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Format: BARS/SLATE/PROGRAM/TEXTLESS
Hi
I Know what bars and slate are, but does anyone know what a distribution company is asking for when they ask for – “Format: BARS/SLATE/PROGRAM/TEXTLESS”
Could anyone specify the details regarding ideal number of seconds for each item below and the exact order they should be in. And is there anything on the back end of program when asking for the above format?
1. 5 seconds of black
2. 30 seconds of bars and tone
3. 7 seconds of slate
4. 8 second countdown with a two-pop at 2 seconds
5. Program begins at exactly 1:00:00:00
6. I take it ‘Program refers to putting the name of the program in the slate?
7. Textless refers to graphics. is it just lower thirds or ALL text throughout movie?Thanks,
joseph zabrosky
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3 Replies
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[joe zabrosky] “”Format: BARS/SLATE/PROGRAM/TEXTLESS””
Start with Bars…then slate…then the program…and then what are called TEXTLESS COVERS at the end. Textless covers, or Textless Elements are CLEAN video for every part in the show that had text on it. So the open title, any time someone has a lower third appear, subtitles, any graphics that contain text…all go here. And in show order. And often you need to provide timecodes as to where in the show they need to go…either in the slate of the shot, or on a separate form.
[joe zabrosky] “Could anyone specify the details regarding ideal number of seconds for each item below and the exact order they should be in.”
This is something the network needs to provide…that’s on them. For example, for Discovery Networks, I have this:
But this differs from network to network. Smithsonian and History and NatGeo and PBS all have different things. So you need to ask them, not us. BUT, looking at your list, I see you already have that. So yes, Textless typically is :30 to :60 after program end, and is all the parts of the show that has text…but it textless. And it’s CUT TO CUT…do not start on a dissolve. Head of the cut before the text, to the tail of the last clip after text goes away. So they can plug things and put different languages there.
Now, I’ve had shows so full of text, I needed to actually provide a full TEXTLESS master…whole show, no text. Because there was so much text that the textless portion would almost be as long as the show itself.
Shane
Little Frog Post
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Wow… Thanks Shane. That’s some good info to have. Appreciate it.
It’s amazing. I literally started as an actor and through the years have moved through all the aspects of production and then made my movie. Thinking I was done, until I ran into distribution. A whole separate world. It just keeps getting deeper and deeper.
Some more questions if you don’t mind.
1. BARS – SLATE – PROGRAM (IS PROGRAM BLACK SCREEN WITH TITLE?)
2. When you said – “Head of the cut before the text, to the tail of the last clip after text goes away. So they can plug things and put different languages there.”
For example, if a clip with text in it starts at 10 secs in and the text appears in that clip at 15 secs and the text disappears at 20 secs but the clip ends at 30 secs I supply the entire 20 sec clip?
3. It’s feasible to slate each clip with timecode, thus – slate – clip – slate – clip, etc.?
4. If the bars, black, slate, countdown on average are 90 secs or so, why do the say the first frame begins at 1:00:00:00? Wouldn’t the first frame in this example begin at 00:01:30:00?
5. I have news footage in my movie from an entity that is not going to give me the original footage without text even though they signed a release allowing me to use the footage. It would appear I’d have to create new graphics for that footage so they can put their text in it?
Thanks for your help! joe
joseph zabrosky
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Archive with on screen text is often inevitable. Such shots just need to be identified as archive with embedded text in documentation and remain in a textless version.
Some shows with lots of text and subtitles are often delivered as total programs textless, rather than the texless clean shots at the tail. The specifics of each broadcaster needs to be adhered to. There is no one standard formula. This includes title safe definitions.
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