Recommended Export Presets Matrix
| Target Platform | Resolution & Aspect | Codec | Target Bitrate | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube 4K UHD | 3840 x 2160 (16:9) | H.265 / HEVC | 45 – 60 Mbps VBR | AAC 384 kbps |
| YouTube 1080p | 1920 x 1080 (16:9) | H.264 / AVC | 16 – 20 Mbps VBR | AAC 320 kbps |
| Instagram Reels / TikTok | 1080 x 1920 (9:16) | H.264 High Profile | 12 – 15 Mbps CBR | AAC 320 kbps |
| Master Archival | Source Match | Apple ProRes 422 HQ | Uncompressed (~220 Mbps) | 24-bit 48kHz LPCM |
Why Your Export Looks Soft or Washed Out After Upload
The most frequent video editor complaint is: "My video looked punchy in the editor, but in QuickTime and Safari it looks milky, faded, and desaturated."
This is caused by Apple's Colorsync engine interpreting standard Rec.709 video at Gamma 1.96 instead of broadcast standard Gamma 2.4.
The FilmCraft Solution (NCLC 1-1-1 Flag):
In FilmCraft's Export settings dialog (Cmd+M / Ctrl+M), check the box: "Embed NCLC Color Tag: 1-1-1 (Rec.709)". This instructs macOS and web browsers to render gamma curves identically to your editor preview.
The 1440p YouTube Codec Advantage
When you upload 1080p video to YouTube on smaller channels, YouTube encodes it with their low-efficiency avc1 codec, resulting in mushy macroblocking in dark scenes. However, if you upscale or export your timeline at 2560x1440 (1440p) or 4K, YouTube is forced to encode with their superior vp09 or av01 codec, delivering sharp grain and zero compression banding.