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In some cases, you can mix formats and finish your program using the original media
without problems. However, certain combinations of mismatched media attributes can
cause trouble when the time comes to finish and output your project. This section
illustrates how you should handle different combinations of clips in mixed-format
sequences to avoid problems.
Which media attributes can safely differ from the sequence settings?
The following clip characteristics can differ from those of the sequence without causing
problems.
• Codec: You can freely mix clips using any codecs that are compatible with Final Cut Pro,
as long as their frame rates, interlacing, and frame size are appropriate to the sequence.
However, keep in mind that some broadcasters have specific requirements about what
percentage of a program can use source footage in a highly compressed digital format
such as HDV or AVCHD.
• Aspect ratio: Final Cut Pro lets you mix footage with different aspect ratios (for example,
mixing footage with 3:4 and 16:9 aspect ratios), including anamorphic footage.
Depending on the combination of sequence and media frame sizes, Final Cut Pro
automatically letterboxes (places horizontal bars at the top and bottom of the screen)
or pillarboxes (places vertical bars at the left and right of the screen) clips as necessary
to fit them into the available width and height of the frame.
• Bit depth: You can mix clips with any bit depth Final Cut Pro supports. Typical bit depths
for video include 8-bit and 10-bit.
• Frame size: If you set the Motion Filtering Quality pop-up menu (in the Video Processing
tab of the Sequence Settings window) to Best, the scaling in Final Cut Pro is sufficient
for modest enlargements and for shrinking higher-resolution clips down to smaller
frame sizes. This means you’re in good shape if you’re editing HD clips into an SD
sequence, as long as the frame rate and interlacing match all the other clips. However,
if you’re editing SD clips into an HD sequence, you may want to consider using
Compressor to upscale your media for the best results, as described later in this section.
Which media attributes should not differ from the sequence settings?
If you’re preparing a sequence for finishing, the following clip characteristics should match
those of the sequence to ensure seamless mastering and output.
• Frame rate: This is the most important clip characteristic that should match that of the
sequence. Although you can freely mix frame rates during offline editing, it’s not ideal
to rely on Final Cut Pro to retime the frame rates of clips that don’t match the sequence
frame rate if you plan to output a high-quality master.
• Interlacing: Although you can freely mix progressive and interlaced clips during the
offline edit, you typically need to output to one format or the other when you create
a program’s final master. Final Cut Pro is not the best environment for converting one
field-handling standard to the other.
70 Chapter 5 Finishing