressor has a very nice selection of 16x9 presets to choose from...

To make your 16x9 sequence viewable on a 4:3 screen for playout you would have to nest it into a 4:3 sequence. Make a standard 4:3 sequence suitable for your output device (DV, capture card, whatever), drag your 16x9 sequence in the new empty sequence. FCP should size it to fit as a letterbox. If it doesn't you can alter the setting in the motion tab.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

Thanks for all your help!