Best Format for Documentary

[davidblumenfeld]

I'm starting production on a documentary next week which I intend to:

1)Sell to TV (Europe, Israel,USA...)
2)Send to festivals
3)DVD/Video distrubution

I am shooting the DVX100A PAL; 25P, Scene File f5; and 16:9, the format I love for its "filmic look".

Although I recently got one, the nature of the shoot won't allow for Anamorphic lens, which I find quite limiting creatively, (no tight portraits unless high f-stops) and for run and gun, no time to mess with focus, etc.

So, I have the age old question of SQUEEZE vs. LETTERBOX. I know this topics been beaten to death, but am wondering for those 3 goals, what's my best bet?

The film will be 60 minutes, I believe.

I like the idea of letterbox, as framing is much easier and may produce better composed images, but am I limiting myself in any way? Any new/old thoughts?? Thanks guys!

David
www.blumenfeld.com

 

[shAi]

Re: Best Format for Documentary

hi David,

let me speak for Barry (guru) Green, who likes to recommend a straight letterbox shooting, rather than squeeze or 4:3-crop-in-post, because the in-camera squeeze might be not as good as a decent post process. makes sense isn't it
i have a DVX100(noA), so i just happen to shoot a lot 4:3 with the LCD taped to 16:9 and crop in post. i just like to record some picture rather than black bars... so that's basically my choice, although i hate it when material leaves my hands and being watched un-cropped and maybe even, god forbid, being edited like that.

Panasonic recommend "squeeze" over "letterbox", i never had a chance to compare the two... anyone?

 

[Michael_Bott]

Re: Best Format for Documentary

I'm doing a 60 minute doco as well at the moment and like you, I'm shooting 16:9 - though I prefer f6. My experience would lead me to recommend using squeeze. If I'm doing something wrong, I would welcome correction, but my eyes tell me that working with ready-squeezed footage from the DVX is superior to doing it in post.

I'm editing in Vegas 5 - and if I do have to convert in post I use the 16:9 crop and then render to widescreen. Is this the best way?

Not having a widescreen image in the LCD irritates me too, but I'm getting used to it - for me, capturing straight into a 25p 16:9 project just works. It's far less hassle for what I see as a better result.

Best wishes

Michael