Still images in FCP

M

Mark-P

Well-known member
I am going to work on a biography that might include hundreds of still images that will be presented.

1. What is the best file format these images should be saved into for bringing into FCP?
2. Any other advice for prepping these images to look good in FCP?
3. What size should they be saved? Resolution?
4. Any suggestions for documenting where each image should be presented in the timeline? Just looking for any type of system to do help this process.

Thanks!
 
Tiff's are probably your best bet because it's a lossless format and will keep all the image info there.
As for res, just make sure you keep them bigger than you video image size and you'll be fine.
 
I save in png which is what FCP's native format is but you can use psd as well. Tiff is uncompressed (sort of) but is about 8 times the size but will work. Because of file size I don't use tiff I output from Photoshop as png and quality is fine. Resolution is important to understand when camera movment is going to be used (the Ken Burns effect). I have done hundreds of projects like this and whats most important to get a grip on is if the picture has a lot of lines that can become aliased you can get aliasing along the edges of lines. Chirs and Trish Myeres address this in some of there books. FCP has some built in filters that can help with this problem and you can apply them more than once to help. If you change the size of the image then you should divide by an even number or by divesables of two. Useing slow even zooms and rotations and cross movment will help with aliasing. The size of the pictures is dependent of how much movement you need to make. If you want to travel across a map for 20 seconds at a quick speed then you need a lot larger image then for a basic swirl and twirl. Working in uncompressed if possible is the best way to get good looking results. I always work in uncompressed when possible even if the video footage is not shot uncompressed I will input it into a uncompressed format in the timeline and then render it and then bring in my files so text and motion and livetype assets and pictures stay crisp and clean. Chris and Trish have books for After Effects that address this issue and are a great references even for video work. Understanding pixels and what happens to them will help you know what to do to get the best looking products. What diliverables you need to produce for is important to understand. DV(the worst), HD, computer only or broadcast or film, they all have different considerations to think about in the way you treat pixels. Where pictures go in the timeline is a creative choise for the producer to better tell his story.

Good luck
 
Last edited:
I have this problem:
Some (only some) pics do a lot of interlace movement when doing the Key Burns effect. The image looks really electronic, and though i've put in de-interlace filter, it stills makes this aliasing thing. specially when going from big to little, rather than from one side to the other.
im really worried because it's an historical documentary and most of the work is about photos moving...
Please some good advices needed here!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top