Basic FCP Sequence Settings question for 1080 footage w/ 7D

[jordy2324]

OK. So maybe it's the fact I've been working for 18 hours straight and my mind is partially play-dough, but I'm thoroughly confused right now by what I think may be the dumbest question ever.

Anyway... here's my problem and my workflow.

PROBLEM:
Stupid black box above and below my 1080 footage after I export to QT out of FCP (this box never existed in my 720 footage)

WORKFLOW:
- I have 1080/30p footage from a Canon 7D and Rebel T2i
- Converted to Prores 422 in MPEG Streamclip (I can never keep the file system intact to use the FCP EOS plugin. I need to work on that)
- Imported into FCP7

1080 SEQUENCE SETTINGS:
Frame size: 1920x1080 HDTV 1080 (16:9)
Pixel Aspect Ratio: Square
Field Dominance: None
Editing Timebase: 29.97
Compressor: HDV1080p30 (Also tried ProRes)
Quality: 100 percent

After I export to Quicktime with current settings, the video plays back with a small black bar above and below the footage. Weird. This seems kind of normal to me, except these bars never existed when I edited in 720. Not that it looks bad, I'm just confused why the bars are there when they weren't there in 720.


720 SEQUENCE SETTINGS:
Frame size: 1280x720 HDTV 720p (16:9)
Pixel Aspect Ratio: Square
Field Dominance: None
Editing Timebase: 29.97
Compressor: HDV 720p30
Quality: 100 percent

When I export this, no black bars above and below.

So why -- If my settings are basically the same except for the 1080/720 substitution -- do I get the above/below black boxes for 1080 and I don't get them for 720?
I don't think I want the box. Don't like the box. The box is bad. I think.

Thanks.

 

[David Saraceno]

To quote a friend of mine:

"Why are you using HDV sequence settings? That's wrong wrong wrong! HDV is a thin raster 1440x1080...and a GOP format to boot!! Why aren't you cutting in your first clip into a new sequence, and when FCP asks "DO YOU WANT YOUR SEQUENCE SETTINGS TO MATCH YOUR CLIP SETTINGS'...why don't you click YES? That will make a sequence with the EXACT settings of your clips. Meaning you put a clip on the timeline and have NO color bar above the footage...no need to render.

Don't keep the full card structure...editing ProRes in HDV sequences... Man, not doing anything right, are ya? (ribbing there...)"

 

[Epeck]

Wow ummm.... Are you attempting to letterbox the 1920x1080 footage?
Also HDV again is not the compression you should be using. Converted to "Prores 422" in MPEG Streamclip.
Looks like you need to take a break and come back to that project when you brain solidifies again.