Another After Effects Question
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- nearestexit
So I have a video I've created. It will be playing on a 1920x1080 display. The composition in After Effects is 1920x1080. When I export this, do I need to keep it the same dimension? How do I work some magic with compression settings so that its dimensions might be closer to that of a DVD but it would fill the screen? Don't DVD videos do this?
- locustsloth0
What are you using to get it from the exported file from AFX to a DVD?
- daveglanz0
If you're displaying it on DVD, then you'll want a version that is 720 x 486, non square pixels. You can either create an anamorphic version of your HD comp by scaling it to fit inside 720x486 (bring the comp in and hit command-option-F), or a widescreen version that is letter-boxed.
If it's on BluRay, well, that's a different story. I'm guessing you can keep it as is. Either way, BluRay or DVD, you'll want to do the compression in DVD Studio Pro or Apple's Compressor program.
- In DVD Studio Pro, there's an option for display called 16:9 widescreen - I think that's what you want if you go with anamorphic.
daveglanz
- In DVD Studio Pro, there's an option for display called 16:9 widescreen - I think that's what you want if you go with anamorphic.
- epikore0
speaking of after effects, how do you crop?
- crop what?
locustsloth - no cropping, you can change the composition size (command-K).daveglanz
- crop what?
- locustsloth0
i concur with everything dave is saying above. The best way to ensure it's going to look how you expect it to (if you are using DVD Studio Pro) is to make a new comp using the NTSC Widescreen preset and then nest your original comp in there. You'll be able to see if and where it's not fitting., the pixel aspect ratio will be right. All you'll need to do is export it and compress it into an m2v in compressor (NTSC 90min 16:9, i'm guessing)
- nearestexit0
it's not playing on a dvd. i was just using that as an example, that a dvd video could go full screen on a display and still look relatively crisp. is it the codec that does it? regardless of that, does it make sense to have even created this file at the dimensions (1920x1080)?
- locustsloth0
In my experience, it only makes sense to make a comp that big if the end user is playing the movie file directly from their harddrive or you are burning to an HD disc (which i've never done). Otherwise you're going to be scaling it down anyway and sometimes the higher res ends up creating moire-ing (the vibrating lines thing). Then you have to go back an apply a flicker filter or whatever
- nearestexit0
ya, the file will be played from a harddrive. it's for a kiosk.
- locustsloth0
In that case keep it at that size. What are they looking for, an MPEG2 at that size with the audio muxed in (not as a seperate AIF or AC3)? The only program i found that would do that for me (on a mac) is Episode. It's pricey, but worth it if you see yourself doing this kind of compression/conversion a lot. In my experience with amking stuff for kiosks, Apple Compressor won't let you change the size of the MPEG2, even if you do a custom setting. But maybe i'm just doing it wrong
- LIoyd0
your computer will most likely stutter playing back a movie at 1920x resolution.
if you continue to work at such a high resolution, i would ultimately burn it to dvd, and play it off that for the kiosk.
otherwise here are the resolutions recommended for full screen presentations:
720x540 standard video - square pixels
854x480 widescreen video - square pixels- You're not supposed to make serious posts?kalkal
- check the name spelling kalkal. It's not who you think. Or at least not who i think you think it islocustsloth
- I thought they were all trolls!kalkal
- i told you i am Llyod's alter ego! the good one (most of the time)LIoyd
- nearestexit0
so, if i use the lower resolution, and the video is then blown up to fill the screen, what's the best compression setting to use so it doesn't look pixelated?
- nearestexit0
apple
- i use apple pixlet compression.
works great every timeLIoyd
- i use apple pixlet compression.
- nearestexit0
wait, do you mean what am i using or what will the machine delivering the video be using. I'm on a mac, i think the kiosk will be a pc.
- not sure if pixlet compression will transfer to a pc... do a test maybe?LIoyd
- locustsloth0
Assuming you are using DVD Studio Pro to author the DVD, i think the best would be (in Apple's Compressor) DVD: Best Quality 90 minutes - 16:9. You can always make a copy of the setting and tweak the data rate, but you don't want to make it too high or the machine might choke.
Are you setting up the kiosk yourself? If not, i would contact whoever is and make sure you are giving them what they want. Sometimes they are very specific.
- nearestexit0
thanks all. i'll try the suggestions but it looks like i need some more info. one final question, what kind of file size should i be aiming for? right now, the animation is simply newspaper headlines fading in and out. the entire shot is about 90 seconds long. I'm taking lloyds advice and shrinking down to 854x480...what should an approximate file size be for this?
- With compression i always start with a preset and then p the datat ate if i need better quality. At 90 sec, the file shouldn't be very biglocustsloth
- very biglocustsloth
- what preset do you use. i'm trying pixlet compression first as lloyd suggested.nearestexit
- nearestexit0
thanks again lloyd and locustsloth
- no prob. it's like penance for all the inane humor i spout around herelocustsloth
- locustsloth0
i'm ususally going to a DVD so i use what i mentioned above. Try the pixlet if you're not going to DVD. Let us know how it turns out. i'm betting you'll find the kiosk operator/setter-upper/whatever will have specific settings in mind