2:35:1 editing
 

Tim, I hope your out there. Doesn't seem as if a lot of people know about this subject. Is it easier to get a 2:35:1 effect by programming the JVC to film in the format, or to film in 16x9 and add the letterbox effect in FCP? And can you give me some guidance on how to do both. Thx.

Hey Lee

I always film in 16:9. Then I cut the 2 black stripes away with Sorenson software! The advantage of filming in 16:9 and edit it with the letterbox on it, is that you can adjust the frame vertically in postproduction. I like it that way!

You can see an example of one of my 2:35:1 movies on: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/xh-serie...fd-lenses.html

Greetings from Belgium
Gerdy

Thx Gerdy,
you make a valid point. That would give me more leeway while filming. I don't have Sorenson, can you do it in native FCP?

That's something I don't know. I'm using Premiere Pro CS4 on Windows 7, and you can't do that with Premiere only, so... I'm not working with Final Cut.

Have a nice day!

Great piece, out of curiosity how did you do your squares in the movie?

Thanks Lee,

You mean how I edited the 1st part of the Restaurant-movie? Just worked with layers and added crop filters and motion keyframes in Premiere. That project was made in Pro 2.0. Now I have the CS4.

I used the curves to make smooth motions. I don't know how you do it with Final Cut but I guess it's a little bit the same progress. The stripes were made with New > Title.

Greetings from Belgium

shoot in 16x9 making sure you crop your lcd properly for adding the black bars on the top and bottom in post. In FCP there is an actual VFX plugin that adds a perfect 2.35:1 mask. I cant remember what its called but it IS there and I've used it tons of times. You can select from all different crops including 1.85:1, 2.35, 2.50 and anything in between really.

Just make sure you give head room for your shoot so your black bars in post don't cover peoples heads so much.

you can use the information overlay in your VF to kind of figure out where the lines would most likely come down to. The bottom of the text on the top line and the top of the text in the bottom of the VF should give you a good idea of where the extra space where the bars would be, are.

Right Idea, but making it too hard.
 

Gerdy and Giuseppe are totally right, but there's an easier way in both FCP and PPro. I use both, FCP at work and PPro for my personal projects.

In either software I find it super easy to just use a Photoshop file of the aspect ratio you want to use as a mask then move each clip up or down using each software's motion controls. It's easier in FCP, but you can do it in both.

I use After Effects a lot during the finishing stages especially on my personal projects. You can open a PPro timeline in AE and use AE to manipulate the clip's position and do all the color grading and the like at the same time. This process works great for me.

Hey guys, was messing around FCP and found that it has it built in to the program. Already has several different sized letter boxes preprogrammed. LOL :)