QT Rendering.....

At the production house where i am working, we have been using Digital anarchy's toon it with sapphire and producing a cartoon like effect by exporting the filtered clips via QT conversion and altering the frame rate.

When we bring the qt file back into fcp it needs rendering. Is this down to the amount of info going on the in clip? Is it something to do with using the qt conversion?

I recommended using export via compressor....

we use quad intels with fcp 5.1.4 and qt 7.4.1

Just a general query as our director was wondering why an imported qt needs rendering...

Ta!

Hi FC

You need to export FCP Movie NOT QT Conversion... use the current settings and then when you re-import the clip it will (should) be the exact settings & CODEC you used in the original.

Basically you've exported in a different QT CODEC or with slightly different settings!



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

If you intend to bring clips BACK into FCP after exporting, then do not use QT Conversion. It's compressing your footage and using a viewing Codec (H.264, MPEG4, Sorensen) versus an editing Codec (DV, 8-bit, ProRes...). The imported QT needs rendering because your timeline settings don't match the QT settings (and you CAN'T set the timeline Compressor to a viewing Codec).

If you're messing with the frame rate and other settings during the export process (and it sounds like you are) then yes, go through Compressor and adjust them there -- be sure to set your Video Compression setting to match your sequence settings exactly. Otherwise do all the adjustments in FCP then export as a Self-Contained Qucktime Movie (SCQT) using the topmost export setting.

JK

_______________________________________
SCQT! Self-contained QuickTime ? pass it on!

Thanks for the replies guys, very useful indeed. I recomended the compressor route initially using the hdv codec and just adjusting the frame rate, if thats cool i'll pass on the info again,

Cheers!

threre's an argument for export usnig QT Conversion in this case:

you are creating new media.
the new "converted" QT you make will not have a proper TC track,
and wont get trimmed by the Media Manager,
which could be a good thing.
eh.... but probably not

"It's compressing your footage and using a viewing Codec (H.264, MPEG4, Sorensen) versus an editing Codec (DV, 8-bit, ProRes...)"

only if you ask it to.
you could just as easily ask it to convert to the same codec as the source clip


i'd say it's the new frame rate that's causing the problems.
so whatever process you use, you'll get a file that needs rendering

i'm curious: what are your original and new frame rates?
have you experimented with the strobe filter?

it probably wont be as interesting,
as your process is probably creating rather random results that would be hard to replicate:
you mess with the frame rate on export,
and you mess with it again when you add the new clips back into the timeline.



best way to use compressor:
export from FCP as QT movie
i would probably render first in FCP,
then export as a NON self contained reference movie,
then drop that into compressor and do your stuff.

export via compressor could tie up FCP for longer than you want.

also DONT use all the whiz-bang "frame controls" in Compressor,
they will attempt to smooth out your frame-rate conversion which is what you DONT want.,
you want the clunky look.


nick

Thanks Nick,

We were keeping it as HDV in the QT conversion, the original frame rate is 25fps which will be for 90% of the edit. Its only the 'cartoon effect' footage that we are messing with, which is being converted to 15fps or even 8fps.

We tried numerous filters etc but its only by altering the frame rate do we achieve the desired effect. I'll run the reference qt/compressor idea past them today, see if it flies.....

Many thanks!

"We tried numerous filters etc but its only by altering the frame rate do we achieve the desired effect."

yeah, i'm not surprised, it's probably nice and random.
but you'll always get the render hit when you bring it back in,
unless you do a double pass through compressor:
convert 25fps to 15,
then convert 15 to 25 (which is what you're doing by putting the 15fps clip back in your 25fps timeline)

although if you just set your RT to unlimited, that should work, too.


nick