Editing with lots of different footage

I am beginning to edit a corporate video - PAL-. They are sending me lots of different types of footage in lots of different formats. Everything from HD from a dvd to material taken off of the internet and photographs. My question is What is the best workflow for this type of thing. Should I try to standardize all of the footage using mpeg streamclip into one format (although some of it is 4:3 some 16:9...a real mess), or just decide on a format and pull in the clips and render after each clip (and change)...

What is the best "standard" format for my sequence settings -- its for presentations and their website...

If you have the time to conform before import, that's best. What you should do is decide on what you want to export and make everything into that.

I can't really advise on what the best standard format is for your project. I have clients that require HD for presentations and the web, and others who are perfectly happy to dumb down to their worst footage at DV PAL level. A big thing to consider, I guess, is the amount of footage you have in each format. If you have only three HD shots and the rest is off DVD, making the whole thing HD would be a pain. If there's only a couple of 4:3 shots, then maybe worth the effort. Of course blowing up to HD you will get a loss of quality on your much smaller SD stuff.

At least we're lucky in PAL land and don't have to deal with different frame rates!