Best options in FCP for uploading to YouTube?

[Chad Hucal]

Hi Everyone,

I'm going to start uploading content to YouTube and Vimeo soon and I'm looking for direction on what I can do to get the best results. I have two different set ups I'm hoping for input on.

Set Up 1;
This is an older project in SD 4:3. I have the video letterboxed but YouTube recommends not doing this on 4:3 videos as their new 16:9 window will add pillar bars on the side. They explain it here; Learn More : Optimizing your video uploads - YouTube Help

So how do I get the unletterboxed part of my video to fill the 16:9 window on YouTube. Should I export my 4:3 video to my desktop or wherever and then open a new 16:9 FCP project, import the 4:3 video and fit it to the 16:9 window? Then export that video for upload to YouTube?

Any input on export settings would be helpful too. For starters I'll make sure the video isn't interlaced.

Set Up 2;
This is a newer project in HD 16:9. Shot with a Sony EX1 in 1080 30p. What's the best way for resizing to 720 and what export setting do I want to get the best results?

Thanks for any help.

[Nick Wilson]

For setup 2, have a look at Encoding for YouTube Part 3...HD Strikes Back