Aspect Ratio Ahoy!

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

I posted this to Foolish Passion, but I figured I'd try my luck here.



First off, I am working with Adobe Premiere CS4. I don't know the ins-and-outs of the program like I should, as I just upgraded to it from 6.0 (I know!).

If any of you work in the Buffy/Angel fandoms, you likely have run into this problem: Aspect ratio. Buffy itself is in the standard Full Screen format, with the exception of one episode (Once More With Feeling) that is widescreen. Annoying. Angel is in the widescreen format. Hence, when clipping from either Angel, or OMWF, you have issues of the 'suddenly, there was widescreen' variety. In the past, I have ignored it, cause hey, I was a total newbie and people didn't care about those things back then. Or never told me they did. Now it annoys me. Any way to fix this in CS4? Keep in mind I know next to nothing about the program...>.< I used to know how to solve this! I did. What happened to that?

Also, all of my output videos come out with black bars surrounding them. Like, on all sides. Like my video is trapped in a little box. It wants out! What did I do wrong, and how can I fix it?

Edit: Adding a screen capture of what I mean. I've outlined the black bars in white. This clip is also from widescreen source, and I believe my adobe is autocorrecting somehow, as I didn't so that. I am pretty sure it's gunna end up looking weird if I don't like...figure out what the heck its doing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v127/bloodypoetry/blackbars.jpg

Comments

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

I assumed it was some sort of setting I was using in Adobe, not something I would have to crop out...Since my source files don't have the black bars. But I will try the null transform thing, thanks!

[jagwriter78.livejournal.com]

Just a tiny little question so I can point you in the right direction. Are you trying to make widescreen fullscreen or vice versa?

Oh, and you can do this in Premiere, no need for outside programs.

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

Which ever looks better I suppose. I guess it would be easier to make the widescreen footage fullscreen, since there are less of those clips, but if it looks better ALL widescreen I can do that too.

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

Also, I am gunna add some links with screen shot to what I mean. My output is AUTO correcting the widescreen footage I think. Since it doesn't look widescreen in the test video. But I am pretty sure the aspect ratio is off.

[jagwriter78.livejournal.com]

All right :) Personally, I always crop to what the majority of the footage is sized. So for if the majority of your clips are Buffy, I'd do fullscreen. If the majority is Angel widescreen, then do widescreen. I just tend to do that because you need to adjust every clip that is different from your project to fit the project. The way you achieve that inside Premiere is with the pan and crop feature. That effect is listed in the transform section of your effects. Just play around with that a little and make sure you have the "keep aspect ratio" ticked, otherwise you get sticky people ;)

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

Thanks much! I editing the original post to add a screencap, I kinda thing Adobe is already doing it for me >.<, Does that look right to you? And are the blackbars around it normal?

[jagwriter78.livejournal.com]

I just saw the screenshot (wheeee, SPIKE LOL). I never had that happen to me when I used Premiere but I have heard from people who had the same problem. I think it's got to do with the project settings and the input settings. What are the project settings you are using and what are the clip settings? I think I remember that if the clips you input are smaller than your project size, Premiere won't blow them up to fit the project....

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

(Hee, yeah, I am making a 'spike h/c' video. :p)

That's the thing: I am so new at using CS4, I have NO IDEA what my settings are. Default, I'd imagine. Heh. I suppose it's fine if it doesn't LOOK terrible, I can be annoyed with it as long as other people don't.

If you have skype, I could send ya the test file I exported.

[kuwdora.livejournal.com]

Well, if you want to circumvent a tech aspect of learning how to work with this particular problem at this particular time, Buffy was released in widescreen in the Humongous Boxset in Region 2. If you could find DVD rips of those, that would go a long way to easing some of your pain.

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

The big box set is in widescreen? *lip tremble* I keep telling myself I need to get it if only to save on shelf space (those old just-as-big season box sets take up a ton of space) and now I really, really want it.

[thedothatgirl.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain - having vidded BtVS/AtS for some time now.

Buffy is Widescreen (16:9 ) from Season 4 onwards in Region 2 individual Boxsets, but Seasons 1-3 are 4:3 - If by some strange bizarro world they are also released in Widescreen big box set I'd buy them too, if anyone knows for sure...

[bloodypoetry.livejournal.com]

I really am enjoying pro. It took me a bit to learn the ins and outs but its cool. Never used Vegas so I can't help ya there.