Broadcast specs making my head spin …

[Martin Baker]

A lot more detail is required. Where are you in the world? Are you making commercials or a programme? It’s not clear from your post.

Martin
Digital Heaven, London UK
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[Rafael Amador]

Really, I work in this business since 23 years ago and I’ve never heard of such a complicated specs. A real mess. You should ask your clients to clarify their demands.

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[Walter Biscardi]

Those sound like commercial specs. Specs for regular broadcast programming are different and they vary from network to network, station to station.

I’ve not heard of a line up tone like that one, but we’ve never delivered commercials for air here, just actual programming.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.

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[Jason Porthouse]

Mark,

I think you may be confusing commercials delivery with the commercial break needed for your programme.

Usually I deliver 2 halves of a programme separated by a minute or two – say on a half-hour it runs to 28 mins, so 2 halves of 14′. I’d start pt 1 at 10:00:00:00 and run to the duration, then part 2 would start on the next solid minute provided the gap is to spec. I usually run a 10′ clock for the second part. Your broadcaster should have a maximum and minimum time for a given programme slot, along with a target ‘half-time’ – for instance, no shorter than 24′, no longer than 27′, and part break should be between 10′ and 16′.

The 10-second freeze and 20 second gap usually refers to delivery of commercial compilations (the ads themselves) and for that I do the same – so in the case of a 30″ ad the total duration will be 40″ (30+10) and they can start on the minute. A 40″ ad would not give the required gap and therefore would be started on the next minute… but this shouldn’t be anything to do with you as you aren’t giving them the adverts – are you??

As to the tone I usually put a 3 frame gap every 3 seconds on the left channel for the duration of the bars & tone (1 min usually)

Of course this is only a guide and for UK delivery – you need to be clear as to the particular specs of your broadcaster.

HTH

Jason

_________________________________

Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.

*the artist formally known as Jaymags*

[Mark Pommett]

Hey Guys,

Sorry, eliminate ….

“In the case of commercial compilation tapes, each commercial should be separated from the commercial either side by at least 20sec of black.”

“There should be a 10 second freeze of the last frame on all commercials.”

“In the case of multiple programme parts existing on a single tape, each programme segment should be separted from the segment either side by at least 20sec of black.”

That doesn’t apply I just realized since I’m doing a half hr tv show with three commercial breaks. Here is the problem. They are giving me commercials to drop in the timeline. This is for Setanta Sports – they are in the UK and the show will be broadcast on DirecTV in the US.

They want a 10 second freeze frame at the end of each commercial followed by 30 seconds of black. My question is, when determining the program duration (since I need to put this in the slate), do I include the 10 seconds freeze frames and 30 second blacks? Also, what the heck are the freeze frams and 30 sec blacks used for? Are they going to add in local ads or something?

Thanks

[Mark Pommett]

Hey Jason,

I did get confused. Thanks for the clarification. This is for Setanta Sports in the UK for broadcast on DirectTV in the US. Yes, this is a half hour show. So, does that mean I can drop in each commercial WITHOUT 10 second freeze frames and WITHOUT the 30 second black? The commerials would then be back to back.

If so, then this should be straightforward. Basically “what you see is what you get” – as if I’m watching a regular on air program. They did not mention anything about breaking it into two halves. I’m going to ask.

Thanks!

[Peter Stewart]

Hi,

I don’t think the timing of the intermittent tone matters, it’s just so they’ve got something to differentiate between left and right.

For masters, the different tech specs I follow are usually the same as you mention, although I don’t know about adding commercials to the tape master.

09.58.00.00 – Stereo Tone
09.59.30.00 – Clock and ID
09.59.57.00 – Black
10.00.00.00 – Programme Start

For the break, the 10 second freeze frame is for any problems when they broadcast, just so they have a margin for error, but it isn’t included in the actual running time.

The 30 second of black in the break probably refers to the minimum amount of black they want between parts. So the next part of the programme would start on the next round minute BUT which also allows at least 30 seconds of black (not including the clock for the next part).

For example…

10.00.00.00 – Part Two Start
10.12.35.00 – Part One End +10ff
10.12.45.00 – Black
10.13.30.00 – Clock and ID
10.13.57.00 – Black
10.14.00.00 – Part Two Start

But as I say that doesn’t include adding the actual commercials, I’ve never had to do that before.

Hope it helps and not added more confusion.

EDIT: Do you have the tech specs available as a pdf or something easy to view?

Regards
Peter

Freelance Editor (UK)

In Production : Legacy of War (ITV/WNET), Imaginary Summer (Feature Narrative)

[Jason Porthouse]

OK Mark, I’ve never had to add adverts to a deliverable master – usually the adverts play in off a separate server. If they want you to deliver the programme complete with ads you need to know from them exactly what they expect to get from you. It may be that a WYSIWIG playout will be fine…

Jason

_________________________________

Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes.
Then when you do criticise him, you’ll be a mile away. And have his shoes.

*the artist formally known as Jaymags*

[Dylan Reeve]

The 10second freeze will only apply when delivering commercials for broadcast, it’s so when it’s ingested there’s a little padding in case the timing isn’t perfect (some systems use Long-GOP MPEG2 and have trouble making frame-accurate trims).

If they’re providing commercials for insertion into your show, then they’re not going to want leading black or a freeze. You’d deliver the show as it is to be seen, so it will start, run through part one, run ads, back to back as on regular broadcast, run part two, ads, run part three.

For line up tone the drop duration doesn’t matter, it’s just for identification. I usually drop 2 frames at end of each second.

If you’re unsure through, it’s definitely worth checking with them. Having programs fail is a pain in the ass. The BBC requires that countdowns include a circular clock – learned that the hard way.

[Mark Pommett]

Thanks Dylan. Perfect answer. BTW, what do you use for your 30 second countdown clock?