Trimming the Fat

[TheGrimmSleeper]

I work with Final Cut Express. I recently edited a short documentary video. Total running time is around seven minutes, shot on regular DV (no HD). I’m still getting to know Final Cut Express so I don’t know much about tweaking the export settings. I’m trying to get the video size down to under 100mb so I can put it on YouTube and MySpace TV. Using the defaults on “Export Using Quicktime Compression” the file size is too large. I’ve tried adjusting some of the customizeable settings under that option but the results are either far too low quality or still too big.

Any pointers on what codecs to use and what settings I can tweak to make the vid look and sound decent without too much crackle and blur? The video as it exists is here: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2089996641

This is probably one of my weaker areas of the production process; the whole thing is still fairly new to me but this has always been a thorn in my side. Thanks!

[TheGrimmSleeper]

Kind of dead here… not a lot of Final Cut users…?

[Anonymous]

how about trying a different file format, like mp4 or wmv to upload to myspace??

[TheGrimmSleeper]

The WMV turned out pretty horribly. It was nice and compact but the resolution was horrific. Might give the mp4 a run, assuming it’s a format MySpace and YouTube both support. I’ve Googled for tutorials on exporting but most of them are pretty vague about this part of the process… suggesting to me that this is either so basic I should know it already, or it’s too complicated for a simple web tutorial.

I recall finding endless tutorials on bit trimming and such for Adobe Premiere / Encore back when Encore first launched. Of course the equations for that made my eyes cross.

Thanks for the response, at any rate!

[Anonymous]

Try setting the frame size to 400×300, frame rate to 24, bit rate to 1000, with the H.264 codec. How did you do the graphics at the beginning (The sleeping monster)? That was beautiful.

[TheGrimmSleeper]

Ah yes, that would be the “Grimm Sleeper”. I have a friend and associate who happens to be a 3D artist. I asked him if he’d be interested in doing that and explained what I wanted, and that is the result.

He did another one for me for “Beyond the Storm Productions” which is the “name” I use for wedding videography. It’s just as impressive!

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