Zooming in on a Photo

[Greg mgm]

I'm working on a 16:9 video project and I'm adding photos which are also 16:9.

When I zoom in on a photo, I lose the top and bottom bars, and the image loses the widescreen shape.
If I clip or crop the top and bottom, the black bars change size when I zoom in.

Obviously this doesn't happen in 4:3 format since there are no bars to worry about.

What can I do to make the bars stay the same size while zooming?

[tiny]

Wait, I don't get this. Is the project setup in a 16:9 native container or a 4:3 native container with bars to make it 16:9?

This sounds like an issue I had previously.

Easy solution, if it is a 4:3 native container. Add your own black bars on your highest video timeline. Then all the images when zoomed in will still be under that timeline, and thus there will always be bars.

[Greg mgm]

Never heard the term native container, but I think you mean is the project is set to 16:9 or 4:3.
I opened a new project and imported video and photos.....tomorrow I'll see what its set to.

I'll also try what you said about adding bars on the highest timeline. Never heard about that either!

Thanks for the info. I'll report back tomorrow afternoon.

[tiny]

Well, I had never thought about it before. This would have saved me a lot of headaches for this most recent film festival where I was working on 16:9 footage that would eventually be rendered out in a 4:3 native frame with bars making the footage 16:9.

[Bob]

You are letterboxing and zooming will naturally fill the available vertical space. If you are you trying to maintain the letterbox appearance when you zoom, apply the clip or crop effect and adjust the top and bottom settings. If you do this often, you can create a custom preset to apply a crop or clip with the correct settings. Or, you can create a title with no text, place two black bars in the title using the rectangle tool, and place the title on the topmost track to hide the unwanted video.

[Bob]

Just a quick note. If you are going to be creating multiple versions (one widescreen, one letterboxed), I'd recommend creating the video using a 16:9 widescreen preset. The 16:9 footage will fill that natively and you can edit/zoom as desired. When the video is complete, export that as a 16:9 movie. That way you have a full resolution master. Then select a 4:3 project preset and import the master that you just created and size it to fit the width of the frame, you'll now have your letterbox. Export or create your letterboxed video from that.

[Greg mgm]

OK, I figured out what I did.... I just plain messed up.

I opened a new project, but didn't look if the new project was 4:3 or 16:9.....It's 4:3.

I imported 16:9 video, and pics shot in widescreen (Cool my Canon G10 has that option)

The video and photos are fitting inside the 4:3 window.
Of course when I zoom it fills the 4:3 window.....like you guys said.

I'm 1/4 the way through this project and really don't want to start over.
I tried adding a blank title track at the top with black bars and it works fine....It's saving my butt!!

Apparently the format can't be changed once a project is started.

So, I guess I need to continue the rest of the project with a blank title with bars, on the top track.

This will teach me for being impatient! Trying to work fast gets me into trouble.

Thank you guys for helping me out! I guess I need to go back to basics!
(Maybe a checklist before I start future projects)

[Chuck Engels]

Are you sure you don't want to start over and use a widescreen project setting Greg?
I know you are part way into the project but it would really look better in a 16:9 project

[tiny]

There is some clipboard application that would allow you to copy your work over. You will lose transitions, but all the cuts and what not will remain. Does anyone know what this is called? I know the free trial lasts for 30 days.

[Chuck Engels]

I think ClipMate does that Tiny.
http://www.thornsoft.com/

[tiny]

Thanks Chuck. That is exactly what I was referring to. Someone here suggested it to me and it saved my butt. So if he wants to follow your suggestion, that might make it a little less work.

[Chuck Engels]

That was probably RJ, he loves clipmate

[Greg mgm]

Well this morning I chose to start over in a new 16:9 project. I could have kept going with the
4:3 format....but It just didn't seem right. It's not a big deal since there are no time restraints.

The good thing is, I'm making changes to some of the motion I added to the stills, and It looks
more creative.....So in the end the project should come out better.

Thanks a lot you guys for the help.

BTW, never used Clipmate, and will give it a try. Thanks for the tip.