What flavor of HD should we teach with?

I work with a vocational education program that teaches telvision production in three high schools. We also handle local access cable programming for parts of three counties. All of our programming at this time in SD using DV or DVCPRO cameras and decks. We have just upgraded to FCP 6.0.1 and have begun to experiment with HD using a low end Sony camera (HDR-SR5) and importing the HD files to FCP. I noticed that there are a myriad of possible selections under capture settings, etc. and I would like some advice on what settings would give us the best finished product using the video files from the Sony. At this time we are only interested in creating DVDs, since our cable outlets are not ready for HD. Also, what versions of HD should our students be aware of to prepare them for real world experience? Since our budget is small and our equipment is pretty limited, we can barely scratch the surface on this subject, I am sure.

You don't use capture settings with that camera. You use the log and transfer window to ingest the AVCHD material.

HDV is going to be your easiest cheapest access to HD content, it can also be squeezed down by the camera and captured through firewire to be DV if you'd like. Cheap and easy, just harder on the processor. Most broadcast is DVCproHD or higher but i HDV will still be very useful in the real world, the real world isnt always broadcast...

"Also, what versions of HD should our students be aware of to prepare them for real world experience?"

In my opinion, the best advice you can give students about HD is that it's an evolving format. There are many more HD possibilities than there ever was with Standard Def. Students should be aware that no longer is there just one flavor of video. Rather, there will be many different standards depending on usage... all the way from cell phones to digital cinema. Regardless, the art and craft of editing remains the same. You just need to know more technical info to get by.

Good luck. Much respect for anyone dedicated to teaching!

Mark

I totally agree with Mark...

You have to make sure your students know that there are a plethora of formats and (if possible) in your teaching send them out with the wherewithall to learn about them properly (either from you guys or the net or books or other courses) so they walk into their first job and continue to learn and know the meanings and differences between things like:

Standard Defition, HiDef, PAL/NTSC/SECAM 4:3/14:9/16:9, D1, Cropped D1, SMTPE, AES, Line-up, dbFS, VU, CRT, LCD, framerates, 720p, 1080i, interlaced, progressive, PsF, 4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:1:1, 4:2:0, H.264, MPEG-2, AVI, QuickTime, EDL, XML, Anamorphic, 100% Bars, 75% Bars, XLR, FireWire 400/800, USB, Hard Disk, Media Managment, Alpha Channel, Off/On-Line Edit, Aspect Ratios, White balance, SDI, Coax, Stereo, Mono, Component, RGB, 24bit, 10bit, YUV, etc, etc.

Just to give you an example of my last 5 HD jobs:

Documentary on HDV cut in HDV/DVCproHD and output SD Uncompressed PAL

Promo with mixed media and footage in SD PAL & NTSC up-converted and HDV, DVCproHD 720p Varicam & 1080i50, output DVCproHD 1080i50

Documentary on HDCAM cut on DVCproHD 1080i50 output on HDCAM SR 4:2:2

Film cut in DVCAM, conformed and onlined in Uncompressed HD 1920x1080Psf25

Music Video cut in DVCproHD 720p


Learning just a few formats won't cut it in the real world today, you have to know how to handle all of them (or who to ask about it!).

Of all the things you learn in editing, the one that make your life easiest is understanding the language of the media and its technology.


Ben


PS - If you like, send them here to ask questions about Formats and FCP and Editing when they get stuck or are just simply interested in our opinions.

But make sure they do the google or the FAQs first!

In fact I'd make it a part of the course "sign up to LAFCPUG"



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

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Since our budget is small and our equipment is pretty limited, we can barely scratch the surface on this subject, I am sure.

If you have to go low budget make them aware of the limitations and the pitfalls of using HDV such as the high compression.

Get them into the habit of using only high quality tape stock to minimise digital dropout and inform them of the problems of colour grading and chroma key on HDV.

For DVCproHD you have less issues to contend with but the basics about aspect ratios and framerates on the varicam and 1080i formats is a must.


Ben



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

Thank all of you for your responses. As you say, it is a big field and a lot to absorb. You have dfinitely given us something to think about. Dale

Yeah it is, but hopefully I don't make it out to be scarey, its not, there are 1000s of reference articles online for all types of video technology and as I said we're always here to help out.

Just instill a habit of taking upon themselves to search for the answer or even ask someone what questions they should be asking.

I personally put a lot of weight behind media professionals who eager to learn and improve. I rarely employ or pass on jobs to editors who just do it like a job at McD's or a factory line.

Most of the employers I know (including myself) want forward thinkers. People who are capable of being actively automomous and also who can work well in teams. Who know the basic rules to editing and cutting scenes as well as having creative flare/imagination to push boundaries and techological know-how to back it up.

I would suggest learning a bit of Photoshop and Illustrator to complement FCP, Motion et al.

Another thing you may want to recommend to your students, is to invest in a Mac and FCS (if they have the means). The home environment can be a great place to learn without pressure from peers. Something that I remember many fellow students found intimidating when I studied Design for Film & Television back in the early 90s.

Picking up a copy of premier pro for their PC is not going to help them much in the real world of Avid and FCP (except maybe the process of editing) - to date I have never seen a single job advertised in Broadcast or film that is Premier based and really knowing the tools is a major part of getting work.

Blagging your way into a suite nowadays won't carry you far (as it obviously did for many editors I have met over the years). Today we need to be a faster, more knowledgeable breed of cutters from the outset. Especially as budgets fall and technology expands. Survival of the fittest, etc, etc, yadda, yadda...

I'll shut up now


Ben



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Thanks for your comments. In fact, one of our more advanced students was making noise about wanting to be a pro and also about the cool new car he was going to buy when he sold the three he had, so I challenged him to spend about 10k on a home production set up instead. He now has a Mac, FCP and a camera. He is beginning to do weddings, etc. There is a fair amount of low budget documentary work around from local voting organizations wanting to focus on the environment, etc. My feeling is that you have to do like Jay Leno and take every job that offers itself as you build a career.
By the way, we have trained students on Avid in the past, but the old NT based system was getting pretty long in the tooth when we started switching to the Macs and FCP. We tried to update to a new computer and latest Avid software, but the cost was prohibitive. Also, since we are bound to a state bid list, we weren't able to get the kind of machine that Avid required from our normal suppliers, while Macs, we can get! Dale

Hi Dale

Thats really great - I like people who are willing to make it happen for themselves, wish him all the best with it and tell him to sign up for LAFCPUG too! (starting to sound like a sales person here! Mike?)

It also sounds like the usual Avid senario, something which only Avid themselves could rectify (snowballs chance in hell) but something that Apple and its Educational discounts does well.

On that note I'm cutting a TV series for BBC2 at present on Avid and quite frankly I wish Avid would put up or shut up shop mainly cus it feels so old and clunky despite the version I'm on having a certain amount of realtime hardware...

...still, I get paid to edit and I shouldn't complain (but I'm an editor thats what we do!!!).

I was going to make another suggestion and that was to get copies of Avid FreeDV to give students (who wish to at least play with an Avid interface) a chance to see a slightly different approach and to help them overcome the shock when they apply for their first positions.

However in their infinately small wisdom Avid has discontinued it and no doubt will lose out even more to Apple. Hooray!

I'm biased because in 13 years of cutting on Avid, it has continually disappointed me, yet FCP has grown constantly to be a defacto standard in the BBC and the choice for many independents in all areas of the Industry who I work with. Plus its just so much more fun to cut with.

Totally agree with the "take any job" at first advice - just remind them that they need to throw away a certain amount of pride at first in order to get their foot in the door then prove themselves by asking and showing the right people.

Many talented individuals think that just because they have a University degree or Masters in editing that they should automatically get work as an editor - wrong.

The most common way to get employment is by proving you have what it takes (showreel or productions you have edited) or by recommendation by someone they trust the opinion of.

When trying to get into a company they should be prepared to go in; make refreshments, run lunches, make themselves useful/indispensable and work damn hard, whilst being courtious at all times and showing their enthusiasm. Cutting things and continuing to learn in their spare time and asking to assist or shadow people in the environment they want to be in.

Too many runners just don't try hard enough to make the climb (especially in London) and they spend years wasting away in the bowls of a machine room or at the coffee shop fetching my Skinny Grande Latte with nutmeg and cinnamon!

I'm sure you tell them similar things; but pride and "delusions of grandeur" are definately the biggest hold-backs for most school leavers - believing that they are owed a higher place in the industry. Be realistic with them and tell them how damn hard it can be, but also to dream and never stop dreaming but to make it happen and not sit back and wait.

Remember:

"A goal without a plan is just a wish!"

and my favourite quote this year is:

"You only fail when you give up."


Ben

PS - the "pride thing" I didn't get at first when I left university and I wasted my time getting on the ladder. So from the heart and from experience, I would urge anyone starting out to take heed of my advice, so they don't suffer the same stress and may just save themselves a year or two of disappointment.



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]

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Thats really great - I like people who are willing to make it happen for themselves, wish him all the best with it and tell him to sign up for LAFCPUG too! (starting to sound like a sales person here! Mike?)

As an added bonus for signing up you get an autographed 8x10 photo of Ben King.



Michael Horton
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As an added bonus for signing up you get an autographed 8x10 photo of Ben King.

It comes in Glossy or Matt and in 16:9 Half Height D1 Non-Cropped Stereoscopic Interlaced Anamorphic versions...



For instant answers to more than one hundred common FCP questions, check out the LAFCPUG FAQ Wiki here : [www.lafcpug.org]