FCPX/Compressor 4 Questions

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Level 1

9 points

FCPX/Compressor 4 Questions

When it comes to Compressor 4 I know almost nothing (admitting) but I need to get my 27 minute short film down to 2gb with the best possible quality. It is for withoutbox/imdb. This is the information given:

Recommended Video Settings

We recommend the following settings to optimize video quality on the IMDb site:

Size: Up to 2 GB file size. Most files should be substantially smaller, though.
Length: A 2 GB file can usually accommodate a full feature film.
Frame: Up to 1280px by 720px at 30 frames per second, which will be displayed in letterbox. The system currently supports 480px x 360px for best viewing quality
Format: Flash Video (Codec: Sorenson or VP6 codec) or Quicktime.
FLV videos using the H.263 video codec and the MP3 audio codec
MP4 videos using the H.264 video codec and the AAC audio codec
Display: We do not currently support HD video. You will be able to upload an HD video, but the file will NOT be displayed in HD.

If someone could guide me through this I would be very grateful. If there's any additional information you need please ask. Thanks!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Aug 21, 2013 3:03 PM

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Answer 1

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2013 5:56 PM in response to Cory273

I am clicking Send to Compressor rather than exporting from Final Cut to my desktop first. I've read some of the other questions since I first posted and am now going to try this:

(Any input would be appreciated)

Name: Untitled QuickTime Movie

Description: No description

File Extension: mov

Estimated size: 1.38 GB/hour of source

Audio Encoder

AAC, Stereo (L R), 44.100 kHz

Video Encoder

Width: 1280

Height: 720

Pixel aspect ratio: Square

Crop to: Center crop for 1.778:1

Padding: None

Frame rate: (100% of source)

Frame Controls: Automatically selected: Off

Codec Type: H.264

Multi-pass: On, frame reorder: On

Pixel depth: 24

Spatial quality: 75

Min. Spatial quality: 25

Temporal quality: 50

Min. temporal quality: 25

Average data rate: 3.072 (Mbps)

Maximum data rate: 3.072 (Mbps)

Compatible with Mac

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Answer 2

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Aug 21, 2013 6:40 PM in response to Cory273

You should give them one of the formats they want, one of which is MP4, rather than .mov.

In the Settings pane, click on the + button and from the drop down, select MPEG4.

In the Inspector>Encoder, set Video Compression and Frame Rate as shown. Move the Bit Rate slider to somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000.

In Geometry, set the Frame Size to 100% of source (assuming your movie is 720P that will be 1280X720).

In the Preview window, mark an in and and out to select a few minutes of your movie. Do a test encode and play it in Quick Time player. If it looks good, remove the in and out points and encode the full movie for upload.

Good luck.

Russ

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Answer 3

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2013 8:26 PM in response to Russ H

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately the loss of quality was substantial. I used these settings after sending to Compressor from Final Cut (not sure if that makes a difference):

(If you have any suggestions, again, they would greatly appreciated.)

Name: IMDB

Description: No description

File Extension: mp4

Estimated size: 1.97 GB/hour of source

Audio Encoder

Sample Rate: 44.100kHz

Channels: 2

Bits Per Sample: 16

AAC encoder quality: high

Data rate: 128 Kbps

Video Encoder

Width: (100% of source)

Height: (100% of source)

Pixel aspect ratio: Default

Crop: None

Padding: None

Frame rate: 30

Frame Controls: Automatically selected: Off

Codec Type: H.264

Multi-pass: Off, frame reorder: Off

Pixel depth: 32

Spatial quality: 75

Min. Spatial quality: 75

Key frame interval: 30

Temporal quality: 75

Min. temporal quality: 75

Average data rate: 4.249 (Mbps)

Video: H.264 main profile

Hinted for streaming server with

packet size: 1450 bytes

and packet duration: 100 milliseconds

Enhanced Podcast: Off

Compatible with Mac and PC

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Answer 4

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2013 8:51 PM in response to Cory273

...and my project is 1920x1080 24fps if that makes a difference?

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Answer 5

Aug 21, 2013 9:43 PM in response to Cory273

Is the final output 1920x1080? If so move the bit rate slider to around 19,000. The bit rate you used was for 1280x720.

If you need the video to be 1280x720... Turn on Frame Control... Resize Filter to Best.

Set the video size to 1280x720.

Set the bit rate to 5,000...

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Answer 6

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2013 11:00 PM in response to David M Brewer

I'm a bit confused now (no pun intended) because I'm not sure whether you mean 19,000 or 5,000 for the bit rate in the Encoder part of the inspector. I apologize if this is obvious. On the slider in the video tab I used around 4,100 because that was rate that got me under 2gb.

Earlier I also tested one compresion that was 640x360 at about 4,300 bits and the quality was good. I wonder if IMDB will just shrink it down to that size anyways.

Thank you for your help so far. I've spent many hours googling and have learned more in this thread than all those hours.

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Answer 7

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 21, 2013 11:26 PM in response to Cory273

Nevermind 640x360 one is not good at all once at full screen...I'm fried, I'm been doing this all day. Any help is appreciated.

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Answer 8

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Aug 22, 2013 4:47 AM in response to Cory273

Cory,

I'm interested in the quality issues you've reported. The site specifies 720 as the maximum they will take and I was keying off that when I plugged in a bit rate, I have some 720 movies on Vimeo that I've encoded as low as 3.5 Mbps and they are acceptable quality.

Open the 1080 in Quick Time Player. Hit Command-I and post a screen shot of the info displayed. What camera(s) did you use for your movies and is your movie in the same size and frame rate you shot?

Cory273 wrote:

Nevermind 640x360 one is not good at all once at full screen...

If you display at full screen, even on a laptop, your blowing it up by a factor of roughly 2.5X. SD doesn't look very good when scaled up anywhere near that much. Bear in mind that they are going to show it at much smaller resolution than what you upload.

Whatever you give them, they are almost assuredly going to recompress it. So you might as well give them the best quality you can while keeping it under 2 GB.

Russ

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Answer 9

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 22, 2013 6:16 PM in response to Russ H

Hi Russ,

The frame rate is 24fps (in camera and on the timeline). I shot with a Canon 7d.

I don't know if this would make a difference, but I'm sending it straight to Compressor from FCPX. A lot of the tutorials I've watched are just adding the file over from their desktop. (This probably doesn't make a difference but just thought I'd ask). But, point being, I don't have 1080p version I can screenshot from Quicktime.

I've been away from the computer all day so I'll start experimenting a bit more and report back. I'll follow the first reply you gave me. It's probably something small I'm not doing.

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Answer 10

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Aug 22, 2013 6:32 PM in response to Cory273

Cory273 wrote:

I don't know if this would make a difference, but I'm sending it straight to Compressor from FCPX.

No, it's slower and not as reliable, but quality should not be affected either way.

Russ

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Answer 11

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 22, 2013 8:12 PM in response to Russ H

To continue....I went with these settings and got better results (below)...still not great but maybe I'll just have to live with it, unless you have any further recommendations. The only thing I changed from Russ' first reply was that I changed the Width and Height to "Up to 1280 x 720" rather than "100% source".

Thanks.

Name: imdb

Description: No description

File Extension: mp4

Estimated size: 1.99 GB/hour of source

Audio Encoder

Sample Rate: 44.100kHz

Channels: 2

Bits Per Sample: 16

AAC encoder quality: high

Data rate: 256 Kbps

Video Encoder

Width and Height: Up to 1280 x 720

Pixel aspect ratio: Default

Crop: None

Padding: None

Frame rate: 30

Frame Controls: Automatically selected: Off

Codec Type: H.264

Multi-pass: Off, frame reorder: Off

Pixel depth: 32

Spatial quality: 75

Min. Spatial quality: 75

Key frame interval: 30

Temporal quality: 75

Min. temporal quality: 75

Average data rate: 4.155 (Mbps)

Video: H.264 main profile

Hinted for streaming server with

packet size: 1450 bytes

and packet duration: 100 milliseconds

Enhanced Podcast: Off

Compatible with Mac and PC

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Answer 12

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Aug 23, 2013 4:25 AM in response to Cory273

Let's bump the bit rate to 6000 Kbps (I think you currently have it at around 4000).. You'll still be under the 2 GB ceiling. Also…

Please recall that David's advice was to turn on Frame Controls if you were re-sizing (which you are), and set the Re=size Filter to Best. If you do, I think you'll find it makes a perceptible difference.

Also I would check multi-pass. It will double the length of your encoding session but if there is even a modest amount of movement in your scenes, it should also make a difference.

In the Preview window, mark a short section with in and out points and encode that section as a test to see how much quality is affected by those changes.

Good luck.

Russ

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Answer 13

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 23, 2013 2:23 PM in response to Russ H

I think I know what it is. I used FilmConvert on all of my footage which probably requires a higher bit rate. What do you think? In the meantime I'll experiment. Thanks again for your help and patience.

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Answer 14

Russ H

Level 7

22,432 points

Aug 23, 2013 2:34 PM in response to Cory273

I've never used it. I'm interested in what effect the suggestions David and I made in the preceding post had on your movie.

Russ

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Answer 15

Cory273 Author

Level 1

9 points

Aug 23, 2013 6:53 PM in response to Russ H

So I tried 6000 bits with 1280 x720 with frame controls on with David's settings and still about the same. Then I used around 10,000 (which 9,500 gets me at 1.98g <probably will go with this>) and it looks pretty good. I still have some unwanted artifacts when going to full screen but I think it'll have to do. I talked to the FilmConvert people and they said the bit rate shouldn't matter.

I'll keep experimenting though, thanks for sticking with me Russ. Just wanted to get the best quality after working on the project for so long. Cheers.

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