Apple Final Cut Pro 6 - Manual (Page 1473)

688 Part IV Real Time and Rendering
Using the Shift Fields Filter
When you add a clip to a sequence, Final Cut Pro checks the field dominance settings
of both to see if they match. If both the clip and sequence are interlaced but use
opposite field dominance, Final Cut Pro automatically adds a Shift Fields filter to the
clip so that the clip field dominance matches the field dominance of the sequence.
In most cases, the Shift Fields filter is applied automatically, so you rarely need to apply
this filter yourself. However, you can modify, add, or delete the Shift Fields filter just as
you can any other filter. The Shift Fields filter is located in the Effects tab and Effects
menu within the video filters Video category.
Mixing Interlaced and Progressive Footage
The scanning method of a clip or sequence is determined by its field dominance
setting. There are three possible field dominance settings that determine clip and
sequence scanning methods.
Interlaced clips added to a progressive sequence are deinterlaced during playback.
Progressive clips added to an interlaced sequence are interlaced during export or output.
Note: Computer displays are inherently progressive, so you should always connect an
external video monitor when testing interlaced video issues.
For the highest quality, you can use Compressor to deinterlace interlaced footage before
editing it into a progressive sequence. For details, see the Compressor User Manual.
Clip field
dominance Sequence field
dominance Shift direction
of Shift Fields filter
Lower (Even) Upper (Odd) –1
Upper (Odd) Lower (Even) +1
Scanning method Field dominance setting
Progressive None
Interlaced Upper (Odd)
Lower (Even)