How to make a small 720p movie?
May 23, 2011 6:05 PM Subscribe
I have edited my HD video in iMovie, and want to export it (as whatever file type) in 720p, but at a much smaller size than iMovie is putting out. Help me shrink this movie!
The completed film is about 9 minutes long. I shot it with my Sony HDR-SR11 camcorder, which records in AVCHD format. The original footage is either 720p or 1080p, I can't recall which.
In iMovie, I go to Share and then Export using Quicktime, and then have all the different formats to choose from, under the Video tab. So many choices! I've tried the ones labeled 720p, but the resulting movie tends to be around a gig in size, sometimes two or more. And since I've had movie files--whole two hour movies--that are around 4 gigs, one gig is way too large for a 9 minute clip.
So what to choose? Which codec, compressor? I will keep playing around with different permutations, but this could take me a week to figure out. Hivemind, someone out there must know the best route. The end result I would like to upload to YouTube or Vimeo, whichever works best. But Vimeo has a 500 meg limit on uploads.
Again, I don't really care what file type it is, just as long as I can put it online and in 720p HD. I'm on an iMac running Leopard. iMovie is either '09 or 11 (I'm away from my mac at the moment).
The completed film is about 9 minutes long. I shot it with my Sony HDR-SR11 camcorder, which records in AVCHD format. The original footage is either 720p or 1080p, I can't recall which.
In iMovie, I go to Share and then Export using Quicktime, and then have all the different formats to choose from, under the Video tab. So many choices! I've tried the ones labeled 720p, but the resulting movie tends to be around a gig in size, sometimes two or more. And since I've had movie files--whole two hour movies--that are around 4 gigs, one gig is way too large for a 9 minute clip.
So what to choose? Which codec, compressor? I will keep playing around with different permutations, but this could take me a week to figure out. Hivemind, someone out there must know the best route. The end result I would like to upload to YouTube or Vimeo, whichever works best. But Vimeo has a 500 meg limit on uploads.
Again, I don't really care what file type it is, just as long as I can put it online and in 720p HD. I'm on an iMac running Leopard. iMovie is either '09 or 11 (I'm away from my mac at the moment).
(Though for a movie that short, you may be able to get away with Quicktime H264- but you might have to slide the quality down from "best." Also make sure you are compressing the audio as well as the video- that will save some file size too.)
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:10 PM on May 23, 2011
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:10 PM on May 23, 2011
Best answer: I have a Panasonic camcorder that also shoots in AVCHD (1080p 60fps). When I edit in iMovie, and want to output to 720p, I use Share->Export Using Quicktime..., Movie to MPEG-4, Options: Video Format: H.264, Data rate: 4500Kbps, Image size: 1280x720HD, Optimized for Download, Frame Rate: 30, Key Frame: Automatic, Video options: Restrict profile to Main, Encoding mode: Best quality (multi-pass; Audio: AAC-LC, Data rate: 160Kbps, Stereo, 44.1Khz, Encoding quality: Best.
The output is fairly good, suitable for Youtube, and plays on my iPad.
posted by jaimev at 8:10 PM on May 23, 2011
The output is fairly good, suitable for Youtube, and plays on my iPad.
posted by jaimev at 8:10 PM on May 23, 2011
And as an example of file size, yesterday, I encoded a home video at the 720p encoding I mentioned above, and the 3 minute video was about 100Mb.
posted by jaimev at 8:13 PM on May 23, 2011
posted by jaimev at 8:13 PM on May 23, 2011
Response by poster: awesome, jaimev, just the kind of detail I was looking for. Will try that out later!
posted by zardoz at 8:26 PM on May 23, 2011
posted by zardoz at 8:26 PM on May 23, 2011
Handbrake could help you get a smaller size, via trial and error. But you can tweak things based off of the presets so you should be good with this app.
Please note one thing, your small file is of no use to someone if it cannot easily be played. I recommend outputting your file as an .avi or .mkv, both of which can be easily played with the free app VLC.
posted by darkgroove at 6:00 PM on May 24, 2011
Please note one thing, your small file is of no use to someone if it cannot easily be played. I recommend outputting your file as an .avi or .mkv, both of which can be easily played with the free app VLC.
posted by darkgroove at 6:00 PM on May 24, 2011
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Most Quicktime codecs tend to make large files. Mpeg codecs tend to make smaller files- that's why it's used to cram a 2-hour movie onto a DVD. Flv also makes smaller files.
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:08 PM on May 23, 2011