Mechanics for delivering for broadcast

F

film842

Member
Am doing pre-production on a one hour broadcast program and just realized that I need to find answers to some really basic delivery questions.

Questions like how to arrange the final master, such as finished length, do we build in breaks for commercial insertions, lead-ins, title lengths etc.

Does anyone know where I can go to do some research? Thanks.
 
Do you have a broadcaster to deliver the program to? If so, ask them for their delivery specifications, every network is going to want slightly different specs, exact program length, etc. If you don't have a broadcast deal, you probably shouldn't be worried about it at this point.
 
Every network or station will give you their run down but the norm is a minute of bars and tone, 8 seconds of slate, 2 seconds of black with the show hitting at 1:00:00:00. Your breaks and segment times will vary but will be included in the run sheet with the master.
 
I'm delivering my first broadcast commercial in two weeks and had the same question. Would the requirements be the same?

And generally, not knowing who it will be delivered to, does it have to go to tape or can it be delivered electronically? I'm continuing to search the forum for more detail as well.

Thanks for the help!

Mark G
www.newmediadevcorp.com
 
It'll have to be on beta sp unless a D-beta was stipulated. Some local stations will take a miniDV these days. Just call em and check.
The norm is what I listed above but if asking about format, you can go ahead and ask for a prefered run down as well. For spots, as long as you start the commercial at one hour even and have proper bars, tone and slate, you'll be golden.
 
I've done the bars and tone, any tips on slate? Make my own eight second countdown?

I really appreciate the help! This forum has been the biggest help to a new guy (just finished my first year of survival).

Best regards,

Mark
 
no need for a count down. They'll know it starts at one hour even.
Just a simple slate stating the run time, title, ect. will do fine.
 
More often than not the countdown is incorporated with the slate page. Kills two birds with one stone. Make sure to include a spot number on the slate.
 
I heard someone talk about tone a couple of years ago and paid no attention because I didn't need it, now I do. Exactly what is it and how can I get it?

Thanks in advance...
 
I'm sure that all NLE's have a bars and tone effect. Just lay it into a timeline.

Tone refers to a 1khz tone that acts as a reference for analog equipment calibration.
 
I'd check with the station to see if you can deliver your master file and not roll a tape master ...

That's what I do for our local PBS affiliate every other week -- I just take my 1/2 hour show (NTSC DV, QT mov in AVID DV codec) ... I drag the 6 GB+ file ontu the station's servers and their "Flip Factory" encodes the show to MPEG2 for broadcast from their Omneon servers. I've done my entire 1st season (12 shows) this exact way with no complaints from engineering and master control. Actually, I am the first producer for this local PBS affiliate that is submitting tapeless masters.

It's the same process I use for the subclips I generate (culled from the 1/2 hour episode) that the Flip Factory turns into WMV files for internet streaming.

Good luck
Jay
 
I work at an NBC affiliate in PA. We've taken local commercials in almost any format...dvd, dv, dvcam, .mpeg, digibeta, H.264 over an FTP site. Again, local commercials are what they are so the budget to put them to the best format is not always there. We take what we can get. As long as we can put it on a dvcam tape to dub into our system it works but it's a pain. I'd ask the station before you just send them something in a format of your choice.

We ask for a minute of bars and tone, 30 sec. of slate, and countdown but again that doesn't always happen.
 
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