NLE Mac / Final Cut questions from 2004

John Paulsel · January 14th, 2004, 04:35 PM

O.K., I'm an old multi-image slide guy. Back before the big one (desktop video), we used feathered masks to blend multiple images together vs. a sharp, hard edge. It doesn't seem like such an unusual thing to want to do in video, but I can't seem to find anything in Premiere 6.5 that would allow me to do it. There is a filter called edge feather or something like that...seems logical but it doesn't really do much of anything. I'm assuming either Premiere can't do it or I can't find the right combination of things to make it happen, or I need to get out my slide projectors again (please save me from that).

Any thoughts? I appreciate the advice. Oh, if Premiere doesn't do it, is there anything out there in Mac land that does?

Thanks!

Rob Lohman · January 15th, 2004, 05:13 AM

I highly doubt Premiere 6.5 would have that tool. Basically it's
what they made After Effects for. You might have more luck with
the new Premiere Pro, but since I haven't looked at that package
yet I'm unsure whether it has that feature.

I do believe that feathered masks is still more of a high-end tool
that perhaps is more common in compositing applications then
NLE's.

John Paulsel · January 16th, 2004, 07:08 AM

Here's another one for my boss who just upgraded to FCP4 from FCX on his home system. Using a G5 and a Panasonic 2000 deck, he gets VTR O.K. but still lacks control from the computer when attempting to log and capture. In Express, it worked just fine. I use Premiere so I've not been much help.
Is there someplace where he must select the Panasonic deck in order for it to work? (that's what you do in Premiere.) He didn't seem to think he had to specify.

Thanks for the help!

Peter Wiley · January 17th, 2004, 09:02 AM

Check this list of compatable equip. on the Apple Web Site:

http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/qualification.html

May point you in the right direction

Jeff Donald · January 17th, 2004, 11:15 AM

Has your Boss read the built in help info on this subject? FCP has a help button on the menu button he can access. It clearly explains how to set-up compatible decks for FCP machine control.

If it doesn't work after setting up per the instructions (assuming the deck is FCP certified) then you might try disconnecting all FireWire inputs (camera, drives, burners etc.) except the deck. Restart and try starting the FCP while the unit powered on etc. The FireWire drivers can be finicky about how and when some decks are powered up. Try different combos and post back if he is still having problems.

David Slingerland · January 18th, 2004, 03:54 PM

all of a sudden (although I guess thats not really true)Quicktime will no longer open up any mediafiles.mov or anything at all. It keeps saying it is not able to open file because of unknown error error number 27728.
Does anybody know what is the problem? I am thinking of getting the installer and reinstalling Quicktime or going back to version 6.4
thanks

Rob Lohman · January 18th, 2004, 04:18 PM

I'd just re-install first to see what that does. Looks like it can't
find a playback codec or something.

David Slingerland · January 18th, 2004, 04:48 PM

I did reinstall and yes it works now...I suspect it has something to do with mpeg2 codec installer I have. but thanks Rob... everything fine out there?

Ted Springer · January 18th, 2004, 05:53 PM

I was checking out Shake on the Apple web page, and it looks like After Effects on steriods costing thousands more for some reason.

Does anyone use this software? If so, how is it better than After Effects? Am I totally wrong in assuming that it is an After Effects style of program?

Jeff Donald · January 18th, 2004, 07:30 PM

I've only played with Shake at various Trade Shows. It was a purchase by Apple, they are not the original developer. My understanding is that it has very fast rendering and previews. I think this is a major difference over AE. It also integrates with Maya better. Several years ago I had to learn Maya for a client, because of the compatibility of both programs using the same IFF files. I was told that AE didn't support IFF files, I don't know if that has changed.

Dan Brown · January 18th, 2004, 09:15 PM

Looking for recommendations on how to learn FCE2? Is there a pretty good tutorial built-in? What about Apple's Self-Paced training program? Any other good training/learning resources? My only NLE experience is withiMovie.

Thanks.

Rob Lohman · January 19th, 2004, 03:09 AM

Glad you got it to work! Everything great here. Trying to write
a few scripts!

Jeff Donald · January 19th, 2004, 06:44 AM

I've heard good things about the self paced training course. I haven't seen the materials, so I don't know how basic the instruction is.

Christian Hede Madsen · January 19th, 2004, 01:43 PM

Hi ewerybody...

Last night I edited a skate-video for fun. I converted my soundtrack to Aiff-format as I allways do before I import it to Final Cut Pro(3).

But when I Printed my project back to my camera(a DCR-PC6) I heard some "schratchy-noises"( The sound was starting and stopping, starting and stopping) on my soundtrack... They were very annoying and more important, they were not in my project when I saw it on my computer....

What can the reason be to this??

PLEASE HELP ME....

Chr

David Phillips · January 19th, 2004, 01:50 PM

Mac G4
FCP 3

Can anyone tell me why the audio slips out of sync when re-capturing from a master even though it has been mixed-down.
On re-capture it always goes out by 2 frames. It's not hard to correct but is it possible to avoid the prob?
Regards to all.

January 14th, 2004, 04:35 PM	#76
John Paulsel Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Pendleton (near Indianapolis), Indiana USA Posts: 49	Softedge blends in Premiere? O.K., I'm an old multi-image slide guy. Back before the big one (desktop video), we used feathered masks to blend multiple images together vs. a sharp, hard edge. It doesn't seem like such an unusual thing to want to do in video, but I can't seem to find anything in Premiere 6.5 that would allow me to do it. There is a filter called edge feather or something like that...seems logical but it doesn't really do much of anything. I'm assuming either Premiere can't do it or I can't find the right combination of things to make it happen, or I need to get out my slide projectors again (please save me from that). Any thoughts? I appreciate the advice. Oh, if Premiere doesn't do it, is there anything out there in Mac land that does? Thanks! __________________ John Paulsel Highpoint Productions "I'd do it for free but I don't!"

January 15th, 2004, 05:13 AM	#77
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I highly doubt Premiere 6.5 would have that tool. Basically it's what they made After Effects for. You might have more luck with the new Premiere Pro, but since I haven't looked at that package yet I'm unsure whether it has that feature. I do believe that feathered masks is still more of a high-end tool that perhaps is more common in compositing applications then NLE's. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 16th, 2004, 07:08 AM	#78
John Paulsel Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Pendleton (near Indianapolis), Indiana USA Posts: 49	Deck Control in FCP4 Here's another one for my boss who just upgraded to FCP4 from FCX on his home system. Using a G5 and a Panasonic 2000 deck, he gets VTR O.K. but still lacks control from the computer when attempting to log and capture. In Express, it worked just fine. I use Premiere so I've not been much help. Is there someplace where he must select the Panasonic deck in order for it to work? (that's what you do in Premiere.) He didn't seem to think he had to specify. Thanks for the help! __________________ John Paulsel Highpoint Productions "I'd do it for free but I don't!"

January 17th, 2004, 11:15 AM	#80
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Has your Boss read the built in help info on this subject? FCP has a help button on the menu button he can access. It clearly explains how to set-up compatible decks for FCP machine control. If it doesn't work after setting up per the instructions (assuming the deck is FCP certified) then you might try disconnecting all FireWire inputs (camera, drives, burners etc.) except the deck. Restart and try starting the FCP while the unit powered on etc. The FireWire drivers can be finicky about how and when some decks are powered up. Try different combos and post back if he is still having problems. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 18th, 2004, 03:54 PM	#81
David Slingerland Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Soest ,Holland Posts: 307	quicktime 6.5 no longer works!! all of a sudden (although I guess thats not really true)Quicktime will no longer open up any mediafiles.mov or anything at all. It keeps saying it is not able to open file because of unknown error error number 27728. Does anybody know what is the problem? I am thinking of getting the installer and reinstalling Quicktime or going back to version 6.4 thanks __________________ D.Slingerland director/cameraman http://www.slingerlandproductions.nl

January 17th, 2004, 09:02 AM	#79
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	Check this list of compatable equip. on the Apple Web Site: http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/qualification.html May point you in the right direction

January 18th, 2004, 04:18 PM	#82
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I'd just re-install first to see what that does. Looks like it can't find a playback codec or something. __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 18th, 2004, 04:48 PM	#83
David Slingerland Major Player Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Soest ,Holland Posts: 307	I did reinstall and yes it works now...I suspect it has something to do with mpeg2 codec installer I have. but thanks Rob... everything fine out there? __________________ D.Slingerland director/cameraman http://www.slingerlandproductions.nl

January 18th, 2004, 05:53 PM	#84
Ted Springer Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Glendale CA Posts: 328	Anyone use Shake™©®? I was checking out Shake on the Apple web page, and it looks like After Effects on steriods costing thousands more for some reason. Does anyone use this software? If so, how is it better than After Effects? Am I totally wrong in assuming that it is an After Effects style of program?

January 18th, 2004, 07:30 PM	#85
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I've only played with Shake at various Trade Shows. It was a purchase by Apple, they are not the original developer. My understanding is that it has very fast rendering and previews. I think this is a major difference over AE. It also integrates with Maya better. Several years ago I had to learn Maya for a client, because of the compatibility of both programs using the same IFF files. I was told that AE didn't support IFF files, I don't know if that has changed. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 18th, 2004, 09:15 PM	#86
Dan Brown Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 235	How to Learn FCE2 Looking for recommendations on how to learn FCE2? Is there a pretty good tutorial built-in? What about Apple's Self-Paced training program? Any other good training/learning resources? My only NLE experience is withiMovie. Thanks. __________________ dB

January 19th, 2004, 03:09 AM	#87
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Glad you got it to work! Everything great here. Trying to write a few scripts! __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 19th, 2004, 06:44 AM	#88
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I've heard good things about the self paced training course. I haven't seen the materials, so I don't know how basic the instruction is. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 19th, 2004, 01:43 PM	#89
Christian Hede Madsen Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gudhjem Denmark Posts: 93	Scratchy sound Hi ewerybody... Last night I edited a skate-video for fun. I converted my soundtrack to Aiff-format as I allways do before I import it to Final Cut Pro(3). But when I Printed my project back to my camera(a DCR-PC6) I heard some "schratchy-noises"( The sound was starting and stopping, starting and stopping) on my soundtrack... They were very annoying and more important, they were not in my project when I saw it on my computer.... What can the reason be to this?? PLEASE HELP ME.... Chr

January 19th, 2004, 01:50 PM	#90
David Phillips Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Norwich Norfolk UK Posts: 112	Out of sync Mac G4 FCP 3 Can anyone tell me why the audio slips out of sync when re-capturing from a master even though it has been mixed-down. On re-capture it always goes out by 2 frames. It's not hard to correct but is it possible to avoid the prob? Regards to all. __________________ David Phillips