Export quality issue between FCP and AE

[indybones]

Hi Guys and gals could do with a bit of help here...

I'm wanting to use the clone tool in AE, like the clone tool in photoshop.

I have a clip in FCP, I exported it as a full res quicktime .mov.
opened AE, created new project, new composition.
(it's PAL 720X576)
Imported the .mov into AE, moved it into the timeline,
Started to use the clone tool, when I had finished I rendered it out as a .mov.

However there was a serious quality loss, even in the import into AE.

Hope that makes sense, am I doing something really wrong here, quite new to AE.
Any help would be greatly appreciated..

Thanks

Indy

[lhdor]

what is the compress you're using in FCP and in AE?

When exporting out of AE try compression none or Animation Million + and make sure to check 'preserve RGB'. Also you should be using the render queue to export.

As far as exporting out of FCP I am a fan of using Automatic Duck.

[indybones]

Hi lhdor..

thanks for your help and reply...
There is no compression on export from final cut it's a direct full res quicktime.mov.

I am using the render queue to export from AE but I'll have a look at the other things you have mentioned..
:dankk2:


Indy

[kwoff]

There is no compression on export from final cut it's a direct full res quicktime.mov.

There will be compression exporting a Quicktime movie from FCP, even if it is at full resolution, unless you are using a lossless codec, such as animation+, as Ihdor suggested. What codec are you using on your export? Getting to know the various codecs and the recommended workflows between FCP and AE should help you avoid quality loss when you move between the apps.

Kevin

[indybones]

Hi Kwoff

What I do is
file-export- quicktime movie


Sequence settings-Compressor
(It's PAL 72-x576 progressive footage)

DV-PAL
Quality 100
(Advanced)
Best
Progressive
4:3

How is that looking?

Thanks

Indy

[kwoff]

Well, it looks like you are exporting using the DV-PAL codec, which is not a lossless codec, so you are forcing a recompress on export if you have done anything to the footage in FCP. When I was learning to use the now defunct Commotion compositing software, I send a sequence back and forth between the FCP and Commotion several times as DV-NTSC movies, and by the end the footage was totally degraded. Use one of Ihdor's suggestions when you export. If you don't fully understand how to change the codec on export or what is meant by a lossless codec, it would be a good idea to spend some time with the FCP manual learning the concepts, as these are important things to know if you want to maintain the quality of your footage.

Kevin

[indybones]

cool I'll give them a go..
raises a question though,
up until now when I export to burn onto DVD I go

File-export-quicktime movie

open DVDSP import that quicktime into DVDSP (encodes within DVDSP)
then burn onto DVD.

However if I am exporting with the DV PAL codec as in the AE-FCP example above am I still loosing quality on this DVD export example?
Is there a way off creating a DVD with no loss of quality due to compression using FCP and DVDSP?

Thank you

Indy

[kwoff]

You have to convert to a DVD format, so there is at least one round of compression involved. The workflow I use is to skip exporting the movie with the sequence settings and instead export from the FCP timeline directly to MPEG2 using Compressor (there are a number of DVD presets in Compressor). DVDSP can use the resulting file without re-encoding it. I am not sure if it is actually true, but I've always felt like skipping the extra step of encoding should improve the final quality of the DVD.

Kevin

[indybones]

Thanks Kevin I'll give compressor a go next time..:thumbup::dankk2:

Cheers