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Stock Footage, SD/HD and Mixed Frame Rates
Hello, I’d really appreciate some advice on a small conundrum I’ve found myself in.
I am editing a music video using entirely stock footage. Most of this is NTSC, 29.97 fps, although there are also a couple of clips in something like 59fps. I transcoded it all to ProRes 422 before editing in FCP. However, I edited it as I normally would as an HD project in 23.98fps and scaled up the footage to be 16:9. (I did this because if I clicked ‘Yes’ to match the Sequence Settings to clip settings, it gave me a 4:3 canvas when I wanted 16:9. Of course, I regret this now!)
Then, during the edit, the client sent me some specs for Vevo and Bitmax, which they wanted the project delivered in. The specs demand the film be delivered in Pro Res HQ in it’s ‘native’ source and frame rate, and also says they won’t allow SD footage scaled up to HD, or mixed frame rates.
So the main questions are:
– If I export a Pro Res HQ QT and use Compressor to turn into 29.97fps, are Vevo and Bitmax going to know that it was edited in 23.98 and with mixed frame rates? Surely once it’s exported as one file in one frame rate, it will be fine? I have done a test and it looks and plays fine.
– Does the finished product constitute SD or HD? As it was all 4:3 NTSC footage, I imagine SD, but does it matter that I edited as an HD project?
– If they don’t allow SD/HD scaled up footage, does it mean I would’ve had to edit the whole thing as a 4:3 project in order to meet the specs?
I am seriously hoping that I don’t have to re-edit the entire 7-minute track in the right frame rate!
Any help would be enormously appreciated.
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7 Replies
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[Niall Furlong] “they won’t allow SD footage scaled up to HD, or mixed frame rates”
Read the directions. NO SD and NO Mixed Frame Rates.[Niall Furlong] “If I export a Pro Res HQ QT and use Compressor to turn into 29.97fps, are Vevo and Bitmax going to know that it was edited in 23.98 and with mixed frame rates?”
They will know![Niall Furlong] “I am seriously hoping that I don’t have to re-edit the entire 7-minute track in the right frame rate!”
You need to follow the rules.
You have complete control over this project. You chose to use Stock SD footage. That is not allowed. You are wasting your time working on this project.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Creative Pro Users Group -
Well I was hoping for a slightly more technical answer. As I explained in my post, the client only gave me the specs mid-way through the edit, and they wanted something made entirely of stock footage, although of course I do accept that I should have done things differently and that every day is a schoolday, especially when you’re fairly new to the game. I’ve never had to match specs such as this before as I’ve only done stuff for the web. But thanks. Can anyone else out there offer anything more constructive?
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It is a pain that you only got the technical requirements half way through your edit but broadcasters all have fairly strict delivery requirements. This is a one of the big differences between doing stuff for the web, where there are few rules, to editing for broadcast, where there are many rules.
Because you picked mixed frame rate 4×3 SD footage to work with, before knowing the full requirements, you have kind of painted yourself into a corner.
With proper conversion the frame rate thing may be less of an issue but using 4×3 SD source footage in an HD timeline is hard not to notice.It is true that once you create a master that is the correct frame rate, codec and HD it will in theory comply with the rules. However as Steve notes they are pretty likely to spot that this has all been uprezzed and will potentially reject your edit on technical grounds.
So sadly the choice is submit what you have done and run the risk of it being rejected. Or start again using stock footage that is HD and comply with the spec totally.
I know its a tricky one but thats about it as far as I can see.
best wishes
Neil
http://www.patience.tv8 Core MacPro, Kona 3, Tangent Wave, Mackie Universal Symphony 6.5 FCP7
i7 2.7 Gig MBP (non retina) 16Gigs Ram Blackmagic Monitor Mini Symphony 6.5 FCP7 -
Thanks very much Neil, that’s helped a lot.
They do accept SD submissions, but to certain requirements, and having edited it in an HD timeline at the frame rate I have, it looks like I’ll have to go back to the drawing board and make sure I set everything up properly as an SD project.
All the best.
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Oh OK good news well if they accept SD thats going to solve a lot of your issues.
Good Luck I hope it passes “QC” without any problems.best wishes
Neil
http://www.patience.tv8 Core MacPro, Kona 3, Tangent Wave, Mackie Universal Symphony 6.5 FCP7
i7 2.7 Gig MBP (non retina) 16Gigs Ram Blackmagic Monitor Mini Symphony 6.5 FCP7 -
Niall, no need to re-edit, just deliver SD since everything is SD.
Create a new sequence in FC, drop one of your 2997 stock footage clips into the timeline and say yes to match settings. Delete that clip from the timeline.
Copy everything from your current “HD 23.98” sequence and paste it into your new SD sequence.
Select everything in your new SD sequence and right click>remove attributes>position and distort. Everything should look good and you shouldn’t have to render anything (unless you have effects).Now just export that straight as is, SD 2997. An HD 23.98 delivery will a nightmare with QC.
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Thanks very much for the suggestion Spencer. I gave it a go, but unfortunately all of the clips’ in and out points have changed. I imagine this is something to do with the frame rate change.
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