blowing up small media

E

enrico

Well-known member
Editing for a documentary, can I use smaller media sources, example a 320x240 clip, if I keep it small on the screen (at 100%)? Will this work when blown up onto the large screen?
Your help is greatly appreciated, since I have many source clips of various sizes, and only a few are 720x480 resolution.
 
Enrico

If you do end up using smaller media, i would suggest scaling the video to 720x480 before you bring it into FCP. (you can do it in MPEG Streamclip)

You get better results that way.
Scaling in FCP looks far worse.

Hope that helps!
 
Interesting. I've never used Mpeg Streamclip before. I just downloaded it from the net and dropped in a 320x208 clip. It seems to blow it up to 720x480, but looks much more blurred than the original. Is that the best way?
Would I get get better quality on a big screen if I kept it small (eg 320x208) at 100% on the screen, surrounded by black?
Naturally, I would like everything at 720x480, but I can't seem to get higher resolution on some of my smaller important source clips. Any rules on this (how to ensure best quality for big screen)?
 
Last edited:
Try Compressor

Try Compressor

Does you have Apple's Compressor? You could try to up-rez your clip in there. My experience is with up-rezing mini DV footage to HD (DVCPro720p); it works wonderful for our needs (mostly DVD distribution).

In Compressor's Presets Window go to Apple > Advanced Format Conversions and select the codec that is closest to your needs. Duplicate it and in Compressor's Inspector window under the Frame Control Tab set everything to "Best" and under the Geometry Tab setting your Frame Size to 720x480.

It's not the same quality as a 720x480 image but it's better than scaling the original in FCP.

Good Luck
 
Did I assume too much by not stating Compressor is part of FCP Studio? Anyhow, if you have FCP Studio 1 or 2 you have Compressor
 
Not at all, thank you. I'll try Compressor as well and see.
However, would you get the best quality by keeping the small dv clip (eg 320x240) at it's original small size (100% scale or slightly smaller) onscreen, instead of trying to up-rez the small clip to 720x480?
I don't mind all the black around the frame...my priority is maintaining quality of image when it's blown up to a big screen.
Your response on this question would be most appreciated.
 
Last edited:
if quality is most important i would not uprez to a full 720x480

you may be able to split the difference for decent results-
try uprez to 420x340

try various ways & go with what looks best!
good luck
 
Thank you for your dialogue and help on this matter.
What makes me nervous is not being able to experiment with different resolutions on a big screen. Already, I can tell the qualitative difference between up scaling with FCP and something like the MPEG Streamclip or Compressor (not sure which is better).
Is this totally intuitive, or would I be safest going with the original 320x240 (at 100%)?
Am I washing out colours and lines progressively going any higher, or would the above converters make up the difference, say if I went to 420x320 or any higher?
'Kinda in the dark using smaller screens/monitors to judge, and trying to minimize too late surprises.
 
if its going to be shown on a 'big screen' you can always keep it 320x420
(to be sure you wont loose any quality)

as far as washing the color out, it really depends on the video clip quality
(was it well lit? film? video? etc)

9 out of 10 times i usually do color correct up-rezed clips
(mainly crushing blacks and adding saturation)

ive never did a "side by side" of MPEG streamclip vs. compressor
im curious to which can do a better job
 
So, if it's best to present a 320x420 clip at it's original size on big screen (not enlarged), is it also generally better to up rez the clip (not enlarging it) with Mpeg streamclip or Compressor, than include it in the film as it was originally acquired?
Is there any appreciable difference?
Your help is most revealing.
 
Last edited:
when i refer to 'uprez in Mpeg Streamclip'...
i ment going from your 320x240 to DV 720x240

so it would be enlarged to your project settings
(letting Mpeg do the scaling as opposed to FCP)

when blowing up any small media (graphics/video/photos etc)
you run into the chance of it looking really bad....

there is really no way around it

hope that helps!
 
Thank you. What would happen then if these clips were projected to a big screen at original scale (320x240), not enlarged? If they looked good first at that scale?
 
then they should look pretty good!
(as far as quality is concerned)

if you do not mind the black around the image
this sounds like your best bet!
 
Thanks so much for all of your help!
It's wonderful being able to learn so much at this stage of the film, from sharing your valuable experience on this forum.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top