cropping instead of matting?

C

Cheesesailor77

Veteran
is there a way when compressing to H.264 to crop the top and bottom of my movie with is matted to 2.35? Would this bring the size of the file down?
 
In FCP I create a new sequence at the aspect ratio I want to use in the end (2.35:1 for example at 720 x 306), copy and paste my edited movie into the new timeline, rerender and export. There may be an easier way to do it, but I haven't had any luck with the cropping in compressor.
 
just tried that, and it just squished the image to fit the wider frame, black bars are still there.

can you explain further how you did it?
 
Sure. I did all my editing, color correction, compositing, sound, titles, etc. in the standard FCP sequence (imported 24pa squeezed 16:9 footage with the Remove Advanced Pulldown setting, and dropped the clips straight into the default timeline),

then, after some help here on the forum, created a new sequence within the same project file and adjusted only that sequence's settings to: 720 x 303 for 2.35:1 (in the sequence settings dialog box make sure you select "custom" size or it will keep defaulting back to 4:3 or another standard format) - also check the correct aspect ratio.

With the new sequence set up, I copy everything from the original sequence and paste it into the new one. I did have to readjust some files to fit better. Especially photoshop files. They tend to distort first.

Do you have a widescreen matte filter applied from FCP? I don't know if that would mess it up or not.

If this doesn't help, give me more details about the project (size, filters, adjustments, etc.)
 
ok, don't know what i did differently, but its working... better, than last time.

heres my next question: what do you mean check the correct aspect ratio? is there a menu with selectable aspect ratios, because i dont see it. Is that because i'm using 4.5?
 
When I go to the sequence settings dialog box, the main tab (general) has options for: frame size - width x height and then a pulldown for aspect ratio (NTSC 4:3, NTSC 3:2, HD, etc.) - this should be on CUSTOM so it doesn't lock in a ratio (when you type 303 under height it would match the width to the 4:3 ratio for instance).

The next option is a dropdown menu for Pixel Aspect Ratio: Square, NTSC, PAL, HD, etc. -- just make sure this is selected with NTSC if that is what you are working in.
 
QUESTION: When i used H.264 to compress my 4:3 stuff I would change the size to 480X360.

If i keep the 480 as width, whats the height now?
 
204 if you are doing 2.35:1

that's 480 divided by 2.35. actually it comes out to 204.25 but you won't see the imperfection....

also, sometimes fcp will try to make your 4:3 or 16:9 video fit into your 2.35:1 sequence by squeezing rather than cropping. so you will see stretched out video with black bars still intact as you did earlier. if you bring your clip into the viewer from the new sequence and go to the motion tab, you will see that the aspect and/or scale has been altered. just reset these to zero and you should get the result you are after.
 
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