set the right image size (2,35 or 1,85)

[bainier]

hi everybody,

i've been looking on the forum but there was no clear answer to my question :

i've just finished an edit with final cut. the image size is still 2048x1024 but the movie is supposed to be on aspect ratio 2,35 or maybe 1,85.

should i keep the resolution 2048x1024 and apply the 2,35 effect or should i change the image size to 2048x871 ?

thanks in advance for the answers.

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Finish full-frame so you have an edited, color-corrected master with the maximum picture information. Put a framing chart at the head of the project that shows the proper cropping that needs to be applied for a film-out (hopefully you decided BEFORE you shot the movie whether to compose it for 2.40 or 1.85!) This implies that you can apply an overall crop to the piece and not need shot-by-shot reframing. This is why it is helpful to add a temporary matte/letterbox or framelines over the picture at some point to make sure that the cropping is working.

From the full-frame master, you can make a cropped master for film-out... or just tell the people doing the film-out to follow the framing chart guidelines for cropping, and whether this digital negative is for a 1.85 "flat" 35mm print or a 2.40 "scope" 35mm scope print.

You'll also probably need to make a 1080P HD broadcast master -- in fact, you probably should make three variations: 16x9 full-frame, 16x9 with theatrical letterbox (1.85 or 2.40), and 16x9 pan & scan w/ 4x3 pillarbox (for making SD 4x3 pan & scan versions).

 

[bainier]

ok, i am sorry i am french, then it's not always easy to understand all the vocabulary, but your answer seems very interesting.

let say this is gonna be 2,35 :

1) should i crop using final cut for every shot, (where did you found the overall crop ?) and then use quicktime to export with letterbox

2) why is it not good to set the sequence settings at 2048x871 and render ? i still have the full frame and it's easier than to crop every shots.

3) using compressor for exporting, in the settings there is a crop option but this is deforming the image because it fits to the 16/9 format full screen, there is no options to encode using letterbox or is there any ?

4) and this is an additional question, what is the workflow to get the best quality on a dvd (still using only final cut and/or compressor)

 

[Dominic Jones]

i am sorry i am french

Don't worry, we'll let you off! ;-)

Just kidding!!

In regard to your Qs:

1) Either way is fine - I tend to put a slug over the top masked to the correct AR, as this means there's less likelihood of missing a shot and makes it easier to re-frame the odd shot if you want to - otherwise you can copy a clip with the masking applied, highlight the rest and use paste attributes to automate the clip-by-clip method.

2) In my experience FCP doesn't seem to like non-standard resolutions very much (probably where your green line problem is coming from). Also, for HD/DVD outputs you need to have a 16:9 frame that's letterboxed, so what are you saving working your way? If you use the slug method above for letterboxing, then you don't lose any of your ability to re-frame.

3) Exactly my point above - work in a standard 16:9 frame and all those problems go away...

4) Pass - compression isn't really my thing (on the deliverables side, at least) - hopefully someone else will chime in here.

Hope that helps mate, and happy cutting!...
Dom.