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Editing a trailer – what file formats to ask for?
Hello!
I’ve just been approached to cut a trailer for a short film. It has been edited, scored, and color corrected. Everything done.
What questions should I be asking? What file formats do I request? I’ll be editing on FCP 7.
Thank you!
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8 Replies
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You really should be asking your client what delivery format they require. Let them ask the questions because if you get into it and somewhere down the line it gets rejected as “wrong format” it will be your problem – and reputation.
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Thanks Roger. I;ve since found out that it was shot on a RED and the final product will only exist online (YouTube/Vimeo).
Is that information helpful at all?
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For YouTube and Vimeo I would suggest 720p mp4 (H264). That’s what they prefer and it plays well on most devices.
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Thanks Roger. Just to get it straight:
Final delivery once I edit should be 720p mp4 (H264).
But what file format should I ask them to send me?
Thanks again.
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Correct for Youtube. You said the edit was complete. What format is it now and how will it come to you. Ideally you would want a Quicktime compatible file, preferably Apple ProRes so that you don’t need to go through any conversion process in order to get it into FCP. Ask if they can give you that.
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Youtube and Vimeo can be up to 4k now so check with the client what they want you to deliver. If they want bigger than HD then don’t use FCP7. It certainly chokes on 4k.
As Dave says ask for separate stems of dialog, music & fx. The pictures are likely to be ProRes or available as ProRes. If the release is HD (1920 x 1080) then ask for that as a ProRes422 or HQ file. A lot depends on how the job was finished and which NLE was used.
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YouTube may indeed accept 4k but but they compress the hell out of it. Many consumers have slow or limited bandwidth and due to this being a promotional video which needs to reach the widest audience I suggested 720p, which looks good and plays back without buffering in most situations, for that reason.
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a certain amount depends on if you are delivering the FINAL trailer,
or of you are just cutting it, offline, then having it re-conformed.my guess, you are creating the final.
i’d ask for a Prores 422 or ProresHQ of the final graded film,
1920×1080
if the film has substantial use of graphics, or subtitles, ask for a textless version.as everybody else mentions, you need stems of dialogue, effects, & music.
for web delivery, stereo would be ok
you can also ask for the un-dipped music, or the original music files if that doesn’t exist.
this means that if you want to use some music that has been dipped under dialogue or whatever, you wont be fighting that.nick
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