MY BRAIN HURTS!

I just started using shake and, Wow, is it unintuitive! I feel like I just started dating a woman who speaks a different language who I know I would really like if I could only understand what heck she was saying.

Anyway, my question is: If I export an HDV clip from a FCP sequence that is set as a DV NTSC project, what format is the clip when it enters the world of shake. When I de-interlace it to put it through the smoothcam filter (or whatever they call that group of buttons under the transform tab), do I set it for odd (HDV) or even (SD)? Because I don't want to wait the time that I am sure it will take to try it, is "normal" analysis quality usually good enough or is high that much better? What is the difference between Smoothcam and CameraShake? Which is better for underwater footage?

Any help will be appreciate

Chris

According to the manual, Shake imports the FCP sequence as is... so if you set it at DV NTSC then it will be DV NTSC.

However, why would render a low res clip vs using a higher res render in shake like Apple Codec and then reimporting to FCP for edit? This way when you enlarge the frame to account for smoothcam compensation blank spots, you will be downrezzing to NTSC from a better quality higher res image vs DV NTSC.

As for normal vs high, how busy is your clip? Is the background constant or moving? Normal is suffice in many cases but the busier the scene the higher you want. Obviously for the best quality go as high as you can.

I strongly recommend you read the manual before you use Shake. It is very powerful and intuitive but if you don't understand different modes and their uses, you will not be able use it. For example, Smoothcam is an image stabilizer and CameraShake introduces image noise to simulate camera motion. Also remember that smoothcam node requires deinterlaced clips BEFORE apply the node. All of this information and more is in the manual.

As for the woman who speaks in another language, I'd like her as long as she looks good.

"I strongly recommend you read the manual before you use Shake."

If it counts, I strongly recommend it also. The manual is very useful. And yes, Shake looks like an Alien form the movies B)

And, de-interlacing is very-very IMPORTANT before applying the SmoothCam node. The manual says how to do it, follow it, because it has several steps.

Jules

Hey guys thanks for the replies. The manual is why my brain hurts. I am in a bit of a bind with a deadline looming. I bought the software in order to fix one clip in one project and was desperate for a quick answer. I have since gotten it to work but in a sort of round about way. My project contains both HDV and SD media so I am working on a timeline set for DV so that any resizing is done to the HDV stuff. However, when I do it in the traditional way and send an HDV clip to shake and then render it back and reconnect it, it looks like three identical images side by side in the viewer. Is that a deinterlacing issue? Am I deinterlacing it wrong? I am deinterlacing by highlighting the FileIn node, deinterlacing it (even) in the source tab, adding the smoothcam, analyzing it, then rendering the FileOut node.

The problem with the manual, as I am sure you know, is that the nomenclature is so different that it is difficult to jump around to the sections that you need and I unfortunately don't have the time to work my way forward from page one (which I realize is the only way to tackle this). I am, by far, not an editing expert, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Thanks for your patience.

cw

IOnature

Without being there to see what you are doing, I can only suggest you go to page 196 in the manual to setup your script for interlaced material.

Also I would highly recommend you render your HDV material into the Apple Intermediate Codec then send it to Shake for smoothcam. This way you have extra resolution to use when smoothcam moves the picture around.

Read the manual on using the "IN" or "Intersection" in Smooth Cam node.

Sorry I can't be of more help but it is problematic when you have to learn a new software with a pending dateline.

There's a free Shake tutorial on the www.kenstone.net site by Steve Martin. His stuff is usually very good and easy to follow.

Steve B)

Thank you Drew!

Thanks Steve,

The little that I have accomplished so far came from that tutorial. Have you ever seen the situation that I have described, three side by side images in the viewer tracking along with the video? It seems to always happen when I just import a clip that I had previously put through shake.