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Finished Editing - What does everyone export to?

Hey

I have just been playing around with exporting to different formats when the edit had been completed. There are loads of formats available when you use the Quick Time Conversion - What does everyone here use??

Ofcourse for different applications you will use different formats. But im curious as to what formats people use the most, and what one they use for what application??

I am finding that when exporting HD footage, you can lose much of the film quality - unless you wait the hour or so for it to encode it into a Quicktime film.

I look forward to hearing what you have to say. . .


Thanks

Imac 20", Mac OS X (10.4.8), 2GB Ram, 256 VRam, 2.16Ghz Processor (Dual Core), 250GB HD, Final Cut Express, Camera - Sony HDR-HC3

Posted on Dec 20, 2006 12:48 AM

Reply
9 replies

Dec 20, 2006 9:27 AM in response to Carve

This is such a blanket open-ended question. What is your project? Are you exporting for your archives, or for the client?

I generally archive everything I do and keep it with the source tapes. I print at least one tape in the same format as the source tapes. I also burn a DVD for quick viewing. If it's a commercial, I print two versions, one full edit and one with no graphics or VO. I also keep self contained quicktimes of every commercial I do on a firewire drive and as data on a dvd, in case a client needs another dub QUICK. I also keep a CD or DVD with the source tapes that contains the project file and any stills or graphics, music, VO, scripts, invoices, etc. that I may need to reconnect later.

Dec 21, 2006 12:35 AM in response to Carve

Its not an open ended or blanket question at all, fact is if you read my opening post the only question is what do you use?
Im not asking for you to help me with a problem or situation im in - just thought it would be useful to have a thread that gave people a list of what, how and why people export to different things thats all.

I didnt realise the discussion forum was just for problems. . . i thought it was for discussions 🙂

Personally unless i am making a podcast and therefor export to the ipod setting in the conversion table, i usually convert to AVI. Avi gives a good sized finished project to view and it makes it small too! If using HD you do sacrafice a little quality, and your effects are rendered down slightly - but thats about it. . .

Dec 21, 2006 4:50 AM in response to Carve

It is an open ended question, because you didn't specify what type of project your were exporting and what formats you were working with. There is no right answer.

An .avi is not a specific answer, either. An .avi is similar to a .mov in that it is simply a wrapper, and what is inside that wrapper could vary from full uncompressed HD to a thumbnail sized movie for streaming over dial up. So what do you REALLY export as?

The most common thing you'll find people doing here is exporting at "current settings."

Dec 21, 2006 7:30 AM in response to Carve

Hi(Bonjour)!

Keep in mind that a HD content converted to a SD (Standard definition) format will loose quality because resolution is 6 times smaller in a SD format. C'est la vie.

When I do "HD" in FCE, I print to tape my finished project on a "final program" tape, I keep source tape with all non-video material on CD or data DVD to make further edit in futur.

I can export with quicktime (not self-contained) and drag the resulting file in a Standard screen DVD project. The conversion process will occur within iDVD. I'll get a standard DVD for use in home.
**When my goal is to produce a SD DVD right from start, I downconvert HDV material from my Camcorder -Sony FX1- upon capturing process. It's faster and more reliable than convert HDV within iDVD-PAY ATTENTION TO WIDE SCREEN ISSUES.

I can export with quicktime conversion to H.264 with full or half size frame dimensions and burn a CD or data DVD or leave a copy on your hard drive. (HD content on Quicktime's web site is compressed with H.264)

Finally, I use Flip4Mac studio to make some kinds of WMF files for my PC friends.

Michel Boissonneault

Finished Editing - What does everyone export to?

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