Son shot first commercial for cable, need format advice at DVinfo.net

Roger Shealy · September 12th, 2009, 08:58 PM

My son shot footage on my A1 in 24F for a cable channel commercial and edited in Vegas Pro 9 (have 8 also).

1. What common rendering formats do you guys typically deliver HD and SD?
2. Is 24P o.k.?
3. Do you typically include color bars and tone? If yes, any comments on best methodology?

You will not offend me with detailed instructions!

Thanks

Don Bloom · September 12th, 2009, 09:16 PM

the answer is talk to the TV (cable) station and get the TECH SPECS. You might be surprised with the answer they give you.

Some will take 4:3 SD on DVD, some will take Beta tape, some DVCAM, some DV, most ALL want color bars and tone, a slate and the content needs to be exactly the time for the slot.

Every station is different so there's really no 1 answer.

Any commericals, demos and pilots I have done were all shot in 60i except 1 that was slated to be done at 30p (project fell thru). Again though ask the station.

Chris Harding · September 13th, 2009, 03:50 AM

Hi Roger

Definately go with Don's advice. A friend of mine was shooting a Realty Series for cable in Florida and I was stunned when they insisted that the content had to be on SVHS tape!!!
(and that was only 2008!!!)

Our local community station here expects the edited content to be black screen then colour bars to exact specs and then the content for a 1/2hour program split into 2 x 12.5minute segments and everything but be absolutely exact and then written back to DVCAM cassette. and when they say 30 sec of colour bar they mean 30sec not 29.5!!!!

Get the format specs in writing from them otherwise you will have to submit your commercial a lot more than once so conform to their specs to the letter!!!

Chris

Don Bloom · September 13th, 2009, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Hi Roger

Definately go with Don's advice. A friend of mine was shooting a Realty Series for cable in Florida and I was stunned when they insisted that the content had to be on SVHS tape!!!
(and that was only 2008!!!)
Chris

SVHS? OMG, do they even still make that? lol I'm sorry but thats really a bit behind the times. Today smaller stations seem to either want a DVD OR Beta tape but SVHS?????

Ah well must be a real small station
Hey I've still got a few VCRs laying around, maybe they'd like to buy them from me. ;-)

Roger Shealy · September 13th, 2009, 05:25 AM

Thanks guys, all my personal output is onto DVD, .wmv/mp4 files. I hope he's able to use the 24P! he's already shot.

Mike Kujbida · September 13th, 2009, 06:11 AM

Roger, keep in mind that, although he shot in 24P, it will be aired at 29.97 so burn a DVD of it and see how it plays on your TV set.
As far bars & tone are concerned, do what has already been suggested and check with the station to see what they want/need.
I know that my local cable station doesn't care what I put on as they just dump it right into their server without checking anything :-(

Edward Troxel · September 13th, 2009, 06:12 AM

We broadcast our church service on the local cable station each week. I simply do a print to tape to DV tape - which is what they requested. These tapes do NOT have bars or tones - just a straight print to tape from the timeline. So, as was mentioned, simply give them what they ask for.

Roger Shealy · September 13th, 2009, 01:56 PM

This is fascinating to me that the station requirements are so varied. I'm learning through other conversations that many stations don't want HD content, and some insist on 4:3. Hmmmmm. I think the VHS requirement tops them all though!

Edward Troxel · September 14th, 2009, 06:49 AM

I don't know if they're still doing it... but at one time, the cable station was taking our DV tape, copying it down to multiple VHS tapes, and then taking those to multiple substations for broadcast. I think they've changed that procedure, though... (and we wonder why our program looked WORSE on air than it did in the original...) :-(

September 12th, 2009, 08:58 PM	#1
Roger Shealy Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fayetteville, GA Posts: 772	Son shot first commercial for cable, need format advice My son shot footage on my A1 in 24F for a cable channel commercial and edited in Vegas Pro 9 (have 8 also). 1. What common rendering formats do you guys typically deliver HD and SD? 2. Is 24P o.k.? 3. Do you typically include color bars and tone? If yes, any comments on best methodology? You will not offend me with detailed instructions! Thanks

September 12th, 2009, 09:16 PM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	the answer is talk to the TV (cable) station and get the TECH SPECS. You might be surprised with the answer they give you. Some will take 4:3 SD on DVD, some will take Beta tape, some DVCAM, some DV, most ALL want color bars and tone, a slate and the content needs to be exactly the time for the slot. Every station is different so there's really no 1 answer. Any commericals, demos and pilots I have done were all shot in 60i except 1 that was slated to be done at 30p (project fell thru). Again though ask the station. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

September 13th, 2009, 06:12 AM	#7
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	We broadcast our church service on the local cable station each week. I simply do a print to tape to DV tape - which is what they requested. These tapes do NOT have bars or tones - just a straight print to tape from the timeline. So, as was mentioned, simply give them what they ask for. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

September 14th, 2009, 06:49 AM	#9
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	I don't know if they're still doing it... but at one time, the cable station was taking our DV tape, copying it down to multiple VHS tapes, and then taking those to multiple substations for broadcast. I think they've changed that procedure, though... (and we wonder why our program looked WORSE on air than it did in the original...) :-( __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

September 13th, 2009, 03:50 AM	#3
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Hi Roger Definately go with Don's advice. A friend of mine was shooting a Realty Series for cable in Florida and I was stunned when they insisted that the content had to be on SVHS tape!!! (and that was only 2008!!!) Our local community station here expects the edited content to be black screen then colour bars to exact specs and then the content for a 1/2hour program split into 2 x 12.5minute segments and everything but be absolutely exact and then written back to DVCAM cassette. and when they say 30 sec of colour bar they mean 30sec not 29.5!!!! Get the format specs in writing from them otherwise you will have to submit your commercial a lot more than once so conform to their specs to the letter!!! Chris

September 13th, 2009, 05:25 AM	#5
Roger Shealy Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fayetteville, GA Posts: 772	Thanks guys, all my personal output is onto DVD, .wmv/mp4 files. I hope he's able to use the 24P! he's already shot.

September 13th, 2009, 06:11 AM	#6
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	Roger, keep in mind that, although he shot in 24P, it will be aired at 29.97 so burn a DVD of it and see how it plays on your TV set. As far bars & tone are concerned, do what has already been suggested and check with the station to see what they want/need. I know that my local cable station doesn't care what I put on as they just dump it right into their server without checking anything :-(

September 13th, 2009, 01:56 PM	#8
Roger Shealy Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Fayetteville, GA Posts: 772	This is fascinating to me that the station requirements are so varied. I'm learning through other conversations that many stations don't want HD content, and some insist on 4:3. Hmmmmm. I think the VHS requirement tops them all though!