Exporting 16:9 - Letterboxing and true

[kingkezz]

Sorry if this has been asked before - I did a search and couldn't find anything.

So I've got this completed movie I shot in 16:9. I'm wanting to export this both in letterbox form for 4:3 DVD and true 16:9 for the web.

Currently whenever I export using Quicktime or Compressor (web streaming for Quicktime 7) it exports 16:9 but squeezes it into 4:3.

I'm sure it's really simple...thanks in advance for your help.

[Carl Spackler]

Originally Posted by kingkezz

Sorry if this has been asked before - I did a search and couldn't find anything.

So I've got this completed movie I shot in 16:9. I'm wanting to export this both in letterbox form for 4:3 DVD and true 16:9 for the web.

Currently whenever I export using Quicktime or Compressor (web streaming for Quicktime 7) it exports 16:9 but squeezes it into 4:3.

I'm sure it's really simple...thanks in advance for your help.

I'm not 100% sure this advice is correct, but in Compressor, browse to the actual preset. Under one of the tabs, you may need to ensure that pixel aspect is correct. If it's set to square, it could be forcing the letterbox. I believe there is also a "letterbox" option that might be throwing things off.

Sorry if this is totally inaccurate, but it might put you down the right path. I'm sadly not at my Mac right now.

[Keebler]

hey king,

try the apple boards. if you're using final cut, then you change your sequence settings to 4:3 anamorphic will retain the letterbox look for 4:3 and then go widescreen for 16:9 TVs. not sure about the web export, but i'm sure it's similar...

[evil_santa]

when you export with compressor make sure the Pixel Aspect is set to Anamorphic for 16x9. Then to make the 4x3 letterbox, create a new sequence in FCP that is 4x3 and drop your 16x9 sequence into it. then export this as a 4x3 qt file.

[kingkezz]

thanks guys!

[kingkezz]

Hi again guys.

Sorry, I'm having some real trouble here. I succesfully exported using compressor 16x9. But what I'm really having trouble doing is exporting to 4:3 with letterboxing.

I'm wanting to export using compressor, to Quicktime 7 (Web streaming) 300kbps. It's HDV 1440x1280 (or whatever it is) and I need it to go to 4:3 with letterboxing.

Currently its just squeezing everything into 4:3. I've tried changing the pixel aspect ratio to 4:3 anamorphic but it still squeezes.

Can somebody please clarify this for me and tell me what I'm doing wrong. Ive never used compressor before and any advice would be great.

Cheers.

[evil_santa]

What I put in my last post will work, I dont think comressor will re-aspect your clip. You have to get the clip 4x3 letterboxed before it goes in to compressor.

Originally Posted by evil_santa

Then to make the 4x3 letterbox, create a new sequence in FCP that is 4x3 and drop your 16x9 sequence into it. then export this as a 4x3 qt file.

[funwithstuff]

Originally Posted by kingkezz

Hi again guys.

Sorry, I'm having some real trouble here. I succesfully exported using compressor 16x9. But what I'm really having trouble doing is exporting to 4:3 with letterboxing.

I'm wanting to export using compressor, to Quicktime 7 (Web streaming) 300kbps. It's HDV 1440x1280 (or whatever it is) and I need it to go to 4:3 with letterboxing.

Currently its just squeezing everything into 4:3. I've tried changing the pixel aspect ratio to 4:3 anamorphic but it still squeezes.

Can somebody please clarify this for me and tell me what I'm doing wrong. Ive never used compressor before and any advice would be great.

Cheers.

If there's an anamorphic checkbox, it's true widescreen, not letterboxed 4:3. An HDV source is 1440x1080 anamorphic widescreen (stretches to 1920x1080 for playback), and so will need to have black bars added to maintain the correct aspect ratio in a 4:3 movie. (As you've found, to create a true widescreen clip is easy.)

There are (at least) two ways to do this.

One, as someone else in this thread suggested, make a new 4:3 sequence in Final Cut Pro (*don't* check "anamorphic"), then drop your widescreen sequence into this. You'll see black bars top and bottom, and it'll require rendering, but you can safely export this to a 4:3 clip through Compressor.

Two, export through QuickTime Player. Open your anamorphic widescreen movie, and make sure it's displaying in the correct aspect ratio (no black bars). You might need to force the size to 1920x1080 in the Visual Settings tab of the Video track in Movie Properties.

Choose File > Export, choose QuickTime Movie, then choose the QuickTime Streaming option you need. Click "Options...". Click "Size...". Click "Preserve Aspect Ratio using…" and choose "Letterbox" from the menu. Hit OK a lot. Done. There may be a similar function in Compressor but I don't have that handy.

Good luck!

PS. If you want to vote for my film "Airport" in the Portable Film Festival, I won't stop you.

http://portablefilmfestival.com/

[evil_santa]

Originally Posted by funwithstuff

One, as someone else in this thread suggested, make a new 4:3 sequence in Final Cut Pro (*don't* check "anamorphic"), then drop your widescreen sequence into this. You'll see black bars top and bottom, and it'll require rendering, but you can safely export this to a 4:3 clip through Compressor.

I have mentioned it Twice & now a third time! on my system a PAL/SD this process does not requite any rendering.

[kingkezz]

Originally Posted by evil_santa

I have mentioned it Twice & now a third time! on my system a PAL/SD this process does not requite any rendering.

Yes, but if you'd read the post you'd have seen it was for HDV.

Thankyou for your help <b>funwithstuff</b> there are so many things to change in sequence settings in FCP - frankly it scares me. But I got it sorted now. Cheers.

Nice concept with the film to.