The DV Rebel's Guide - ASK STU

Hey Stu,

In your book you said not to master on your NLE.

If I'm remembering correctly, you said that adding and rendering one effect would compress all the footage.

Damn, I've done this many times.

Can you go into more detail about the online and the offline (preferably as it pertains to FCP)

Thanks and well-written book, btw.
 
Hi Jet, and thanks!

Every timeline in an NLE has an implicit codec. Usually, but not always, it's the same codec as the source footage.

If you start with a heavily-compressed codec such as DV, or DVCPRO, then anything you do that causes the NLE to render (even if it can preview in real time) means that you are rendering back to that same codec. So merely color correcting a clip, or adding a title to it, or cross-dissolving it with another — anything that modifies the pixels doubles the compression.

People work around this in various ways. Some convert all their material to a codec that better handles recompression. Lightly-compressed codecs like ProRes and Cineform can make the recompression unnoticable.

Others work in the native codec, but switch the timeline codec to a zero- or light-compression codec right before rendering.

Those methods work, but there are so many other benefits to mastering in a full-featured compositing app like After Effects that I recommend it for the DV Rebel that wants the most power and best quality results.

Does that help?

-Stu
 
I actually won a copy from LossFest, but it never did arrive. Not sure what happened there, haha.
 
Last edited:
Hi Stu your book has been a tremendous help. I was wondering on your blog it seems your using DSLR cams a lot. Do you still work with a HVX200?

You were a huge fan of the DVX100 I was just wondering what are your thoughts on the HMC-150 I think it's the DVX100 but better and AVCHD? I'm surprised you don't talk about it on your blog much.
 
I may be behind the times here, but it seems registration on the Rebel Cafe is disabled. I tried to register but couldn't. It gave me a code to retype, and asked me if I was human, but it wouldn't give me the "Textual Confirmation " question.

What do I need to do, can anyone tell me? Thanks. :)
 
Hi Sagan!

I'm sorry to report that I've disabled registration for new members on the Rebel Café. The forum is winding down, and I just don't have time to administrate it or patrol it for spam.

As you can see, I'm easy to reach in many other venues.

-Stu
 
Understood, Stu. No problem. I have your book, but I just thought the forum might be very useful, too.

At least I can read all the existing posts, and glean whatever I can from them, while they're still there.

Thanks. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top