Moving still images in FCP

[Emma_Molly]

Hi,
I've just edited an TV ad on FCP together which consists only of still images. To make it more interesting I key framed some of the still images but when I exported the quicktime, burnt it to DVD and played it on a TV the keyframing is very shaky as it moves instead of smooth. Is there some filter I should put on it in FCP? Is there somewhere I can change the frame rate in FCP?
Em

[E_Tedeschi]

Try playing with the flicker filters (found in your effects). Stills often don't render very well because their resolution can be high, or pixels are too fine. If it's actually the motion that's jerky... I've found that too subtle a move in FCP can be a little jerky. Try playing with your positions at the keyframes, playing with the motion blur, and there's also a keyframe easer somewhere, I just can't think of where off the top of my head....

e.

[JWRL]

As a general rule of thumb when keyframing motion try to use as few keyframes as possible. And definitely get to know the term "bezier curves". Look in your FCP manual under keyframes.

However I suspect that Enzo is right on the money about the limitations of subtle moves in FCP. I've always used After Effects (because that's what I'm most used to) for this sort of move, but Stage Tools is well regarded.

If you have access to a PC, Boris have a free download of BorisFx Blue (beta) available until April 1. I believe that it's PC only. The hardware requirements are in fact rather restrictive.

[Jude]

Hey Emma, it's kind of hard to daignose this stuff remotely, but you will find a lot of FCP help here <http://www.lafcpug.org/phorum/list.php?f=1> where people are willing to go over and over the problem to help you get to the bottom of it.

Just for your piece of mind, the shaky keyframes are not normal.

There are also lots of tutorials at this site.

[E_Tedeschi]

www.creativecow.net is another good one (for all post-production...). Same deal with software specific tutorials, forums etc.

e.

[Emma_Molly]

Thanks for all your help guys :-)

[Artie Fufkin]

On the subject of flicker filters......I was wondering whether Avid Xpress Pro has them? Had a look in all the built in effects, but couldn't seem to see them. I am putting together a DVD that has bits of animation that I have made in 3DS Max. All objects in the animations all have cell shaded textures which gives them that 3D cartoony look. Problem is, due to this texture, the animation goes a bit jittery when it played on TV. I know the flicker filters in final cut would probably work, but alas i have no mac and only have avid and premiere open to me!

[E_Tedeschi]

If you really get stuck you can de-interlace the image. Sometimes the loss in sharpness is preferable to the flickering.

[JWRL]

Xpress Pro doesn't have a flicker filter built in, but there are plug-ins from both 55mm and 3 prong that will do it.

However I agree with Enzo. A simple de-interlace in Xpro is probably all you need. However I have an alternative workaround that I have used with good effect. It presupposes that you're exporting from 3DS as a Targa (or other) sequence.

Firstly, record an action in Photoshop that just deinterlaces a frame. I go for needless complexity here and duplicate the background, deinterlace the duplicate as even and the background as odd field dominant, and mix them back at 50%. Apply that action to the folder that you have your sequence in, then import the sequence into Xpress Pro.

If you really get stuck and you have After Effects you can also apply a de-interlace there, but it results in what to my eye is unacceptable softening even at minimum setting.