HVX/FCP5 Short Done -- How best to get Quality DVD and DV/HDCAM for Festivals

CareyB

Active member
Just completed post in FCP v5 of my HVX shot HD short film. What do you recommend in the way of getting the best rez/quality/etc. in DVD for festival submission and to output to DVCAM and HDCAM for competitive screenings at festivals where we make the final cut? I made a similar post in prod forum and am getting no responses.

I know they're not accepting HD or Blu-Ray DVD, but I'd like to optimize to the best quality that can be read by your average dvd player. DVCAM and HDCAM I know are totally different beasts altogether. I'd like my best foot forward in both cases, since there are no second chances at a good first impression.

It's a low-light, period piece, all firelight or simulated such, and I'm noticing quite a brighter image in DVD, compared to output on my Mac Cinema 30. Much brighter even than output on my Sony field monitor calibrated to broadcast values. Being brighter is really a plus, obviates color corrections to boost brightness in a few scenes. But I don't want to have to edit two versions, one for dvd and one for DV/HDCAM. Question is, is doing output to DVCAM PAL (for European festivals I'm interested in) or HDCAM NTSC (like Sundance is requiring as I speak) going to resemble DVD output like I'm experiencing or something more like what I get on my Mac monitor (or what)?

It says something about market/lobbying pressures that proprietary formats are being required of those entering festivals. At least for short digital films, I'd like to see screening formats go to QuickTime where the output would be closer to the creator's intended image. For films under 30 minutes output could be QT to Double Layer DVD or maybe send a dedicated small-ish hard drive with a return-post paid carton. QT would work around all these exhibition format issues, and make more sense since many NLEs output in QT as first generation anyway. Call it the Little Rock QT Film Festival, or whatever. Apple should sure go for it, though it'd not make Sony happy.

The HVX really kicks butt, even in a low-light piece like mine. If you're really adventurous, or perhaps not too bright, make your first film a low-light period piece. You know, like Robin Williams says in "Life According to Garp," and have your film career Pre-Disastered. I guarantee that everything that can go wrong, will---but in the end you'll have had a learning experience to rival all others.

My issues have been more about audio than light. Oh, for an un-polluted audio location for shooting a period piece. I'm thinking maybe only the Kalahari would be quiet in these times.

Anyway, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.


Carey
 
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I didn't have time to read your entire posting but here is he best way to make a dvd for quality. Output your sequence via Compressor in Final Cut. Select the best setting for the length of your timeline. Compressor will output an Mpeg2 file and an aiff and dolby e (I think it's dolby e). You can tell it just to output the aiff if desired. The Mpeg file is exactly what DVDStudio Pro wants so there's no conversion from a QuickTime file. Just made screeners of my 108 min feature using this method and they look fantastic.

Don Wilson
MississippiSon.com
 
If you have the budget you can send an uncompressed 10-bit quicktime to a post house and they can print it to HDCAM, D5, DVCPROHD, DigiBeta, DV, etc.

They will use hardware for all of the conversions which is much better than using compressor or any software for that matter.

It shouldn't cost too much, you are basically renting the deck and an operator, plus tape stock. You should ask them, or stop by to properly judge the colors.

Cheers,

Matt
 
escozooz said:
If you have the budget you can send an uncompressed 10-bit quicktime to a post house and they can print it to HDCAM, D5, DVCPROHD, DigiBeta, DV, etc.

They will use hardware for all of the conversions which is much better than using compressor or any software for that matter.

It shouldn't cost too much, you are basically renting the deck and an operator, plus tape stock. You should ask them, or stop by to properly judge the colors.

Cheers,

Matt


Matt,

Do you have a post house you can recommend? There are none near me, so I guess I'll have to check out the tape on my end somehow to decide what I think of their work. I shoot with an HVX and don't know anyone with the Sony cameras, possibly the local college has a deck.

Thanks,

Carey
 
Cut2muz said:
I didn't have time to read your entire posting but here is he best way to make a dvd for quality. Output your sequence via Compressor in Final Cut. Select the best setting for the length of your timeline. Compressor will output an Mpeg2 file and an aiff and dolby e (I think it's dolby e). You can tell it just to output the aiff if desired. The Mpeg file is exactly what DVDStudio Pro wants so there's no conversion from a QuickTime file. Just made screeners of my 108 min feature using this method and they look fantastic.

Don Wilson
MississippiSon.com

Don,

Thanks for your suggestion, I tried it out, but dvd pro studio spat it out saying "video bitrate too high." I checked "all," (for dolby, mpeg2, aif) didn't ask it to do anything unusual.

Carey
 
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