Michael Niemcewicz
Forum Replies Created
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The email I received from the network:
“Here’s further clarification on the audio specs from the NOC. I hope this clears everything up!
Program audio will go above and below the reference level as program content varies. The “average” should be close to your reference level (tone). Headroom is the maximum allowable signal before clipping – it’s a level which allows for intermittent peaks which are much higher than your normal program level.
It’s not that the audio should never have anything higher than -10 but that the audio mix should be close to your reference level and the amount of dynamic range (difference between loud and quiet material) should take those levels into account. Brief excursions higher than -10 (gunshots, explosions, etc.) are normal but average program levels should be close to reference level”So they pretty much say it’s OK to go above -10. I suppose you can interpret it as a licensee to stay above?
Whatever it all means it’s out of my hands and the tapes are being shipped out. All 18 of them. -
Apparently the word “peak” is not used in the specs. And my understanding of the word “average” is incorrect as well .
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I had to take myself out of this whole argument. Apparently I can’t understand the specs and where it says ” In program, audio should average -15dBfs and not exceed -10dBfs” what it really means is that the average levels should stay between 10-15 but there is no problem with levels actually going higher all the way up to zero. That, based on two other specs: “In bars, Test Tone audio levels should be -20dBfs” and “Headroom should achieve 20dB above normal”. I’m seeing the levels being all the way up there most of the time but that’s the of this argument.
I’d love to be wrong and not pay attention to it anymore. Let’s hope I am 🙂
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I’m not a specialist in all things audio, especially when it comes to comparing levels in digital and analog domains. I just voiced my concerns based on what I saw on the Digi Bete meters: rock solid -20dB on the tone and levels approaching zero on the program. Specs are the first thing I send to mixers and they stand behind what they did:
“Specs call for an average mix level (not peaks) of -15 db. BTW: this can only be measured by a VU meter, NOT the peak meter in FCP. Also your average mix level cannot go over -10. (we do average -15 and we do NOT average over -10.”
I was actually looking and being concerned with DB meters but they DO show me the same thing FCP meters do. And I don’t have VU meter to compare this with.
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We did it so we could get close ups – or kind of a “fake” extra angle – without having another camera on the set.
It also saved my butt when I had to cut a person out from a three-way conversation and turn it into a two way convo :).PS We’re using Red for the same reason when the final output is HD.
And I just found out that I have to deliver in a proper 720×486 NTSC so I guess I’ll resize my final 540 sequence in After Effects since it has better scaler than FCP. I was hoping KONA could do it but from what I read it just crops bottom 54 lines on the output so that seems like a no go… 🙁
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As I’m getting more info on the project, I’m narrowing my choices: it seems I will settle on 720p but I’m still not sure about the frame rate – definitely not 24 as the legacy material is 29.97. I was just going to ask for 30p but it seems that 720p59.94 would make more sense as there isn’t even a setting for 30p in Kona output. Do most cameras have that setting available or just newer/more expensive models?
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In an ideal world that’s how I should approach it, however in this case the DPs will probably come with their own cameras so I would like to be able to say: please shoot everything in say, 1080p30 XP (which I personally like) but if you must use the other format because that’s what you have, at least stick to so-and-so settings. Would the safest bet be actually 720 23.976?
This is being shot in different countries on a low budget so chances are I end up with both formats. But I still may have a choice as to frame size and rate. -
LOL, nice plug 🙂 It looks great but I’m a 100% post guy so learning about mics and such would serve me if I intended to confront field people and start asking tough questions… not a good idea in most cases. What I had in mind was something about audio in post.
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The original Digi Beta was a Russian broadcast tape. The tone was set to -12dB, I assumed it was correct and simply followed the lead. My original problem though – different levels on PAL and NTSC versions – has somewhat disappeared since it turned out the PAL audio synced perfectly with the NTSC video! I’m gona leave it at that for now and do some serious reading about audio levels – any recommendations?
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Never mind – I’m an idiot: instead of panicking I should’ve just checked the mix. There was 16 minutes worth of applause scattered all over it that needed to be removed 🙂