FCP 16:9 issue
 

Hello All,

I am editing a dance show - the first half in one sequence and the second half in another. when I went to conbine them, I noticed my problem; The one sequence the aspect ratio is fine at 16:9, the second sequence is 16:9 with black bars on top and bottom so that it is actually a smaller picture. I have checked every single setting and cannot figure out what I did wrong or how to correct it. Please Help!!

If everything was shot on the same camera, I would check the sequence settings first- make sure that they match. even if they do, on the one that doesn't look right, load the correct preset again. just remember to remove the sequence from the timeline before you change the settings. Also, just check in the browser panel where you see all your clips together with all the settings- and you should be able to see any differences between clips, sequences etc.

Double click the clips and go into motion. Open "distort" and set the aspect ratio of the clip to 0. That'll match it to the clip to the current sequence.
(But check the above suggestion first.)

I tried that and the same results - in the browser everything is the same. I "match frame" and the original clip comes up unsquashed in the viewer. However as soon as I play the clip[ in sequence - squashed 16:9. I can't figure this out!! I know it has to be something simple....

Daniel - You saved me!!! why is this happening and how did you know that was the cure?

Well, it's probably related to it being anamorphic.
The clips might not import as anamorphic by default, and it's a bit buggy.
Then your sequence is anamorphic (which makes sense), then you import these [assumed to be] 4:3 clips, and... problem. Or vice versa.

How? I've had the same thing happened and needed to find a workaround.

The other way to get around this would be to just use a 4:3 sequence (or anamorphic, depending on what's going wrong, exactly-- I'd need to see it to really know). But if you change this after you've imported clips, it keeps the relationship (ie that aspect ratio value), so it might get wider, but then the letterboxed clips would, etc.

I'd recommend just editing with a sequence that matches your footage (change the settings on your footage if you can, to what you want), then you can always make it anamorphic later.

You could also do this for a sequence when importing the clips to it and placing them, and once most of your clips are place you could then change it to the right settings and the clips should then all change with it. Then you'd save yourself going into the distort options for every clip (and just need to do it for anything you import after that).