Tips on collecting high quality HD footage?

bvalente

bvalente

DVXuser Sponsor
Hi everyone

I wanted to get some group advice on the best way to collect the highest quality HD footage possible from a variety of sources including other filmmakers.


The question is this: We need to collect this footage from people around the globe, and have it be high enough quality that we can edit into a timeline and output to a variety of formats (read: compress into h.264 etc.). So that clearly leaves out h.264 as an input format. Uncompressed is the obvious choice, but is probably way too large to practically handle or ask people to send us.

Any ideas welcome!


We are putting together a Redrock showreel, and needless to say a lot of it is on the HVX.
 
Why are you ruling out H.264 for this? It's a very good delivery format, if you want to edit it, simply transcode it to an editing codec. Going from H.264 to an editing codec should be a realtime operation on a decent editing system.
 
Any compression is too much for a show reel master. Most consumers cant tell the difference between compression noise from the h.264 and noise in the footage. Especially since these guys are showing off 35mm lens adapters.
 
I am falling in love with the Edius codecs, personally.

I think if you have a bitrate in mind, we can work from that.
 
Hi folks

ProfU - the bitrate can be pretty high. I imagine the whole thing to be less than 10 minutes, so there's plenty of room. Only limiter there is how fast a blu ray player (or maybe HDDVD) could decode and play.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. H.264 is a great codec to be sure - but as a final output codec. I am really concerned that taking something so heavily compressed, dropping it on a timeline, and then recompressing to h.264 will just kill the footage.

Nathan - having native DVCProHD is a good idea - we could ship out a P2 and get it back. I don't know how much compression that would introduce, but I imagine putting it back out to DVCPro would recompress the footage.

I'm still tempted to figure out something along the uncompressed route, but please do keep any suggestions coming


Thanks a million

Brian
 
Theoretically - if all the footage was shot on the HVX, it would be uncompressed at DVCPROHD. Changing it to an uncompressed HD format won't do anything but make a really large file for no reason.

Shorter pieces could definitely fit "Uncompressed" on a single or dual layer data dvd -

anything larger and you could put it out to a P2 card and exchange it or a small harddrive might even be easier ---- and way cheaper
 
Just set-up an FTP server and allow approved people to upload uncompressed files. That could possibly work.
 
You can use a Large Files Service like:

sendthisfile.com
bigupload.com
transferbigfiles.com
...

Most allow to transfer 2GB files and offer free account.

By example, you setup an account, and then, senders access "LARGEFILES.com", and drop files to your email (for free).
After collection and edit, you make available your demo reel by the same mean.

www.civilnetizen.com =>>> 4GB (with a client)
box.net =>>> 15GB (with subscription)

Some have a storage size limit, others a max file size.

Cheaper, faster & more convenient than FedEx by the bucks.
 
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hmm - cheaper yes - speed is questionable.
dig through the faq - why is my download so slow......

its obviously dependent on the bandwidth of both servers. at least it only has to transfer once. 4gb would probably take an entire day

but yes it is an option.
 
Thanks for the input everyone - I think what I'll end up doing is buying a couple large external drives (300gigs are really cheap now) with firewire, usb, etc. connectivity and have one for mac, one for pc and just ship them out and back


Much appreciated


Brian
 
Bought an HVX and M2, last sunday and just waiting for the M2 to arrive. WE have 5 projects to shoot with the HVX + M2 setup in November so I'll have plenty of footage for you. If you're interested just let me know and I'd be more than happy to supply some
 
I'm working on an SD project where we've run the whole thing across FTP. It's about as exciting as watching paint dry (uploading, not the project), but you can run it overnight and it's not terrible.
You can get a non-dedicated FTP server with 250GB of storage for 5 or 6 bucks a month, if you decide to go the web route. I use 1and1.
 
hey Brian,
Check hostmonster.com 300gigs storage 3000 gig transfer per month for 4.95
thats the one I just signed up with. it gets great reviews.

also:
Startlogic 300gigs and 3000 gigs of transfer for 3.95 same as
ix web hosting
bluehost 300gigs and 3000 gigs of transfer for 6.95
dreamhost 500 gigs and 5000 gigs of transfer for 5.95

and the one I was looking for
http://www.globat.com/circle_1.htm
1000gb disk space and 3000gb of transfer for 4.44 (when I looked at this plan it was 1000/1000 and $8/month) seems like they have an offer that expires in 2 days. man 1000/3000 that is sweet.
 
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