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This is PD12 specific summary of what I've learned since I started the thread.
Available production profiles will depend on your project's aspect ratio, 16:9 or 4:3
You can set that ratio any time from Edit|Aspect Ratio. That flag is sticky. If it's set in one project to 16:9 when you File|New Project it will still be 16:9.
When you drop a mismatched source onto the timeline, you'll be prompted whether to change it or not. If you don't change the ratio, all will be well, but of course, there will be bars in the produced video. They will be vertical bars if your source is 4:3 on a 16:9 project, and horizontal bars if vice-versa. In an otherwise empty timeline, those bars default to black.
Using a color board is what you do if you're cool with the bars but want them to be a different color or an image background. To do that you want the image on a lower track than your 4:3 source. Drop the image on that track and stretch it the length of the source. Now the lower-track image will "show through" behind the higher-track mismatched source.
The way to not have those bars is to take your mismatched source and use the Video Crop powertool. You'll adjust the zoom in the first keyframe, select the last keyframe and duplicate previous. This is, in essence, throwing away some video from your source. (top and bottom for a 4:3 source on a 16:9 project, left and right for A 16:9 source on a 4:3 project.) Of course, you can get fancier and use more complex panning/zooming with extra keyframes to keep the focus where you want it when you want it.
(The root cause of my original problem was not realizing how to Edit|Aspect Ratio for the project, and not realizing a new project would have the same aspect ratio as the last project by default. Noob stuff easily remedied with good advisors.)
My heartfelt thanks to all respondents! Speedy and useful!
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Thanks much. I will summarize what I've learned for the next noob.
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Thanks.
Let me see if I get it. My underlying issue is that the webcam is 4:3 but my normal & preferred mode is 16:9?
In PD12 there's no Edit|Workspace.
When you say to drop it on a color board, I'm also stumped.
Sorry to be dim. Mama didn't raise no smart ones.
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Thanks for speedy reply.
Let me give you a little more of my concern: I am making 1920x1080 videos. Some customers get them in that form, others get chopdowns, usually 1280x720, sometimes 720x480.
That's on the output side, and I need to be able to control it.
On the input side, my sources are usually 1080p, either HD camera footage or screencaps. But for my next work, I also need frequent recourse to webcam footage, w/my webcam producing 720x480.
If I just import/edit my 720x480 source, I can't produce any of my desired outputs, not 1920 or 1280 or 720. If I import a 1920x1080 source, I can produce all of them.
So. In the interim from last message, I tried some experiments.
I can create non-MP4 productions to 720 w/o demurral, or 1280 or 1920.
I went to a 1920-based pds I created in another part of the forest. I left just the initial title jpg and a split second of 1920 footage, then imported my webcam 720. It added to the timeline, was editable, and when I went to produce the full range of choices was present.
I then deleted the 1920 snippet. Still can create any range of outputs.
So. For the moment, I have a workaround. I can freely add/edit from the 720 sources if I first add/edit a 1920 source.
Meanwhile, though, I don't like having problems I don't understand. I still want to know why the natural behavior, importing a 720 video and editing it, doesn't let me produce any of the desired outputs. If it's a bug, so be it, life goes on. If it's PEBChK, though, I'd like to know that, too[1].
Seeya,
GeePaw
[1] PEBChK -- standard service desk code for "Problem Exists Between Chair and Keyboard".
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Folks...
I have a 720x480 source video. I have imported it and edited it, on the assumption that I would produce it readily as 720x480, or preferably even greater resolution. (It's part of a series, much of which will be shot to 1920x1080, so graininess in this portion isn't a big concern. This portion is a talking head from a webcam, much of the rest is screencaps and 1080p footage.)
When I go to produce, select the MPEG-4 button, the normal range of output choices isn't there. It wants me to produce in 640x480 or in 2k/4k choices.
What's up, what do I do?
Thanks,
GeePawHill
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Okay, in spite of my own best efforts, I think I did it!
Here's what I did. I selected the clip, power tools|crop|crop video. I went to the ending keyframe and adjusted the cropping so the framing was the way I wanted. Then I selected the starting keyframe and did duplicate keyframe|next keyframe.
Now the entire clip is sized fully and correctly frames the victim, errr, subject. There's no transition.
Thanks for your help, PlaySound!
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Folks...
Here's my dumb question for the day. I have a source video that is poorly framed. I would like to do what in image processing would be called "Crop+Resize". That is, I want to take the entire clip & crop it (maintaining aspect ratio) so the subject is properly placed, then re-inflate it to fill the original dimensions.
I see about keyframes and video crop, but all my efforts to-date produce a transition, and, to be frank, I don't understand how to make such an effect instant and permanent. I don't want a transition, I want an instantaneous and permanent edit to the video.
How should I proceed?
Thanks!
GeePawHill
P.S. Please don't answer by pointing me to a video, as I have a) looked at most of them and b) the worst bandwidth of any 21st century American. Thanks again!
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