How To Check Renders In FCP Without Using A Video Monitor
Do you have the desire to see your rendered graphics at top quality right inside of the Canvas - without the use of a video monitor?
If you have your Canvas set at 100% precisely, it’ll give you a good idea about how your rendered graphic may look after it’s output to the medium of your choice.
If you uncheck “Show As Sq. Pixels” in the Zoom Pop Up menu, then the quality at 100% size looks even better (however, the picture may look distorted due to the Square vs. Non-Square pixel differences).
Keep in mind that if you are working on a smaller screen, as I am, you may have to resize your Canvas in order to get both a 100% size without the blue scroll bars which can induce stuttering playback. Note: If you are working with HDV or HD footage on a small screen, this might not be possible
The only other things that can trip you up here:
1. You have to set the timeline’s RT Pop Up Menu to the following:
a. Safe RT
b. Playback Video Quality > High
c. Playback Frame Rate > Full
2. You need to have rendered your graphics with the Dark Green Render Bar named “Full” checked in the Sequence > Render menus.
Note: I usually leave all qualities checked when working with FCP. Many people do not have the Dark Green Bar checked and therefore do not render at “Full” quality–a huge “gotcha”.
In some cases, your system may be powerful enough to playback your effects at full quality, but I feel that graphics look better if they are rendered rather than being played in real time.
Good luck and don’t let that Canvas fool you. The quality is there, you just have to render at high quality and click the right buttons to view it.
Viewing Renders in the Canvas
Sunday, May 28, 2006
