Broadcast Quality Check
 

Hi
I've just stepped into color correction of my feature film which was shot in HDV. It's been mastered in uncompressed 32-bit HD (TIFF Sequence) at 1280x720, 25fps. It was shot with a JVC 111E and is being finished on After Effects.

I just wanted to know how I can go about checking the quality of my finished film - checking for artifacts, unwanted pixels, dropped frames, or any other issues that I don't know about, etc? Is there a software that i can just use to check the 'quality'?

I intend to release DVDs of it for now, but I also want the master to stand good for a film release if the need arises. Thanks.

You can pay for a QC (quality control) report and they will find anything and everything. Almost every show on broadcast right now has a QC phase in which they submit their show for a rigorous QC check usually administered by the broadcast company themselves. If you pass you are done but you will usually get a report back complete with description of the issues and timecode where it occurs.

FYI in terms of HD broadcast I don't think there is anyone willing to do more than 15% of a show shot in HDV.

Hi
 

Thanks for the reply. However, since I'm mastering it in uncompressed HD in a TIFF sequence, I'm not sure how a TV QC (in my country India, it's PAL) check will do, especially because there's almost zero HD content here at the moment. Even if there were, it is most likely HDCAM and DVCPRO HD, but since my master is uncompressed HD, how do I check that?
Is there any place that can quide me or define a set of standards for this content. For example, how does one do a QC on 35mm movies?

Hi Sareesh..............................
 

If you're saying there's nowhere in your area dealing with HD, I can only assume you're going to have to render a copy of the finished product down to DVD quality or another format that someone local can deal with for QC checking.

You'll have to find out what that/ those standards are from whomever does them local.

Is there anywhere local doing digital to celluloid tranfers?

That's assuming digital projection hasn't taken off in a big way there.

It has to go down to DVD format anyway for DVD release.

Sorry if that ain't a lot of help.


CS

Hi
 

Thanks for the info. Satellite and Celluloid transfers are there of course, but I'm rendering out my movie from home, on my own system.

It's just funny that after all the effort, none of these programs offer a QC on acceptable broadcast quality. If I render out my DVD, it would be mighty convenient to have a program that will just test it for basic requirements, rather than go to a studio to get it done.

Hi.........
 

Well, you haven't mentioned what software you're using.

It is possible that there is such a beast as you describe, but not included in the original package due to the cost and the minute number of users who would ever need it.

Something like FCP on Mac systems for example is used (as far as I'm aware) by the studios and presumably has modules to perform this function, but at huge cost.

Do you really want to buy a $40,000 software module (complete stab in the dark figure) to test this film out?

My guess is that if rendered down to DVD and it works and plays with no glitches, it's ok, for DVD at least.

For a 35 mm release it's a completely different ball game and the only ones who can give you chapter and verse on what they can and can't use as an input format is them.

'Fraid it's back to hitting the phones on that one.

I also have no doubt if this thread can be kept "alive" long enough, someone with infinately more knowledge than me can indeed give you chapter and verse on it.

Logic only goes so far, some data is required to keep the processor running (I'm talking about mine incidently, not your PC).

Regards,


CS