Need advice on mixed format sequence

[bbsr]

I am in the process of receiving video clips from all over the world. My job is to put all the clips together and edit them in FCP and prepare one clip to be projected at a big meeting.

As of now, the format of the video clips has not been specified and could be anything but I can request to standardize the formats more or less. To make my job easier, what types of formats should I request, or what types of things should I request in general?

I am pretty new to this and any advice would be greatly appreciated. If you know other forums that I should address this kind of question, I would appreciate your input also. Thanks much.

[Noel Evans]

Well where are you located and whats the subject matter?

If it were me and I was in the US in your shoes Id be requesting everyone shoot the same format (not necessarily the same codec), and if its a corporate presentation I see no reason to shoot anything other than 720/60p.

[bbsr]

Thank you for your reply.

I am located in the US, and people are sending me clips from all over the US as well as other countries. ( "people" who are sending the clips are not necessarily pros )

The subject matter is, say, performing arts.

I understand that FCP can handle different types of formats - correct? For instance, I can have HD and SD but last time I did that, I had to render a lot in the process and it took forever. Would that be the reason for asking the same format?

Am I hearing that I should also request a certain frame rate? Anything else?

It's just that people who are sending the clips will be using their own camcorders or whatever they have. Would 60p be the most common frame rate out there?

Thanks much for your advice.

[Noel Evans]

Ah ic. If people are using their own camcorders youre going to end up with a lot of 60i (US/Japan) or a lot of 50i (Europe/Aust. and NZ)

Anyway to contact the people sending the shots to confirm what camera they are using? This way you could run through the list, check the recording modes and go from there.

FCP 6 can handle different formats in one time line... before I go on though whats the intended output?