4

Apple ProRes 4444 is the default export codec for Motion because it is virtually lossless
and includes an alpha channel to preserve transparency in your projects. For more
information on the Apple ProRes family of codecs, see Final Cut Pro
Professional Formats and Workflows, available in Final Cut Pro Help.
Uncompressed 8-Bit and 10-Bit 4:2:2 Video
Video stored using these codecs undergoes no data compression, but some color
resampling may occur depending on the source video format. Because compression
usually results in video artifacts, using no compression guarantees the highest level of
quality. Unfortunately, it also guarantees enormous file sizes.
Note: Uncompressed 8-bit and 10-bit 4:2:2 movies cannot have alpha channels. (Alpha
channels define levels of transparency in your movie and are useful if you’re delivering
an effects shot for use in someone else’s composition.)
Animation
The Animation codec was developed for computer-generated imagery, which often has
large areas of uniform color and little, if any, noise. It is a lossless codec, which means it
doesn’t degrade quality or add artifacts to your video when it applies compression.
Video footage, which generally has more grain, noise, and variations of texture and color
than animated material, may not be compressed as much with the Animation codec as
with other methods. Because some lossless compression is better than none, this codec
is used more frequently than Uncompressed.
Note: Animation movies can have alpha channels. This codec is the most common
QuickTime format supporting alpha channels.
DVCPRO HD
A high definition video format that can be used to capture video digitally from
FireWire-enabled DVCPRO HD compatible decks. Don’t confuse this format with DVCPRO
25 or DVCPRO 50, which are both standard definition formats. This format supports a
number of frame sizes and frame rates, including a 24p format that offers variable speed
via a variable frame rate technology. DVCPRO HD uses 4:2:2 color sampling for high color
fidelity, and has a fixed data rate of 12.5 MB/sec.
Note: DVCPRO HD movies cannot have alpha channels.
DVCPRO 50
The DVCPRO 50 codec is used to capture video digitally from FireWire-enabled DVCPRO
50-compatible camcorders and decks. Although it’s similar to the DV codec in that DVCPRO
50 is imported as YUV encoded video, it produces considerably higher quality video since
it uses less compression. (DVCPRO 50 uses a 3:3:1 compression ratio, versus DV’s 5:1
compression ratio.) DVCPRO 50 also uses 4:2:2 color sampling for high color fidelity, as
opposed to DV’s 4:1:1 color sample rate. DVCPRO 50 has a fixed data rate of 7 MB/sec.
1409Appendix B Video and File Formats