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Very vague specification
Hi chaps I have to deliver a DVD for an exhibition tomorrow (picked up the job this morning) the client has paid for a 30 sec. slot to be repeated between ‘features’ on a big video screen at the venue (I’m guessing video) here is the ‘spec’ as emailed to me:
720 x 576 pixels
Commercials to be saved as .mov or .avi and loaded onto disk
Use light greys to replace white to avoid flickering on the screen
Keep font sizes legible and not too thin
Keep copy to a minimum (use a 3 second billboard rule)Thats all the info. I have and I kind of understand it but I’d like more detail or do I ?
I will make an animation codec PAL quicktime .mov and maybe a ‘video’ codec’ as well but given the ridiculous deadline anyone any advice as to what I should do to cover myself. I am trying to contact the exhibition people but they’re not answering emails or phone so I’m stuck.
Any advice please.
Regards Roger
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5 Replies
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Did they say 4:3 or 16:9?
Get payment up front if you can, or don’t deliver without full payment. If this thing won’t play back because they wouldn’t give you the specs YOU ASK FOR, you’re hosed. Keep trying to reach the exhibition techies. Doesn’t the client have a contact or emergency number? Presentation techies always have an emergency number.
If you didn’t know, I hate getting soft specs.
I can only guess that they’re using Quicktime to play back the spots, since you said they’d be loaded onto disk. Try compressing to Photo-JPEG, since that should play on a Windows or Mac hard drive. But cover yourself by also rendering high-quality WMV. Also, you might want to include an MPEG-2 DVD (you have to author it) that holds on a “play” button when inserted, then plays maybe 5 seconds of black before the spot starts. That way, the operator can insert the disc, wait, push play, then switch to the DVD player input.
I’m only guessing. Anybody else?
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Thanks so much Steve … really good advice … I guess they are after 4 x 3 as they’ve mentioned 720 x 576 but I’ll send the other formats as you’ve suggested. I’m going to keep trying to get the information but I’m considering the worst case scenario … the COW, as ever, has come to the rescue. Thanks again Roger
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Well, it could be 720×756 PAL widescreen, though. Or it could be for tape? I don’t know.
But 720×576 for hard drive playback? Hard to say, since computers show square pixels, and PAL square pixel is 768×576, and 720×576 uses non-square pixels. Unless they don’t know what they’re doing.
Maybe they’re playing through an NLE, or some other piece of broadcast gear that plays off a hard drive. I’d make one at 720×576 non-square in PJPEG, and also one in 768×576 square in PJPEG. So I guess I’d use a 720×576 square pixel comp in AE. Geez. Then I’d make the other formats all square pixel, I suppose.
Anybody else?
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Thanks again Steve – well I’ve just had a response, I’m pleased to say – here ya go:
“We use Macs and edit in Final Cut. I mean to export as a full DV-Pal file which is an option within FC. We shoot HDV and export using H264 codec. But any codec that QuickTime uses is fine. Try seeing if there is a DV-PAL option when you export.”
Well I see there is a DV-Pal format option in AE though I’ve never been too sure of what it is … anyway I’ll give that a try.
Thanks again for taking the time. Good of you. I hope to be able to repay the compliment some day.
Best regards
Roger
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It sounds as if you’re on track. Thanks for keeping us up-to-date.
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