24,000 fps, 23,98fps or 23,976 fps?

[Matteo Ferreccio]

Which one frame rate has to be used for a high quality master copy of a short film (an uncompressed .mov in a Hard Disk) ?

Master Copy has to be the starting point for DCP (Digital Cinema Packaging, 24,000?) and Blu Ray (23,976??).

I cant figure out the right framerate. (The original footage is AVCHD 25fps but I want to convert it in 24p to achieve “film look”)

so correct master copy 24p is…

24,000 fps
23,98 fps
23,976 fps ???

Thanks

[Todd Kopriva]

23.976fps is the correct video frame rate. ‘23.98’ is just a shorter (and sloppier) way of representing ‘23.976’; the real number is still 23.976.

23.976fps is used because it is very close to 24fps (the film frame rate), but it can be used by means of pull-down on equipment that was designed for 29.97fps NTSC video.

Note that 23.976 = 24 * 999/1000, just like 29.97 = 30 * 999/1000 .

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
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[Matteo Ferreccio]

Thanks. I typed 23,98 along with 23,976 because it is the frame rate that I read in specifications of iTunes HD Trailers.

Well, that said, due to its destination for cinema projecting in DCP, and its mastering in Blu Ray (no one NTSC-based destination), which framerate have I to render the uncompressed .mov? 23,976fps or 24,000fps?

[Walter Soyka]

[Matteo Ferreccio] “due to its destination for cinema projecting in DCP, and its mastering in Blu Ray (no one NTSC-based destination), which framerate have I to render the uncompressed .mov? 23,976fps or 24,000fps?”

I believe that DCI-compliant DCP must be 24.0 fps. In my experience, Blu-ray is usually 23.976, but could be either. I have a US/NTSC frame rate bias.

You should check deliverables requirements with whomever is handling the DCP and Blu-ray production.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Todd Kopriva]

As usual, Walter is correct on all points.

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Todd Kopriva, Adobe Systems Incorporated
Technical Support for professional video software
After Effects Help & Support
Premiere Pro Help & Support
———————————————————————————————————

[Matteo Ferreccio]

[Todd Kopriva] “As usual, Walter is correct on all points.”

Yeah, well i’ll go for 24,000 fps. Thank you both very much for sharing your experience, bye!

[Russell Lasson]

I know it’s probably too late now, but I would suggest using 23.976 as the master. It makes things more compatible with NTSC broadcast. I create a lot of DCPs and the conversion from 23.976 to 24 is easy to deal with. But burning a 24fps blu-ray or dvd instead of a 23.976 fps version can cause problems.

Russ

Russell Lasson
Colorist/Digital Cinema Specialist
Color Mill
Salt Lake City, UT
http://www.colormill.net