Converting 720P to SD and 1080i

T

TwinCitiesShooter

Active member
In FCP when I want to down rez a 720P project to SD, I can make a new project with SD sequence presets, paste the 720P clips there and render them. OR I can leave my 720P timeline as is and simply change the setting to SD when I export to Quicktime (a lot faster). I was wondering what other people's preferences are, if they've encountered trouble either way.

Also, I've heard of people uprezzing slo-mo 720P footage to 1080i just for a few shots in an otherwise 1080i project. I've run some tests on FCP by blowing up 720P footage 150% on a 1080i timeline and rendering it. Still looks OK in limited trials -- but any thoughts from the more experienced?

Lastly, with all these converting options in mind, when it comes to shooting a music video AND a commercial that will partly use footage from the music video, what do you think is the best format to shoot with? 720/24P, 1080/24P, 1080/60i? Thanks for any ideas!!
 
For down-res'n I'd deal with it on export. If I need a digital down-res I'll let Compressor do it. But if its for a deliverable then I'll use Blackmagic card and a deck and do a hardware down-res (down-res on output).

I guess it depends on your delivery specs and/or maybe just your own personal taste, but I've found 720p stuff to up-res to 1080i quite nicely. If I shot the entire project at 720p then I'd likely do a hardware based solution for the up-res. If its just a couple of shots to be taken into a 1080i project then I'd probably let Compressor do it for me.

As for what format is "best" to shoot with, I think that comes down to:

1) Broadcast Specs - if they have specific demands, then shoot what they want to save yourself headaches later on
2) Personal Taste - depending on what's being shot, what kind of "look" or "feel" you prefer, then make your decision from an aesthetic standpoint (someone else's idea of "best" may be rather unappealing to your eyes)

cheers.
 
Thanks for the feedback. Afraid I don't have the budget yet for the Varicam-Blackmagic-SDI workflow (someday...), but your point is well taken. I shoot on the HVX200, so firewire out to a deck for a hardware down-res is probably my best bet for deliverables.
 
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