Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
an NTSC or PAL standard screen space, it's often referred to as an Anamorphic
compressed image. After Effects will both import and render all eight (and
many more) of these PAR examples - and you can work in any of these layouts
as your composition canvas.
Yes, it is complicated, but don't get scared. Because After Effects offers so
many options to the designer, you can construct the same project several ways
and end up with the same visual result. Take, for example, the following
scenarios for an NTSC 16:9 Widescreen Standard Definition video (canvas refers
to the workspace or preview screen):
1
16:9 - 1.0 PAR flat canvas at 29.97 fps rendered with Anamorphic
compression.
2
16:9 - 1.2 PAR Anamorphic canvas at 29.97 fps.
3
16:9 - 1.0 PAR flat canvas at 24 fps, rendered with 3:2 Pulldown with
Anamorphic compression for 29.97 fps playback.
4
16:9 - 1.2 PAR Anamorphic canvas at 24 fps rendered with 3:2 Pulldown
for 29.97 fps playback.
Each of these compositions would provide approximately the same visual
result - a widescreen 16:9 NTSC video. Argh! So which to use?! The answer lies in
how you choose to work and how sensitive to motion artifacts and visual distortions
you or your clients are. The only objective fact about the four scenarios listed above
is this: '1' takes up the most memory, hard drive space, rendering time and screen
real estate (your workspace), whereas '4' requires the least, but also has higher
levels of motion artifacts (stuttering motion) and a distorted workspace.
But a subjective opinion is this: in this world of fast CPUs, cheap RAM, hard
drives, and big computer monitor screens, it just doesn't matter very much that
scenario '1' demands the most of your computer. But what does matter is that
'1' will look the best to your audience and be easier for you to work within. This
will be demonstrated later.
3:2 Pulldown - How to Force 24 into 30
Once again, you PAL people can laugh this off because you simply run your
movies at the same Frame Rate as your TV - 25 fps. But for us NTSC or SECAM
users (or anyone doing work with film to be output to these TV formats), we
