When you’re finished with your edit, you almost always will want a very high quality standalone movie exported.
This way, now or anytime in the future, you can:
- encode this movie to x264, H264, FLV or WMV (or any other format) with DV Kitchen
- drag it into DVD Studio Pro or iDVD to author an SD DVD
- import it into Encore or Toast to author a Blu-Ray DVD
- take it on a Firewire drive to a dub house to transfer to a broadcast format for cable/satellite, or for a film festival
- or any other conceivable use.
You can copy the exported movie to a cheap terabyte Firewire or even USB drive to archive it and save room on your main drives.
But the first step is exporting a high quality movie.
Here are the steps:
1. |
In Final Cut Pro, go to File > Export Using Quicktime Conversion
In iMovie, go to Share > Export Using Quicktime |
2. |
Choose ”Quicktime Movie” (or ”Movie to Quicktime Movie” in some applications) from the format popup menu
|
3. |
Click the “Options” button:
|
4. |
Click the “Settings” button in the Video panel and set Compression Type to PNG and Depth to Millions of Colors.
|
5. |
Click “Size” and choose “Current” from the menu.
We generally recommend checking “Deinterlace”. But what if your footage was shot progressive? Like 24p pr 30p? Well, if you shot 24p, and are editing in a 60i timeline, you still have interlacing due to the 2:3 pulldown. Also, if you edited your show in an interlaced timeline, any title moves, animations, zooms and pans of still images or even dissolves will appear interlaced, and you will get better perceived quality if you deinterlace. The only exception to this would be if you are editing in a progressive timeline. |
6. |
Click the “Settings” button in the Sound panel and set it up like this:
|
7. |
Uncheck “Prepare for Internet Streaming”, then click “OK” and “Save”. |
That’s it!
Well, that makes since, however, would it not be super large, like if you where running a 30 minute film it would be easy 7 GB so, that will not really work for the web….
[Reply]
Once you’ve exported using this method, you can encode into any format with the best possible results.
[Reply]
I’m trying this method right now but I have a question. Are you saying to export to this uncompressed format, then take that into Compressor to make the m2v files or are you saying avoid Compressor and take the uncompressed files directly into DVDSP and let that encode the m2v files?
Thanks,
Dan
[Reply]
Daniel, you can do either, the quality is the same. Try both and see which you prefer.
[Reply]
I have done what you said with the exporting process within FCP, and the file is 80+GBs. When I import it into DVDSP and starting encoding the file, the video bit-rate was too high came up. I went into preferences and lowered the minimal and max size to 5mb/s and 7mb/s and it still did it. Any ideas?
Thank you
[Reply]
The longer your video, the lower you have to go with your bitrate. Try a bitrate calculator (there are many on the web)
[Reply]
Using your settings, my export from FCP went up from 45minutes to 7 hours for a 110min video.
[Reply]
Turns out it eats up a lot more disk space (well, duh). I ran out space, so I can’t report back about my results.
I will run a short test using the new settings and compare it to the old settings.
[Reply]
I tried burning a disk using IDVD with the source being uncompressed Quicktime 4:2:2 8 bit… and have field image break ups. Does IDVD (consumer verison included in “I Life” package) not do uncompressed video?
[Reply]
Please ask questions in our forums:
http://dvcreators.net/discuss
[Reply]
I’m digitizing 8-bits uncompressed and encoding with compressor to mpeg2 dvd best quality 90 minutes… DVDSP4 gives me the error… I import the Uncompressed file to DVDSP4 and let it do the encoding, and still gives me the error…
i little help would be nice! thanx!
[Reply]
What error?
[Reply]
Thanks a lot for this tip!!!
It´s works fine !!
[Reply]
Hi, I read your suggestion and I try it, but that’s waht happend I capture some test clips like 45 seconds, from a mini Dv panasonic camcorder usin the easy setup from FCP 5, DV-NTSC (match the sequence to that settings) and exported using the current settings method then I used you’r method, then I view the two exported clips in quick time and I was very happy with the cuality of the titles in the 8 bit format there were great. Then I make a DVD using iDVD and when I look the clips in my TV the DV look good and the 8 bit look like crap, so I re-capture the clip using the 8 bit uncompressed settings (match the sequence to that settings) and exported using the 8 bit uncompressed make another DVD in iDVD and the titles still look bad in my TV. I’m doing something wrong?
Thanks
[Reply]
HI,
i’ve been trying your suggestion and i’m quite satisfied with the result.
i used idvd after exporting my video clip in uncompressed 8-bit.
after burning it’s all fine.
but now my question is, i need to give the file to my boss and he will himself include the clip to a final dvd.
when we export using quictime movie, the file is using FCP application to play it but i don’t really know if they are using FCP or Premiere. is there an export that still keeps the same quality but become a quictime file so they can use it with different players other than just FCP.
it need to be as good quality as possible and i’m working with Dance video so there’s a lots of fast movement.
i would really appriciate if you can help me since i’m fighting with this exporting since ever!!!
other wise if i’m burning the dvd myself it’s just perfect and i thanks you again for the tip.
[Reply]
Hi,
I’m reading that it’s better to export to dvd-r 4x or lower for good results. Is this true? What’s the difference between 4x and 16x?
Also, a very basic question (first time exporting to dvd) - does my project remain as it was in the fcp timeline even after export - that is, am I exporting a duplicate of the project or the actual project?.
I have about 86 minutes, shot on mini dv PAL & need to create dvds for film festivals and tv braodcast. Please, explain it to me as if I were a child!!!
Thanks.
Billy.
[Reply]
I am tring to export my final project, it is a wedding so the video is 1hr.58min. and i have been tring to export as a mov or in comppression now i am working on hd formate i understand that it is a huge file etc. what is the best setting in hd to export from compressor, and when i did the project it compressed at 20 gig. i know that is to big but i did a test and tried to import into dvdspro 4 and it says incompatible file, everytime…HHHEEELLLPPP
[Reply]
Howdy,
I followed the procedure. My movie is 17:41 min. long anamorphic (2:35:1). When I export uncompressed as suggested the movie gets cut off at 14:10 min. I tried opening in both FCP and Quicktime. Same result.
Everything has been rendered. If I export using Quicktime Conversion iinstead, at HD DVCPRO 720p60 at 24fps I don’t have any probleems and the movie will get exported in its entirety.
I have a 24 inch Intel Core Duo Mac with 1 GB RAM. 23 GB available in hard drive (after movie has been exported), using FCP 5.1.4.
1. What happened with the remaining footage? Why is the movie getting cutoff?
2. Also, when exported uncompressed, why is the movie not in anamorphic format?
3. Will I get a similar result (in terms of quality) if I export using HD DVCPRO 720p60 instead of uncoompressed?
Any suggestions will be very much appreciated.
Fernando
[Reply]
Just to clarify, did you guys turn on the “High Quality” toggle (apple-J in quicktime pro, inside video track) when viewed in Quicktime? It’s normally turned off, resulting in bad image “viewing” quality. However it should still look fine once you put it into DVDSP and rendered.
IMHO, DV’s good for 80-90% of the applications out there… while 8-bit uncompressed is only for “ABSOLUTE” pro work. Even then, if your original source was DV then you are just decompressing them, recompressing them, and then compressing again (DV -> 8-bit -> MPEG2). This is redundant, time consuming, space-hogging, and the resulting quality isn’t that much better.
The only reason for me to use 8-bit uncompressed is if my original sources where Digital-Beta from film or something, and I’ve captured it uncompressed to begin with.
[Reply]
Only titles, graphics and animations will benefit (quite a bit, as seen above) from exporting uncompressed. DV footage won’t look any better.
[Reply]
As long as you render the titles, graphics and animations in a uncompressed timeline.
If you render them in a DV timeline quality still gets lost.
So if you’re working DV/HDV render your fx/titles to 8 bit /10 bit SD or ProRes. Export quicktime movie uncompressed. And encode in application of choice.
[Reply]
How can you do this for Final Cut Express? When you choose to export to quicktime, it does not offer any settings options!
[Reply]
I’m with Randy on the FCE question. I’m having a horrible time exporting a decent copy of my game footage.
[Reply]
With FCE, you could output with QT Conversion, then choose PJPEG at 75% or better.
[Reply]
I did the png export with a 24p 16:9 project, following the directions here precisely. The titles look great but when I create a dvd in idvd using the 16:9 setting, it seems to be letterboxing it. I do not have the “preserve aspect ratio with letterbox” checked. It doesn’t seem to matter if I convert from the original fcp movie to h.264 or use the fcp movie (which is beautiful quality 16:9 and not letterboxed in QT). As soon as the dvd pops out, it will only play on the pro monitor correctly with the 4:3 setting. On the 16:9 setting, it is stretched. I have successfully made 16:9 dvd’s using the regular dv export from FCP but at the cost of my titles looking bad so I don’t want to go backwards. Any idea if there is something in the png codec that maintains the 720×480 aspect regardless of the aspect of the actual project? Is there a fix? Am I missing something? I am baffled. Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks.
[Reply]
Did you create a 16:9 project in iDVD?
[Reply]
Yes. This is why I am baffled. Everything seems to be set up correctly but the mysterious letterboxing still occurs.
[Reply]
Hmmm… can you post your question in the forums? People who use iDVD a lot than me are there…
Here is the link:
http://www.dvcreators.net/discuss/forumdisplay.php?f=45
[Reply]
I’m currently trying to import a Qtime movie created in FCP into DVDsp. it wont allow me to import as an asset claiming unsupported format. i understand i need to convert my original film in FCP using Export-Qtime conversion- then putting the format to Mpeg2… in my format drop down menu i have no Mpeg2 option only Mpeg4. Any ideas??
[Reply]
Just export using the procedure in the article above, then let DVDSP encode your assets.
[Reply]
I performed the test using a 60i timeline with DV footage. I did a test
1. Using export to compressor and
2. export with PNG as you stated above.
Then I used compressor with 90 min dvd best quality on both sources. I then created DVD using DVD Studio Pro.
The method using PNG creates much more artifacts and interlacing issues when there is motion in the video vs export using compressor via dv. Any thoughts?
Thanks.
[Reply]
Both those methods will output an interlaced movie if the footage and sequence were interlaced.
Are you saying when you export to compressor your video is getting deinterlaced?
Do you want your video deinterlaced?
Where are you seeing interlacing, DVD preview? On a TV?
[Reply]
Sorry Josh for the lack of clarity. The footage is DV 29.97/60i footage. It is on 29.97 ntsc timeline with DV codec.
As far as the quality of the footage…..when the comedian (in this case) moves quickly on the stage you see much more of an “interlaced artifacts” (like more lines in the footage) vs the footage that was exporting using the DV codec. So I dont know how to answer the question of do I want it deinterlaced or not. I want the best footage. The PNG footage is not as “smooth” during motion as the DV codec. I see this issue both in the quicktime movie and when I go to DVD. I am viewing on Plasma monitor.
Thx,
Guy
[Reply]
….Using a burned dvd
[Reply]
If your DVD looks “jittery” this is probably the cause:
http://www.dvcreators.net/why-is-motion-in-my-dvds-so-jittery-and-stroby/
[Reply]
I’ll check it out. But once again I burned two copies one using PNG and one using DV codec (directly to compressor). I used the DVD 90 best quality setting in compressor for both. The DVD without using PNG worked fine. It is the PNG version that is jittery but only on rapid motion parts.
Thx
[Reply]
Because you use the word “jittery” my guess is that Compressor is reversing the fields.
[Reply]
Not a great defintion - I know. So i googled some more and came up with a way to describe it which actually came from one of your posts
-
” interlacing artifact called “combing” on the blue circle, because it was moving between fields. Combing is also referred to as “interlacing artifacts”, “serrated edges”, “the jaggies”, “weird horizontal lines” or “mice teeth.”
That, above, is what I am referring to. Once again this happens where the person is moving quickly in the footage. Compressor 3.0 is not the issue. Field dominance is set to automatic, which is the same compressor setting used for the footage created file-export->using compressor…. So my point is for me, I do not get a better quality DVD using the PNG method stated above. I may try uncompressed and see if that is a problem.
Thx,
Guy
[Reply]
Josh Reply:
December 10th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
You will only get better quality using PNG on titles and graphics, not footage.
[Reply]
Hi there,
When I’m exporting an edit from FCE with the H264 codec I Loose contrast and saturation. And checking the Internet I’m not the only one with this problem.
Will the workflow at the beginning of this topic solve this problem and will I get the colors, saturation and contrast like I see/edit the footage in FCE?
Michel
[Reply]
Josh Reply:
December 10th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
First, if you are talking about the Canvas Window, it is not giving you an accurate picture of your footage.
Read these articles:
http://www.dvcreators.net/tag/monitoring/
[Reply]
I did the steps with FCE. And then used DVKitchen. But the film is looking the same as exporting directly to QT (H264). More washed out and loosing saturation. And I though that this problem would be solved with DV Kitchen.
I’m I doing something wrong?
[Reply]
Now I see that I have to choose de X264 encode en not (ofcourse) the H264. Didn’t see that on the bottom of the menu the first time. Now it is working fine with the colrs and saturation I edited in FCE. Great.
thanxs
Michel
[Reply]
Josh Reply:
December 10th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Great, glad to hear it.
[Reply]
I Used PNG in FCE. Is it better to use JPG >75%
Michel
[Reply]
Josh Reply:
December 10th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I like PNG better because it is lossless, and preserves the gamma- JPEG makes the image a little darker.
[Reply]
Now I did a test (yes its a very short film..) and in FCE I used the x264 codec directly, with the same settings as I used in DV Kitchen. And now it also looks like in FCE. So at this point it looks like there is no reason to go through DVkitchen? Or am I overlooking something?
Michel
[Reply]
Josh Reply:
December 10th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
You can do this, but you will have to set up the same settings over and over and over every time you export. Soon you will want to throw your computer out the window, which is not good for your computer
Also, to find the best settings, SampleLab is the only efficient way to determine the best bitrate. And without DV Kitchen, you lose all the other features, uploading, HTML page and code creation, shadowbox, Flash and WMV encoding, the bitraterate budget calculator, and so on.
I designed DV Kitchen so that I would never have to go through these nightmares again. And now, you don’t have to, either!
[Reply]