I'm about to try and learn how to use After Effects. And I've already encountered my first problem. When I open the program, I create a new composition. I change all the settings to work with the HDV footage I want to import. However, once I import the footage, it is squished and incorrectly displayed as 4:3 rather than 16:9. I don't understand why it is doing this. I checked my comp settings and they seem correct. Anybody know what I'm doing wrong? Thanks

you captured 16:9 right?

It might just be the display in AE. My footage looks all squished and shit too but its just in After Effects

yeah. everything looks fine in premiere pro.

ok. so do you just deal with the display looking that way? also, it renders out correctly for you?

i've never dealt with HDV footage in AE but HD is displayed 16:9. try exporting it and see if it works.

my HDV footage looks the same once i export it from Motion...it looks great inside but once i export it squishes to 4:3...no big deal its just quicktime player that messes it up then because when i pull it back into FCP it unsquishes to 16:9...

the issue (i believe) is that HDV shoots in 1440x1080 but uprezzes to 1920x1080 for display and edit. its "a crippled resolution size" none the less it still looks sick if done properly... my guess is that once you have it in after effects it doesnt have the appropriate flags to tell it to uprez to 16:9 (1920x1080). once you export it. just export as 1920x1080 and it should be fine back in final cut

there's a button in the composition window that will change the display to non square pixels.

aaronls name should be changed to superman

he always saves the day HA HA HA HA

thanks aaron. much appreciated