Final Cut Pro: Using square or non-square pixels when creating graphics

 


When you're preparing to import graphics into Final Cut Pro, it's important to be aware of the pixel aspect ratio you're using and whether your project requires you to work with square or non-square pixels.

  • Non-square pixels: Use this for projects that are going to standard definition tape in NTSC or PAL.
  • Square pixels: Use this for high definition video projects, as well as multimedia video that will be played back only on computers and doesn't use any captured video footage.
  1. Square pixels: Use this for high definition video projects, as well as multimedia video that will be played back only on computers and doesn't use any captured video footage.

    Graphics created on a computer, whether scanned, painted, or rendered, look distorted on a video monitor unless you account for the different pixel aspect ratio. Fortunately, this is easy to do, since every non-square video frame size has an equivalent square frame size that you can use to create your graphics.

    To create graphics that look correct when output to video:
    In your graphics application, create a frame size that's the square pixel equivalent of the video frame size you're using. See the chart below for equivalent sizes. For example, if you're working in DV-PAL with a non-square video frame size of 720 x 576, your graphic should have a square pixel frame size of 768 x 576.

 
601-NTSC 4:3 720 x 486 720 x 547
601-NTSC 16:9 Anamorphic 720 x 486 853 x 486
DV-NTSC 4:3 720 x 480 720 x 540
DV-NTSC 16:9 Anamorphic 720 x 480 853 x 480
601/DV-PAL 4:3 720 x 576 768 x 576
601/DV-PAL 16:9 Anamorphic 720 x 576 1024 x 576
720i/p high definition NA 1280 x 720
1080i/p high definition NA 1920 x 1080

 

Note: Final Cut Pro uses a non-square pixel aspect ratio of 8/9 for NTSC 4:3, 32/27 for NTSC 16:9, 16/15 for PAL 4:3, and 64/45 for PAL16:9. The sizes in the above chart are correct for those values. Other software programs may use different aspect ratios and recommend different imported graphics sizes. However, if the material is going to be edited in Final Cut Pro, the above recommendations should be followed.
    2. Create your graphic.

    3. Do one of the following:

    • In your graphics program, rescale the graphic from the square frame size you created it with to the non-square equivalent used in Final Cut Pro.
      After you import the image into Final Cut Pro, the graphic looks distorted, or squashed, on your computer display, but will look right when you output it to video. It's a good idea to save this resized graphic in case you want to change it in the future (you can then reimport it into Final Cut Pro).
    • Save your image as is.
      When you import your image into Final Cut Pro, it's automatically set to the pixel type, or pixel aspect ratio, it was created with. You can change the pixel aspect ratio in the clip's Item Properties window. For more information, see Viewing and changing the properties of a clip.