My footage are from Sony EX1 with 1080/24p 16:9 aspect ratio. What is the best way to create a 2.39 aspect ratio from the 16:9 footage? I assumed I may have to do some cropping but, isn't that just basically including black bars to the top and bottom?

Create a photoshop 2.39 aspect ratio inside a 16x9 project & export with alpha. Import into AVID with " invert alpha" checked. Apply to new video track above your final edit.

Thanks for the response. However, wasn't there an effect already available in MC that will automatically crop the 16:9 to 2.39 without manually creating my own one in Photoshop and bring it into MC? I know that there was one for 4:3 to 16:9 but I'm not sure about 16:9 to 2.39. I don't quite remember. However, essentially, what it does is just putting black bars on top and bottom blocking the areas of the 16:9, correct?

Yes, that is what it does. Adding a 16x9 mask to a 16x9 image will result in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. You can set your grid preferences to display 2.39:1 if I recall correctly. You could then adjust any mask effect to create a letterbox effect for that aspect ratio.When I do this I find that a 75% vertical sized mask results in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and a 71% vertical sized mask results in 2.39:1.

Okay, so let me try to understand this. By setting my MC compser window grid, I can get the composer window to show the 2.39:1 grid and then I can create a mask on another video track to cover the top and bottom based on those grid, correct? Does anyone have an instruction on how to show the grid for 2.39:1 grid? In addition, do I have to create this mask through Photoshop as the first poster suggested? There isn't an already made effect for this available in MC 3.5?

Thanks for the help.

Assuming 16x9 footage in a project with 16x9 monitors:

- Open the Grid Settings

- In the "Coordinates" tab, choose "4:3 outside 16:9 Monitor"

- In the "Display" tab, choose "Anamorphic"

- Choose Apply

- Choose OK.

No need to create anything in Photoshop.

Thanks, ter Burg! That sounds much easier than I initially thought. I'll give that a try tonight. By doing this way, MC will automatically crop my 16:9 footage to 2.39, correct?

Thanks again.

Actually, you will be ordering MC to add a 2.39:1 matte to your footage that way.

Okay, I'm not sure if I understand this correctly. I have done the steps you mentioned above and nothing on the composer window has changed. Any idea?

Job ter Burg:

Actually, you will be ordering MC to add a 2.39:1 matte to your footage that way.

Okay, I figured how to turn the grid on by pressing the Grid button to turn on the grid I just set according your instruction above; however, I unless I don't totall understand this, I don't think turning and setting this grid will automatically put a matte on my footage. I believed that if I export my sequence out, I'll still the footage in full 16:9 and not 2.39:1 aspect ratio.

The grid is just a grid. You need to apply a mask, and set it so that it matches the 2.39:1 gridlines.

Like you said yourself:

By setting my MC compser window grid, I can get the composer window to show the 2.39:1 grid and then I can create a mask on another video track to cover the top and bottom based on those grid, correct?

Alternatively, just apply a Mask effect and set the V-size to .71.

Using the Grid as Job suggested is to set the mask height accurately.

Drop a mask effect on the layer above your sequence and set the height in the effect editor to 71.

NubusAvid:

Using the Grid as Job suggested is to set the mask height accurately.

Drop a mask effect on the layer above your sequence and set the height in the effect editor to 71.

 

That's what I figured. Without this last step, it does not seem it is working properly. It does seem correct now. However, how do I apply this mask effect to the whole sequence instead of clip by clip?

Create a new layer on top of your sequence. (CTRL-Y). Apply the effect to that empty top layer.

Job ter Burg:

Create a new layer on top of your sequence. (CTRL-Y). Apply the effect to that empty top layer.

That's a smart idea. One other things I was wondering. Is there a way to adjust and move the footage up and down to show what I wanted in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio screen since a mask is being apply?