END CREDITS done in Photoshop, 600dpi bit map?

[hiptune]

Hi,

I am finishing up my first film and need to do the end credits. I've decided on still cards, like black background and off white text. Very simple but nicly layed out and fade in fade outs for each card.

My question is, what size canvas should I open up new, and is 600dpi bit map fine enough?

The movie is in 16:9, but I would think I should write text on full screen size, and just avoid the unsafe titleing area when I set up the credits keeping in mind the back borders at top and bottom edges.

Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks.

Jeff

[terryj]

Even with 16:9, you'd still want to keep the safe titling effect on,
so that if you eventually take your masterpiece out of FCP/FCE,
and into DVDSP, you won't end up having to re-do them because
you neglected this important step. Not only does Safe Titling
handle the bottoms, but also the SIDES as well.
Using Photoshop's DV NTSC 720 x 480WS with Guides
preset should be fine for this.

And keep in mind your target output: If your goal is to go export
out to DV tape to take and get a 35mm blowup, then the most important
would be to have a legible font size on screen,
( no smaller than 12 point type)
sans serif to avoid flicker, at 300 dpi.

If your plan is to go FCP to DVDSP as a DVD-R to show
off your masterpiece, then you need to target for TV resolution,
with a sans serif font to avoid flicker, again, no smaller than
12 point size, with 72dpi, as TV screens cannot display larger
dpi than that (Display resolution versus Print Resolution).

[Cornucopia]

I would agree with that, with the exception that you should START with a large canvas/large dpi, and then make a downconverted/resized SDTV copy. This has to do with OVERSAMPLING. It's important because it smooths out the edges/diagonals, providing better antialiasing (without too much blur).
Go 2x or 4x. That means, for NTSC SDTV final copy (720x480nonsquare/720x540square pixels), you would start with 1440x1080square, or 2880x2160.
Makes a big difference in smoothness.
However, if the "smoothness" is too much for your taste, you can always blend a downsampled version with a 720x480/540 non-downsampled version.

Scott

[hiptune]

The reason I am doing bit maps outside of FCP is because the DV tapes I edited on are copies of Digibeta matsers. So the DV tapes are being switched out for the Digi masters at the last mastering/color correction stage. And that is when my cards will be inserted.

So I need not use DV settings in Photoshop, and would like to start with high settings, large canvas, and make no compremise for DV at all, as digibetas are far above HD and any DV.

[Cornucopia]

No.
Digibeta is still a compressed SD (601) resolution videotape format. It's just much less compressed than DV (~2:1 vs. 5.5:1), has better chroma sampling (4:2:2 vs. 4:1:1 or 4:2:0), and has better A/D bit depth per pixel (10b/color component vs. std. 8).
That means it's still 720x480 interlaced @ 29.97fps--NOT an HD format at all.
What I said is still valid.
If you intend to move on to HD at some point, then extrapolate the oversampling numbers.

Say you'll do 1080i: that's 1920x1080 interlaced @ 29.97fps (remember, these are square pixels thank goodness)
2x oversampling = 3840x2160, 4x oversampling = 7680x4320

720p would be 1280x720 progressive @ 59.94fps
2x oversampling = 2560x1440, 4x oversampling = 5120x2880

Those would be output to something like XDCamHD or DVCPro100HD, etc.

You could also do digital cinema at 2k or 4k, outputting to MJ2K/MXF file sequence setups on a Harddrive, but it doesn't sound like you're at that point yet, so I won't add more numbers.

Scott

[DanSlagle]

Also video and DPI have nothing to do with each other. But a high DPI image will muck up your video. Stick with 72 DPI.

[edDV]

Also video and DPI have nothing to do with each other. But a high DPI image will muck up your video. Stick with 72 DPI.

I agree with your first sentance. Use pixels for video, not dpi.

[Cornucopia]

You'll notice I never used the term dpi when suggesting those sizes...

The pixel's the thing.

Scott

[DanSlagle]

No I just saw DPI used in the first question is all. More of an FYI.

[terryj]

I agree with your first sentance. Use pixels for video, not dpi.

yes, and I often forget to say PPI instead of DPI.
too many years in the print world before switching to video
makes old habits die hard....

wouldn't it be nice if EVERYTHING was just PPI...?

[Case]

wouldn't it be nice if EVERYTHING was just PPI...?

As in: you avoid all print work in every aspect of your life? Not happening for another century or so. :P

[terryj]

wouldn't it be nice if EVERYTHING was just PPI...?

As in: you avoid all print work in every aspect of your life? Not happening for another century or so. :P

yes, but let's agree to meet and have a toast then, if we all live that long my friend!

[hiptune]

Thanks everyone for your help. I got offered this movie which I considered my big break (time will tell), and am in a bit over my head. But it's fine. I did cut the whole thing in FCP, and it looks great even from DV, the final output will look stunning. All dialog audio is being recorded in a studio and replaceing the live tracks. It has good production values and a star. It's all good!

So I have a little time to get the end credits together.

[terryj]

good luck with it hiptune!

[hiptune]

Ok, I am going to be doing the cards in full screen letterboxed.

So what is the size canvas for full 3x4 (not 16x9) frame cards?

I will just have to use overlays to know I am in safe zone for 16x9 output later.

Thanks in advance, I am almost ready to start.

[edDV]

A full 4:3 SD frame would be 720x480 (NTSC) or 720x576 (PAL) for DVD or 704x480/576 for broadcast.

Current versions of Photoshop have video modes to compensate for the non-square pixels.

FWIW, I do my graphics in square pixel 1920x1080 (16:9) or 1440x1080 (4:3) and let the editing software downscale them for SD.

That way I do it once for HDTV, PAL or NTSC scalings.

Others may have a better technique.

[hiptune]

Great starting place, will do. Thx.

Jeff