Compressor is the digital distribution hub at the center of Final Cut Studio that allows transcoding and encoding of all types of QuickTime compatible media. Gone are the days of simply laying off your finished movie to tape. Now DVD, the Internet and mobile devices like iPods and iPhones are the main forms of distribution with tape quickly becoming an archival medium. In this tutorial, master compressionist and Apple-certified trainer Brian Gary will walk you through the finer points of getting your media in and out of Compressor while showing you ways to maximize Compressor's efficiency and productivity.
This is the first feature-length tutorial that we have decided to deliver as a download only. With broadband connections now commonplace and encoding technologies enabling ever smaller files, we thought it fitting that our first download-only tutorial should be on Compressor. If you still feel the need to have a physical DVD, we allow you to burn the tutorial files onto optical media for safe keeping.
Available in iTunes
We chose iTunes as our online delivery vehicle for the simple reason that millions of Mac and PC users are already using it - every day - to play, organize, backup and sync their media files. We do not think you should have to download and install a proprietary media player just to watch our tutorials. In fact, our tutorials will be added to your iTunes library and be accessable in the same way your music, tv shows and podcasts are accessable right now.
How Does it Work?
We realize you may have a question or two, so we created a short FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page to answer them.
Getting movies in and out of Compressor boils down to Brian's simple 3 step workflow: import the media, apply a target, submit the job. Along the way you'll learn the best way to maintain quality though the encoding pipeline and discover when you might want to sacrifice quality for speed. You'll also learn how Compressor interacts with the core Studio apps - Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro and Motion.
Working on the Chain Gang
Becoming a Compressor power-user lies in aggregating as much work as possible into what Compressor calls a Batch then letting Compressor manage, monitor and process your encoding jobs while you go have lunch. You'll learn how to take advantage of Job Chaining which allows Compressor to hand off time intensive tasks to other jobs in the chain, saving Compressor from having to re-process those same tasks over and over.
Through the Looking Glass
The Preview window does more than give you a real time display of your encoding jobs. It's also a portal for creating interactive QuickTime movies that include Chapter Markers, Web Hyperlinks, and Podcast-specific markers that call up images or video frames in iTunes.
Frame Controls to Major Tom
Compressor's Frame Controls allow you to accurately transcode media from one format to another such as downconverting HD movies to SD or doing a standards conversion from NTSC to PAL. Compressor employs Optical Flow technology inherited from Shake to more accurately place pixels in new frame sizes and frame rates. You'll learn important do's and don'ts when employing this powerful feature.
Cluster's Last Stand
If you own an 8-Core MacPro you can create a virtual network on your computer called a Cluster that will parse your jobs out to each processor as if each processor was a physical computer on a network. This lesson alone will save you hours of encoding time.
Ripple Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension
Understanding the GeometryPane is crucial when you need to output movies with different aspect ratios. Learn common pitfalls when working with 16:9 media and how to maintain the proper aspect ratios whether you are delivering to the web, a broadcast server or an iPhone. In the image below, a 4:3 letterboxed movie is cropped for 16:9 output for web delivery.
These are just a few of the subjects Brian will address in this tutorial. Compressor is your gateway to your audience, your conduit to your collaborators, your digital distribution hub. As Les Moonves, head of CBS said, "There is no new media...it's all just media." Final Cut Studio puts you in control of your content, and Compressor specifically puts you in control of your media. For a complete listing of subject matter covered in this tutorial, check out the Table of Contents below.
Watch on Apple TV
In addtion to the QuickTime tutorial movies that download to your desktop, we've formatted all the tutorials for playback Apple TV. This means you can sync our tutorials with iTunes, then sit back on your sofa, remote in hand, and watch the tutorials on your Hi-Def monitor connected over DVI. The picture quality is stunning.
Who is this Tutorial for?
Anyone creating any content for the Web, DVD, or the iPod, needs this tutorial. It is also beneficial to editors working in multiple formats such as HD and SD, NTSC and PAL formats.
What's in this Tutorial?
The entire tutorial comprises 10 lessons with a running time under 2 hours. Each lesson can be viewed
as a stand-alone module using QuickTime Player. All lessons include chapter markers so you can go back and watch the sections you need to review.
About the Instructor
An award winning writer, producer and director, Brian Gary is founder and CEO of Flying Chaucer Films LLC of Los Angeles and Flying Chaucer Productions LLC in New Orleans. Under those shingles, Brian Gary has created a wide array of content for television, theatrical release and the Web. Accomplished editor rounds out his filmmaker's skill-set and he lectures nationwide as a certified Final Cut Pro instructor.
Table of Contents
The Good, the Bad and the Uncompressed
Compression Overview
Key Concepts when Working with Compressor
Tour of the Batch Window
Tour of the Settings Window
Tour of the Inspector Window
Working with Window Layouts
Common Compression Related Terminology
Importing Source Media
Compressor Workflow in Three Steps
Importing QuickTime Source Media
Importing Final Cut Pro Sequences
Pros and Cons of the Two Final Cut Pro Export Options
Importing Motion Sequences
Exporting Out of Soundtrack Pro
Using Compressor Presets with Soundtrack Pro
Encoding Video Out to Soundtrack Pro
Working with Settings
In-Depth with the Settings Window
Searching for Presets with Keywords
Appling Presets, Creating Targets
Modifying the Apple Presets
Creating Custom Presets
Organizing Custom Presets
Working with QuickTime Components
Using Episode Pro Presets in Compressor
Working with Destinations and Droplets
Working with Destinations
Creating Custom Local and Remote Destinations
Working with Filenames
Creating Droplets
Droplet Strategies
Maximizing Batch Workflows
Using Batch Window Layouts
The Power of Batch Workflow
Setting up Batches
Managing Jobs
Managing Targets
Saving Batches
Working with Multiple Batches
Using the History Window to Monitor and Manage Batches
