[Mike Healey]

Thanks for the feedback Mark!

Mike Healey Productions, Inc.
Media Production | Logistics | Fulfillment
http://www.MikeHealeyProductions.com

[Mike Healey]

It was a sync issue. I powered the deck off and back on shortly after and for whatever reason there was a gremlin. I shut the sytem down, grabbed a bite to eat and when I came back she fired up and all was well. Scared the crap outta me in the meantime…

Where can I find a list of error codes in the event I happen to get another in the future??

Thanks!

Mike Healey Productions, Inc.
Media Production | Logistics | Fulfillment
http://www.MikeHealeyProductions.com

[Mike Healey]

I’ve been doing a lot of national fulfillment work tagging spots and shipping them off to networks. The source material is coming as MOV files on DVD and spot delivery is BetaSP.

Recently, I’ve had two co-op management firms do away with sending out spots on Beta for their local stores to have tagged. They are uploading MOV files to an FTP server and we have to go fetch them. It’s a pain in the butt having to download these 800MB MOV files and have edit* import them… but the quality is superior to Beta IMO. Not to mention no more tape sitting on the shelf or waiting for an overnight deilvery. I’m already seeing a major shift in the way spots are distributed.

We still distribute spots on BetaSP as well as DVCPro and MiniDV for smaller markets. And yes, we’re starting to get more requests to FTP spots directly to stations and movie theaters.

With all this data up and down I think maybe it’s time for me to rethink broadband and nail down something faster! LOL!

~Mike~

Mike Healey Productions, Inc.
Media Production | Logistics | Fulfillment
http://www.MikeHealeyProductions.com

[Mike Healey]

Thanks guys! I suppose my Bogen 510 system is not as over the top for this little rig as I thought, ha! Cartoni must be really proud of their heads with some of their prices. Even their “lower end” DV heads are almost twice as much as other standard heads. WOW! Do they pan and tilt on voice commands? LOL!

Thanks for the input!

~M~

[Mike Healey]

Tim, My two cents worth b/c I’ve been in your shoes in the past and found myself asking the same questions…

Keep in mind, my core business is :30 broadcast spots so your situation may be different.

My clients don’t want to walk out with a DVD/VHS any longer. Out of town clients (the bulk of my business) don’t want to wait next day for a FedEx proof either. So, they get an MPEG-1 straight off the timeline. Many agencies and clients walk in with a USB thumb drive and leave with their spot on their keychain. They go back to their office and e-mail the client or customer and await instant feedback. That type of turn around comes with a price tag.

For starters, the client/customer didn’t have the pass thru overnight charge of (fill in the blank) or have to wait for the proof to arrive the next day or perhaps two. Agency types don’t find themselves running around the city trying to get spots approved. Again, what’s that worth to the agency and client when you’re fighting deadlines?

I’m in a small market but provide turn-key service for clients and customers in some major markets. I don’t base my rates and fees on my market but rather what the service is actually worth based on an average across the board. What may seem expensive for clients in some markets is cheap for others. I’ve found a happy medium that many can live with.

If you charge $30-$50 for a single :30 broadcast spot to BetaSP there’s no reason why you can’t get the same for an MPEG or WMV file encoded and delivered via e-mail or saved to a thumb drive. I actually charge $5 for every spot we send out via e-mail or upload to an FTP site. This also includes radio MP3’s that get sent out to several radio stations. Some may say that’s nickel and dimming clients BUT I have to sit down and type and e-mail and communicate with the recipient. My time is valuable so I bill for it. Not to mention I (we) now have an archived version of the spot we can pull up in seconds if there’s ever a question. If the client ever has an issue or question about the spot I don’t have to go to the shelf, pull up the master and find the spot. I (or they) just click on the proofs directory on the computer and viola!

Almost every agency I deal with charges delivery fees for proofs regardless if it’s printed or e-mailed so I felt I should, too. If I go back and filter “e-mail delivery” of spots you’ll see several hundred dollars in revenue each year. It all adds up.

Again, your situation is probably different from mine. If you’re dealing primarily with corporate videos, sales pitches, etc. you’re looking at a time consuming process. In that case, I charge my hourly rate b/c it’s going to tie up the edit suite while the web file is encoded/exported. I may be able to make phone calls and return e-mails or run errands in the meantime but that’s good for me. I’m generating revenue during non revenue generating behaviors. I try to find a way to bill for all my time if possible and continue to work smarter, not harder.

Bottom line… don’t make the mistake and give your services and time away for free. Clients will have more respect for you if you charge for it and attach a value to your product. You may have certain clients and situations where you give a freebie now and then based on budget, history, return business, etc. but you and only you can make that call.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

~Mike~

[Mike Healey]

My company has been providing spot fulfillment and distribution for the NCTC for almost 3 years. Every spot we receive from HBO, Showtime, Starz, etc. arrive on BetaSP. Almost every spot we send out (with the exception of a select few in very tiny, rural markets) has been delivered on BetaSP. We’re talking well over 50 major markets across the US. The only other format requested has been DVD. Those requests come from small cable co-op’s who simply don’t have or can afford a BetaSP deck.

On the flip side, we also provide fulfillment for a national restaurant chain. All of their market reps order spots on BetaSP with an occasional spot being released on MiniDV or DVD. Not one request has ever been made asking for DigiBeta, DVCPro or any other format for that matter.

There have been times where deadlines were an issue and a QuickTime file was uploaded to an FTP server only b/c FedEx or UPS wouldn’t meet a delivery deadline for a national football game or primetime event. Even in those cases, a BetaSP would have been the normal, and preferred, delivery method.

Everything that passes through the edit suite gets archived on tape to DVCPro as well as to an off line RAID server. The DVCPro archive IS the MASTER with the RAID providing redundancy.

For those out there suggesting BetaSP is dead or even on the way out I seriously doubt we’ll phase it out any time soon. Especially when you consider the other delivery methods and universal compatibility.

My two pennies worth….

~Mike~

[Mike Healey]

Windows. sorry… my bad!

[Mike Healey]

Thanks guys! This is a good start and just what I need to be hearing to keep informed and try to make a decision. Please keep the input coming!

Thanks!

[Mike Healey]

Thanks guys! I’ve been struggling with this and it’s harder to pull off than I thought. LOL! Due to budget and the amount of on camera work I was really trying to avoid the extra compositing in post by shooting green screen (comma) However, I think that’s where I’m heading at this point. = ) I appreciate the response and input! THANKS!