Need help exporting FS100/CS5 project for broadcast

J

joy new media

Active member
Can anyone offer suggestions to properly export in Premiere CS5? I'm in need of assistance in getting a project shot on a FS100 in 1080/30p to a cable broadcaster that meets their specs:

For Video:
Resolution 720x480
Bitrate: 10-15 mbs
White Level: 100 IRE
Black Level: 0 IRE
Sync Level: -40 IRE
Color Burst: 40 IRE
Chroma: -20 to 100 IRE

For Audio:
Compressed & Normalized
AC3 @ -23dBfs

Accepted formats: H264 Quicktime, AVI, Apple Pro Res, Mpeg2

I've looked through the export settings and I don't know where to make the proper adjustments. Some of this may be in the color correction scopes and such, something I'm not familiar with at all. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Hey the export settings they are asking for is easy to set up, i would send them the mpeg2 codec because it looks much better than the washed out apple formats. as far as the levels they are just asking for broadcast safe levels, so it is something you will be adjusting before you render the project. so on your timeline monitor if you change the output to "all scopes" you will see the levels they are referring to.
you will see a graph with -20 to 120. here is a link on how to tweak the settings to fit broadcast safe parameters http://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/color-correction-adjustment.html
 
Thanks for the advice, I haven't done too much color correction, I've mostly relied on Magic Bullet Mojo and just tweaked the various sliders to taste. Youtube and Vimeo don't have the limits broadcasters do...
 
Don't forget you'll probably also need to conform to 29.97 and interlace if your project is 23.98. Let me know if you need help with this and I'll jot down some options.
 
awww i love mojo, well in your effects menue there is "broadcast colors" effect, if you put that on your footage in the timeline it will adjust it for you. also go to "color correction"/ levels and put on the yc waveform scope and as you adjust levels you will see your waveform drop below the 100 mark and adjust your blacks and you will see it rise above the -20 mark
 
Just an FYI... Standard def NTSC video is interlaced 29.97.

Many of the smaller cable networks still do not accept high def commercials.
 
joy new media said:
If I export the project as NTSC DV I get 720 x 480, do I need to take additional steps to make it interlaced?
Click to expand...

Usually, yeah. NLE programs (FCP, Avid, Premiere, etc.) usually use a very rudimentary way of adding "3:2 pulldown" (converting 24p to 30i while still having it look like 24p when it hits the air). They use frame doubling which looks like your cadence is really jumpy.

The good news is you have options! I'll list a few options out and you tell me which one(s) you want me to explain.

1. Export to 23.98, drop into a 29.97 timeline and add a conversion filter (like 'Nattress Standards Conversion"--which is free). Then export. This looks good though not perfect.
2. Play out using a Kona card. This is absolutely PERFECT 3:2 pulldown - but you need a Kona card.
3. Use a frame rate conversion filter in Episode. This is what we use when sending to DG FastChannel but it's a $500 program.
4. Use After Effects to add 3:2 pulldown in the export settings. This works really well and I can give you the instructions if you have AE.

It all sounds harder than it is. Once you get the hang of it, it'll be pie.
 
Just looked at the spec sheet. Don't get intimidated... it looks worse than it is.

David is right - NTSC is 29.97, usually "lower field first" unless you're doing MPEG2 (which is usually upper field first). ProRes is usually 720x486 and the new DGFastChannel size is 720x512 (I know, as if there weren't enough sizes already).

Let me know what tools you have to work with (After Effects, Kona card, Episode, or none of the above) and I'll walk you through it.
 
danstone said:


4. Use After Effects to add 3:2 pulldown in the export settings. This works really well and I can give you the instructions if you have AE.

It all sounds harder than it is. Once you get the hang of it, it'll be pie.
Click to expand...

I have after effects along with the full adobe production suite, never used anything other than premiere and photoshop though. I just got a book this week to start learning the basics, was going to crack it open this weekend...

BTW, I'm editing everything on a macbook pro
 
joy new media said:
I have after effects along with the full adobe production suite, never used anything other than premiere and photoshop though. I just got a book this week to start learning the basics, was going to crack it open this weekend...

BTW, I'm editing everything on a macbook pro
Click to expand...

Perfect. This'll be pretty straightforward. I'm doing this from memory so some of the menus and options may be slightly different than what I'm calling them.

-PREP AND EXPORT A MASTER FILE:

1. Master your audio how you normally would. If you're doing it in Premiere, make sure your levels don't exceed spec (add compression on adjust levels if needed).

2. Export from Premiere using your current editing codec and specs. In Final Cut there's an option to 'Export Using Current Settings'--"current" meaning whatever your timeline is. So if you're editing on a 1080p/ProRes timeline, export to that. What this does is give you a good, high-quality "master" file. Make sure your in/out points are exactly at :30 with no extra frames.

-IMPORT THE FILE INTO AFTER EFFECTS

3. Open After Effects.

4. Drag your video file into the AE project window (top left window).

-CREATE NEW COMPOSITION

5. Composition > New Composition. Select the "NTSC DV" preset. You need to make a decision here. If you're going to deliver a ProRes 422 file, you probably need to make your composition size 720x486. Anything else should be 720x480. Note: your spec sheet says "720x480" for everything so this might be worth a phone call. If your cable reps are anything like mine, they'll say something to the effect of "uh, I don't know." That's fine. Give them 720x486.

Here's what I recommend for comp settings: 720x486, Pixel Aspect: D1/DV NTSC, Frame Rate: 23.976 frames per second (not 29.97 yet), Duration: :30 seconds.

6. Drag your video file to the comp's timeline and slide it so the first frame lines up with the first frame.

7. If your source video file is HD, it should have automatically letterboxes itself. If not, adjust the clip's size via the drop down triangles to the left: click the triangle next to the file name to reveal drop down options; click the triangle next to "Transform"; adjust the "Scale" until the clip fits the way you want.

-LEGALIZE SIGNAL

8. Effect > Color Correction > Broadcast Colors

9. "Broadcast Locale" should be "NTSC" and "Maximum Signal Amount" should be 100 (default is 110).

Note: if your editing program has a better legalizer, feel free to use it before exporting your master file. You'll just have to add it to each clip separately.

-ADD 3:2 PULLDOWN

10. Composition > Add to Render Queue

11. In the Render Queue tab (which should come up automatically), open the Render Settings.

12. Half way down you'll see "Field Render". In the drop down box select "Lower Field".

13. In the 3:2 Pulldown box select ANY of the cadence patterns (WSSWW, etc.--doesn't matter which one).

14. Click OK

15. Open the "Output Module"

16. Click "Format Options"

17. Select your Compressor type (like ProRes 422 - don't use any other ProRes or your data rates won't fit)

18. Under Compressor select "Interlaced" and then "Lower Field First" from the drop down box that just appeared.

19. Click OK

20. At the bottom of the menu that's still up (Output Module Settings) check the "Audio Output" box.

21. Next to "Output To", select your file name and location.

22. Click "Render"

-TEST

23. After export is complete, test the file on a broadcast monitor by going back to Premiere, dropping it into a 29.97 timeline and playing out to an NTSC monitor or television (either through a card or through firewire).

Note: if the video looks juddery on your computer monitor when you watch it, chances are you've added 3:2 pulldown correctly. That's a good thing!

Good luck and feel free to ask any questions if something doesn't make sense. This is information I wish I had the first time I sent something to a station!
 
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