[Norton Rodriguez]

The Video Stutter or jumpy video in pans are actually an easy fix (digitally speaking), specially once you understand the concept between Digital Video Playback versus Film Projector playback.

The problem is not on the camera we use or the frame rate we shot the video at, what matters is having the correct ‘Timeline frame rate’, that’s the key! Once you have the correct Timeline frame rate… every Camera Raw video rate will fall into place and you should have a smooth playback. The correct frame rate for most any Digital Timeline should always be set @ 30 fps or 29.79 fps since most Video monitors, Computer monitors and editing software systems are created to playback smooth video @ 30p or 29.79p as their basic frame rate.

So this means, that video editors should always set their ‘Video Editing Timeline’ at 30p or 29.79p regardless at what frame rate the camera shot the video at. I know there has been a lot of confusion on the subject, and I will explain the theory behind it…

If you are editing Digitally video in a computer (on a Digital monitor or computer monitor), it’s would be a mistake to shoot Video at 24p and then try to match your Video Timeline frame rate also @ 24p, this is a mistake because monitors or playback systems are all created to playback Digital Video @ 30fps. The confusion comes from the way we used to shoot film and then project it, in that case, we had to match 24p in the camera to the 24p in the projector. But today, since we’ve gone mostly Digital… unless you are editing film on an old movieola film editor, and then playing and projecting 35mm film on a silver screen, then… you would have no other choice than to playback @ 24fps.. But that’s not the case any more with Digital Video… Thank God.

A Digital Video Timeline should always be set at 30fps. Unless you are experimenting or doing some other weird effect or you are doing a Creative thing… or even if you do plan to go back to 35 Motion Picture, there are ways to go from 30fps to 24fps with special, plugins or digital converters, etc. But, if you want to always have smooth video playback on your Digital Editing System… start using a 30fps timeline instead and you will see… silky smooth video 99% of the time… no matter the frame rate you shot it at.