Offline Specs for Super 16 Feature Shoot

[David Roth weiss]

If I were you I would consider offlining DVCProHD 720p 24fps.

My rational:
1) Same aspect ratio
2) Same frame rate
3) Easy to work with because it has relatively small files
4) Critical focus will be apparent throughout the offline
5) Looks good to all throughout offline

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.

[Warren Eig]

David’s right or you can use Pro Res (HQ) at the full HD Raster 23.976. You will need to take the Keycode/flex file/ALE into CinemaTools to track all the footage for the conformed film out at the end.

I’d get a window burn of the keycode + feet frames. If you cut in HD which is 16×9 (1:1.78) 35mm is 1:1.85 by comparison, you won’t have a letterboxed area to mask; unless.. you cut at 4×3 letterboxed.

Warren

Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905

email: warren@babyboompictures.com
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[Jim Blokland]

Hi guys:

Thanks for your responses. Perhaps I’ve been unclear. My concern is that, short of cutting at 4×3 letterboxed, I wouldn’t be able to get the window burn of the keycode/TC/feet and frames into any black area below the 1:1.85 picture area. On a 16×9 frame, there would not be enough black space below or above. Does this make sense?

I’d really love to cut at 720p, because as David pointed out, the resolution and data rate fit perfectly. I’m just concerned about screening cuts with the window-burn on them — and I don’t want to rely solely on Cinema Tools to track the numbers correctly. I want a window burn to make double sure the numbers are correct.

Any other words of wisdom?

Best, JIM.

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Radeon X800 XT
Kona 2 / K-Box
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[Warren Eig]

Jim,

You will most definitely have to use Cinema Tools. You can’t trust the lab and will have to verify every edge code number.

As for masking out– either 1440×720 or 1920×1080 won’t give you a black box to mask. You’ll have the numbers at the bottom over-layed on the picture or cut 4×3 letterboxed.

Warren

Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905

email: warren@babyboompictures.com
website: https://www.babyboompictures.com

https://babyboompictures.com/AFX_Movie2.html
https://babyboompictures.com/KnitWits_Movie.html

EDITING REEL: https://www.babyboompictures.com/Editing_Reel.html
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[Jim Blokland]

Hey Warren:

Thanks for your reply. I’m definitely using Cinema Tools, but I also want the burn-in as backup (call me paranoid!). I guess there’s no way of cutting HD at 4×3, huh? Looks like I might be heading towards a DV50 codec at standard def…

Oi!

Best, JIM.

OSX.4.10
Dual 2.7 G5
3.5 GB RAM
Radeon X800 XT
Kona 2 / K-Box
Seritek 1.5 TB RAID
AVID XPRESS PRO/MOJO

[Warren Eig]

Why not ask the post house doing the digitizing to put a black bar at the bottom of the picture and overlaying the TC there. Then you can mask it out for screenings.

Or have them put the TC over the pix at the bottom as small as possible and mask that out. It will still look better than projecting 4×3 letterboxed.

Warren

Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905

email: warren@babyboompictures.com
website: https://www.babyboompictures.com

https://babyboompictures.com/AFX_Movie2.html
https://babyboompictures.com/KnitWits_Movie.html

EDITING REEL: https://www.babyboompictures.com/Editing_Reel.html
TITLE DESIGN: https://www.babyboompictures.com/Titles_Reel.html

[David Roth weiss]

[Jim Blokland] ” I’m just concerned about screening cuts with the window-burn on them — and I don’t want to rely solely on Cinema Tools to track the numbers correctly. I want a window burn to make double sure the numbers are correct.”

Jim,

It’s simple, you have to compromise somehow, and I always suggest choosing the lesser of all evils, which in this case means screening with window burn numbers on-screen. It’s good enough for Martin Scorcese and Clint Eastwood, it’s far better than cutting and screening 4×3 letterboxed, and far better than dealing with frame rate conversion. Just ask the telecine people to position the numbers as unobtrusively as possible and move on.

David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los Angeles

POST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™

A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.

[Jim Blokland]

Guys:

Thanks for the great feedback. I’ll see if I can pitch the 720p HD thing to all concerned. As you pointed out Warren, the numbers can be small along the bottom of frame, as long as they’re readable, should do the trick.

Best, JIM.

OSX.4.10
Dual 2.7 G5
3.5 GB RAM
Radeon X800 XT
Kona 2 / K-Box
Seritek 1.5 TB RAID
AVID XPRESS PRO/MOJO