Nesting/Resizing Quality Issue - HELP!

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Nesting/Resizing Quality Issue - HELP!

Hi, I'm having a problem where I edited a project in a timeline where the sequence is 1024x576 but I basically need to upscale to 1920x1080.

Now...there is no issue with the quality of the content. The content can easily be stretched without degrading (as it was shot higher than 1024x576), BUT...there are TONS of clips/images (actually lots of photos are in it), so I can't resize them one by one, nor can I just do one and paste attributes.

And when I Sequence>nest items it locks them into a certain size so when I go to stretch the whole clip, quality goes down! I've compared taking one image...scaling it up, and it looks fine...to sequencing/nesting the images, then scaling up the size...and the quality degrades!

Is there any way to just resize a group of items?? In the way that you can resize one item by the corner wireframes.

Help!

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 29, 2009 5:22 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 29, 2009 5:37 AM in response to PaulCummings

Why can't you do one, and copy and paste attributes? You'd need to do this inside the nest and not to the nest...

Jerry

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Answer 2

PaulCummings Author

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Jul 29, 2009 5:45 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

I can't do that because they are all radically different sizes. Many are photos...some are video clips. It's really a mixed bag. So pasting attributes will have different effects for different clips depending on their original size.

I guess my followup question is why does the quality degrade when Nesting a sequence? I'm curious why it locks me into a certain preset and no longer references what is IN the nest.

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Answer 3

RedTruck

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Jul 29, 2009 5:45 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

If you plan to resize them all to the exact same size, then of course you can change one and then paste attributes. That's exactly what you would be doing if you scaled the nest.

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Answer 4

Jul 29, 2009 5:48 AM in response to PaulCummings

Then you'll have to resize them one at a time.

Nesting doesn't necessarily lower quality... or it shouldn't any way. Are all of the clips rendered? If not do that, and judge the quality of your video externally. The Canvas is only displays a proxy of what you're really working with, unless it's set to 100% size, you don't even see both fields of video.

Jerry

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Answer 5

PaulCummings Author

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Jul 29, 2009 5:50 AM in response to RedTruck

RedTruck,

I do plan on resizing them to the same size, but their original size is very different, so that won't really work. There are also a few shots where I have split screens, keyframing, and some parts with even 9 smaller windows on the screen at the same time.

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Answer 6

PaulCummings Author

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Jul 29, 2009 5:52 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

Jerry,

Am I doing something wrong when I nest then? I've tried nesting to my original sequence preset (1024x576) and then just scaling it and it locks the nest into "100%" thus stretching it out when I adapt it for 1920x1080. I've also tried nesting the sequence to a 1920x1080 sequence and it does the same thing.

I've tried rendering the clips.

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Answer 7

Jul 29, 2009 6:00 AM in response to PaulCummings

Gotta ask...

Why are you nesting? Only reason to do this in my mind is to lower the number of layers involved. Nothing wrong with working in shorter sequences (I do it all the time) but I don't nest them into a master sequence. I copy and paste the clips instead.

At least we can rule out that nesting is cuasing the problem. I've never seen it do so in any event.

Also turn on the motion filtering quality to the highest setting in the video processing tab of your sequence's settings.

Jerry

Message was edited by: Jerry Hofmann

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Answer 8

PaulCummings Author

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Jul 29, 2009 5:59 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

I'm nesting because the project has SO many cuts, so many various sources (I can explain why if you are interested). Actually...here is the commercial I cut:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0mzG06K3fw

If you watch that, you'll understand why I am nesting in order to upres. And you'll see that is is compiled of user photos and video clips from an online competition from the client. Now again...the quality is there and for instance in that FIRST frame the small window has plenty of room to be enlarged, but when I nest and then do it, I lose quality. I didn't know the spot was going to be adapted to cinema. I, stupidly, should have edited in 1080 to begin with.

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Answer 9

Jul 29, 2009 6:05 AM in response to PaulCummings

You really haven't given me a reason to nest...

A nest is a "pointer" to a group of edits, and doesn't make the sequence easier for your computer to work with... In fact, it's likely adding overhead to it. It has to read the nest, then go and look inside it to play back the actual clips... Render in the nest, don't render the nest itself too.

Another thing to try is exporting the finished many clip edits as a self contained QT movie if you don't want to actually see all of the cuts. It will bake in the quality that results which may be better than what you see now.

Jerry

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Answer 10

PaulCummings Author

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Jul 29, 2009 6:09 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

The reason is that it is literally impossible for me to resize each clip. The only way, that I can see, to resize my project is to nest it and do it as one clip that way all my keyframing, split screen, multi-shots all stay the same.

I will try the self contained export.

Thanks for your help. Any other ideas, please let me know.

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Answer 11

RedTruck

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Jul 29, 2009 6:10 AM in response to PaulCummings

So what you're saying is, they have already been scaled, and if you pasted attributes... I get it. You might try sending the project to Motion, when you can adjust the size of the Group, much like a nest, but more manageable. Shouldn't change the resolution of the individual clips. Haven't tried it, but I think it should do the trick.

For future reference, it's always best to edit in the highest resolution you will need for delivery, and do your scaling in the downward path. That way you can simply export the entire movie, and then scale it down. The degradation is less that way.

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Answer 12

Jul 29, 2009 6:12 AM in response to PaulCummings

Be sure to set those video processing settings too. They really do help I think.

Jerry

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Answer 13

PaulCummings Author

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Jul 29, 2009 6:25 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

Thank you guys for your help. I'm trying the suggestions and will report back!

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Answer 14

PaulCummings Author

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Jul 29, 2009 7:08 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

Self contained quicktime did not do the trick :/

Bummer.

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Answer 15

Cosminz

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Jul 29, 2009 8:43 AM in response to PaulCummings

well this is a big problem because meltingh many photos of diferent sizes in a timeline makes your life harder, found that out on my own skin :)).
You can try using the automator from the macos to scale the photos all to the same size( preferable a size that would work for all the photos), then u can reconect the old photos in your project to the new scaled photos. See if that works.

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