HD TV Commercials to Local Network - Need Advice ASAP

[Take1Media]

Well our first local network here finally upgraded to broadcast local ads in HD. Ihave been sending the ads to them in 1280x720 and they have since called and said my titles, etc are being cut-off when viewed on a regular TV. They advised me to push all my graphics inside a 720x480 bounding area. What a pain in the ass! So now I have to edit and shoot all my HD stuff keeping this safe area in mind just because someone doesnt have a widescreen TV at home? Has anyone else had to deal with this? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[AwakenedFilms]

Hi Take1,
I've dealt with it. Its called a center cut. The HD feed is simultaneously being center cut as an SD 4:3 feed and depending on the package that the homeowner has, they may see a 16:9 HD image or 4:3 SD image. It is very annoying, but you just have to compose every shot and create graphics that are both artistic and yet also look decent as a center cut.

Take a look at most cable channels' commercials - they come in many different formats. Some deliver a 16:9 matted in a 4:3 with graphics in the letterbox area. Some are deliberate high resolution cropped 4:3 with pillar bars that include complimentary graphics to the content. I usually just make it 16:9, but frame things more conservatively and all titles are kept completely in the 4:3 safe zone.


Jason

 

[milksac]

Has anyone else had to deal with this?

Anyone that delivers HD spots for broadcast has dealt with this. In the U.S. nearly all the broadcasters center cut when downcerting HD material to SD. Compromising in aquisition and graphics design is a necessity during the transition to HD. A few years from now you won't have to deal with center cut.
For now - it is what it is.

 

[NoahK]

Yeah this is fairly easy to handle- just create a 4:3 matte and place it over your timeline to check titles are within that matte. Pretty soon you'll be able to eyeball it without the aid. You can also create an approximate square cutout piece of paper to hold over your viewer for a quick check- if you really wanna go DIY/ghetto about it.

Noah

 

[Take1Media]

Awesome - Thanks for all the help!

 

[arniepix]

Creating your HD graphics for a 4x3 safe area is actually pretty standard. Many HD LCD monitors can display 4x3 safety markers. If yours does, I'd use them.

 

[Tom 4]

Hi,

this same silliness is happening here "Downunder", we are well into the digital changeover, completed by end of 2013, then we won't have to endue this stupidity any longer , sadly retailers still sell crappy 4x3 tv's.
even more sad is some digital channels who boast "Pristine HD" image quality, run endless very old blurry movies/sitcoms in 4x3.

Lastly What gets me, is that SD vision I send to one network looks good on their SD channel, but the same vision looks Fantastic on their HD channel.

cheers tom k
olinevideo.com.au