ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 7.0
User Guide
593
HDCAM Sony’s high-definition version of their Digital Betacam format. A variant called HDCAM SR uses a tape
with a higher particle density to record video with greater color sampling and at higher bit rates. However, HDCAM
SR is supported by decks only, and not camcorders.
HDV Developed jointly by several companies, HDV employs a form of MPEG-2 compression to enable high-
definition video to be encoded on standard miniDV cassette media.
H.264 Also known as MPEG-4 part 10 and AV C (Advanced Video Coding), H.264 can deliver video over a range of
bitrates more efficiently than previous standards. For example, H.264 can deliver the same quality as MPEG-2 at half
the data rate. H.264 is built into the Apple QuickTime 7 multimedia architecture, and will be supported by both of
the rival next-generation DVD formats, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc.
Uncompressed HD Refers to high-definition video in an uncompressed format. Without compression to reduce the
video’s data rate, uncompressed video requires relatively fast computer processors, hard disks, and a specialized
capture device.
WM9 HDTV Microsoft’s high-definition delivery format is among numerous formats included in the Windows
Media 9 (WM9) framework. By employing an aggressive compression scheme, WM9 HDTV permits high-
definition video encoding and playback at relatively low data rates.
Creating motion-picture film
Ifyouintendtodisplayyourfinishedprojectonmotionpicturefilm,youshouldplanyourworkflowcarefully.You
mayemployamatchback process, in which you shoot on film, transfer to video, and then conform the film negative
to your edits. On the other hand, you may choose to shoot and edit using a video format (ideally, a high-definition
format) and transfer the finished project to film. In any case, you will need to consider the important ways film and
video formats differ—such as in their image resolutions and frame rates—and how to reconcile those differences.
For the production phase, you will need to consider the acquisition format that best suits your needs. During post-
production, you may need to transfer the source footage to the appropriate format for editing, effects, and sound
design (using programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Audition). When exporting
from post-production software, you must determine the file settings appropriate to the film stock you will use, or
decide how to best translate your editing decisions to film. If you choose to transfer video to film, it’s likely you will
employ a facility that can accomplish the transfer using a film recorder, a device that prints video frames to motion
picture film frames. To determine the best course, consult the production and post-production facilities that will
provide the services necessary to deliver the project on film before you begin.
Default rendering order
The order in which After Effects renders the various parts of a composition can affect the look of some visual effects
in a rendered movie. An understanding of how After Effects renders a composition will help you get the results you
want.
In rendering a composition, After Effects processes 2D layers in the order in which they are listed in the Timeline
panel, starting at the bottom of the list. However, After Effects processes 3D layers in Z order within their 3D bins.
(See “About 3D rendering” on page 625.) In processing each layer, After Effects processes changes from the top
down, as these three categories appear in the Timeline panel: first the masks, then effects, and finally the transfor-
mations. The blending modes and track mattes are processed after that. After Effects processes elements with
multiple effects in the order in which they are listed in the Effect Controls and the Timeline panels.
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