Question about editing PAL footage
by James Dow
on
Apr 7, 2009 at 2:19:41 pm
I'm shooting some documentary footage in Bangladesh next month. Prior to my arrival, a local production company will be shooting footage that will be handed off to me. This has been arranged by my client. I will be shooting NTSC HVX200a, DVCPRO HD720 at 24fps, then posting on FCP6.0.3. The local production company owns PAL equipment. I have Nattress Convertor, but how will I get their footage into my system if I don't have access to their camera, or PAL playback deck? I assume my feeder deck would have to be PAL to play back their tapes. Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Re: Question about editing PAL footage by Alex Elkins on Apr 7, 2009 at 2:45:10 pm
Can they supply you with files, rather than tapes? That would be the simplest option if getting hold of a suitable deck isn't possible. I'm sure you can hire a deck in Bangladesh though??
Also, why not just shoot 25fps yourself and save the hassle of standards conversions? You're shooting to a tapeless format so it's an option for you.
Re: Question about editing PAL footage by James Dow on Apr 7, 2009 at 3:13:23 pm
I'm not sure if I will have access to the production company and their files. If so, no big deal as I will take several portable hard drives. I'm trying to plan for the unknown, and travel relatively light. Uhmm, aren't there other differences besides frame rate, concerning shooting at 25 and not converting the PAL footage, as you suggest? I have the Nattress convertor plug-in, so I can easily convert the PAL files to NTSC..if I'm able to get the files, vs. having to import tape.
Re: Question about editing PAL footage by Rafael Amador on Apr 7, 2009 at 3:19:24 pm
[James Dow]" aren't there other differences besides frame rate, concerning shooting at 25 and not converting the PAL footage, as you suggest? I have the Nattress convertor plug-in, so I can easily convert the PAL files to NTSC" if you go to end up in p24 the best solution may be to use CinemaTools and conform the PAL footage to 24fps. The clips will run a 4% faster, which is unnoticeable and you will avoid to render all that footage.
rafael
www.nagavideo.com
(and here some clips for the friends: http://www.vimeo.com/2694745 )
Re: Question about editing PAL footage by Dennis Couzin on Apr 7, 2009 at 6:00:47 pm
"The clips will run a 4% faster, which is unnoticeable"
This is generally true for the picture speed but it's debatable for the sound speed. Sing a scale. 4% speedup is 2/3 of the way from 'te' to 'do'. A fraction of the population has near enough to absolute pitch to notice this error. Especially if this is an ethnographic film, why instill bias?
You can use Cinema Tools to conform the 24 fps picture to 25 fps, but you should use sound resampling software to actually convert the 24 fps sound to 25 fps without pitch changes.
Isn't Alex Elkins's suggestion simpler?
Re: Question about editing PAL footage by James Dow on Apr 7, 2009 at 6:52:42 pm
Is the frame rate the only difference between NTSC and PAL? Also,I'm shooting with an HVX200a so when you get above 24fps you lose the capability of recording audio, which I will need.
Re: Question about editing PAL footage by Michael Gissing on Apr 7, 2009 at 10:18:42 pm
[James Dow]"Is the frame rate the only difference between NTSC and PAL?"
No. The pixel aspect is slightly different in Standard Def. In HD it is only frame rate. PAL SD is 720 x 576. NTSC is 720 x 480ish. (sorry, I can't help making jokes about NTSC - the worlds most hacked about TV format)
Also 25 to 24 frame conversion is 4% slower. Yes the audio drops approximately 3/4 of a semi tone which on atmos and voice is not tragic. Music is another matter.
