[Tom Ackroyd]

Place the footage in a timeline. Apply a speed change of 1000%.
Export using QuickTime conversion:
Select format:Image sequence
Click options and select format:JPEG
Click options and select the desired jpeg quality or target size
Make new folder
Save.

Hope this helps
Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

Sean – plasmas and LCDs display interlaced video just as CRTs do, but *only* if they are TVs, fed with video, not computer monitors fed with, er, not-video.

So field reversals should be picked up so long as viewing is done on a (ie any flavour of) TV, not a computer display.

Also, you say
“If you ever deliver product that will be viewed on a CRT then I think you must have a CRT as a production monitor.”

Does this mean if you know the material will *never* be viewed on a CRT that you should *not* use one?! Discuss!!

Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

Another way of doing this is to drag individual sequences from the browser to the viewer and hit cmd-f9. This inserts the sequence “as is” instead of nesting it. (The “one big clip” is a nested sequence).

Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

From looking at some deleted scenes on The Office DVD I would say it’s shot interlaced video and then deinterlaced in post to give it a 16mm documentary look.

“The Office” is a “mockumentary” – deliberately lit and shot as a fly-on-the-wall doco – hence the flat, natural look. So it’s probably not a good example to compare to the likes of Seinfeld etc.

Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

No

Tom

[Tom Ackroyd]

I assume you are talking about the font for the FCP text generator?

If so, create a text clip using the font, size, kern, placement etc that you need, and save it in your project browser.

Then when you need to generate text, open that instead of the text generator.

HTH,
Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

It’s all over. And for those that are ineterested:

I did the playout yesterday from a G4 Powerbook, QuickTime 7, to a data projector via RGB not DVI. Projector res was only 1024 wide – this is what I set the Powerbook res to.

The codec I ended up using was (fanfare) Sorenson3 (not Pro, just the one that comes with QuickTime) using Compression Master; datarate disabled, Sorenson setting “high”, (maximum quality caused dropped frames.) I had prepped a 1280×544 uncompressed version of the spot, having downsized the original 1920×777 tiff sequence in Photoshop, and got the codec to do the shrink to 1024 wide – an odd workflow I know but ran out of time…

I had already tried H264 but Sorenson was just way better. Maybe it’s down to datarate I don’t know.

So, the compromises were:
Not 2K
Not DVI
Old projector

But results still good and it demo’d the spot reasonably well.

Off to the cinema now to see it in real life.

Ben – still keen to know about FLC…

Cheers,
Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

Thanks Ben.

Wintel playback not really an option.

Could you explain exactly what FLC is?

If I’m playing back MPEG-2 I would presumably need the QuickTime MPEG-2 component installed?

I’ve had some success with mpeg-4, but am certain quality could be improved.

Your iMac suggestion is good – would you recommend H.264 for this if MPEG-2 isn’t an option?

Sorry for all the new questions!

Cheers,
Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

Woah there.

Speaking as an ad agency “pinhead” producer can I have a say here?

1) Ads are not TV shows. They are shorter, contain more information, cut faster and so are literally “compressed” – it’s in their nature. Michael G put it better (below).

2) It’s up to broadcasters to regulate audio levels, not producers of spots or TV shows. If a broadcaster cannot be bothered to police audio levels, no-one is happy. Not the programme makers, not the advertisers, not the producers, not the viewers. Broadcasters should quality check each spot (and TV show) before it airs and reject it if audio levels do not meet their spec.

3) All the careful work I put into making a blanced audio track for spots is wrecked by broadcasters putting compression in as they go to air. This compression is only switched in on ad breaks. A “dramatic” 30sec ad with an atmospheric, filmic soundtrack is completely ruined by this process. Ad agencies need to put pressure on broadcasters to fix this. I do.

4) Audio post-production studios should be well aware of “legal” levels – and in a booking if I see the PPM going above 6 I will get them to wind it down.

I know “local” can mean “don’t know what they are doing”. The only way this is going to change is by broadcasters regulating audio levels across the board. The people to effect change are viewers – either by complaining or switching off or hitting the mute button or running away or throwing a brick at their TV; and advertisers and agencies who don’t want viewers complaining or switching off or etc.

And yes I am one of those viewers. Funny old world.

Google “Loud ads on TV” for useful and thought-provoking submissions to the Australian Broadcasting Authority on this very subject early last year.

Tom Ackroyd

[Tom Ackroyd]

I should mention that I don’t have QuickTime 7 and so cannot use H.264.

Cheers,
Tom