Fixing Vertically Stretched Video

Question

Level 1

9 points

Fixing Vertically Stretched Video

I am wondering if any FCP users know of any way to fix vertically stretched video easily. The video was shot 16x9 and put to tape 4x3 without letterboxing. So the video is stretched vertically. Dont ask me why???? It is a very frustrating thing that I am trying to put an end to but for now I have to deal with it and make this footage usable. My current method is to distort the aspect ratio to about -13 or -14 and then zoom in to make it fill the screen. The Avid editors here have a resize filter that allows them to enlarge only the horizontal, which keeps it full screen and looks better than my FCP method. I have looked through the filters and motion tab and havent been able to come up with anything. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you!!

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Jan 27, 2009 10:12 AM

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Answer 1

Jim Cookman

Level 7

23,447 points

Jan 27, 2009 10:20 AM in response to discoboy03

Well, it's just anamorphic video. What exactly is the problem? Capture, letterbox, lay out to tape again.

Or am I missing something?

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Answer 2

discoboy03 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 27, 2009 11:05 AM in response to discoboy03

Thanks Jim. I edit spots for various live events. We use previous events footage to make these spots. Most of the time we receive footage from the program that plays on the jumbotron layed off to beta. For some reason they stretch it to 4x3 instead of just keeping it letter boxed??? So what I have is a beta tape with vertically stretched footage. I never see the actual 16x9 letter boxed footage. So I am looking for an easy way to convert this stretched footage to be the proper aspect ratio. Thanks again

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Answer 3

D Gilmore

Level 4

3,525 points

Jan 27, 2009 11:52 AM in response to discoboy03

I would suggest changing the aspect ratio to -33.33

If this gives you too much of a letterbox, then I would add a second step of going to the Motion Tab again and changing the Scale to 133

If one or both of these steps works for you then copy the clip in your timeline. Select all the other clips in your timeline that you wish to change. then Control-Click, select Paste Attributes, and check the Distort box....if you added the second step then also check the Motion box. Then click "OK"

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Answer 4

Jan 27, 2009 12:19 PM in response to discoboy03

There is really nothing wrong with the footage, it's just anamorphic widescreen. If you mark the clips as anamorphic once you've imported them (you can do this by selecting them all in the browser and clicking in the anamorphic column) then they'll display correctly in the viewer. You can then work in a 4:3 sequence if you choose and they'll be automatically letterboxed.

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Answer 5

discoboy03 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 27, 2009 12:45 PM in response to discoboy03

Thanks everyone!! I never thought to just click on anamorphic. So it worked great for me but I have 1 difference to how u said it should work. Luckily it is how I want it anyway!! So it displays as anamorphic in the viewer but when I drop it in my timeline it displays enlarged to fill the frame of the canvas. You said that it would display letterboxed?? Like I said this is how I need it anyway so it saves me the step of changing the size!! By the way my sequence settings are AJA Kona LS: 525 29.97 DVCPro50 Thanks again!!!

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Answer 6

discoboy03 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 27, 2009 12:58 PM in response to discoboy03

I just tried this method on a different FCP system and the video displayed letterboxed in the canvas like u said. Can you think of what setting would determine this?? My system is still FCP 5 and the other is FCP6. That prob shouldn't have anything to do with it though? Either way my question is answered, just wondering why the 2 systems act differently. Thanks!!

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Answer 7

Jan 27, 2009 1:54 PM in response to discoboy03

Hmm not sure about that. You're saying that it edits in to the 4:3 sequence with the correct aspect ratio but zoomed in to fill the height of the screen?
The only differences I'm aware of being able to force in fcp's behaviour with anamorphic material are; using an anamorphic sequence which gives you full frame 16:9, or using a 4:3 sequence which should give you a letterbox.
Are you sure you hadn't adjusted the size of the clip in the browser?
If you open one of the clips from the browser what is the scale set to in the motion tab?

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Answer 8

RedTruck

Level 4

2,145 points

Jan 27, 2009 2:03 PM in response to J S Langham

you have to make sure the SEQUENCE is also set to anamorphic.

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Answer 9

discoboy03 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jan 27, 2009 2:13 PM in response to discoboy03

I was messing around with the same clip and DID adjust its size previously. So that was the cause of it being resized in the canvas. I just went thru the whole motions with some freshly captured footage and and it was anamorphic in the canvas. Thank you again for all your help!!!

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