Delivery of commercial for DirecTV

Hi everybody,
this is the first time that I have to deliver a commercial to a TV station, and I want to deliver it properly and in the right format:
First:
I need a video slate and bars and tones at beginning of the sequence - how do I do this fast and easy? I have no clue.
Second:
For delivery formats they stated the following in an email:
ACCEPTABLE FORMATS:
? Preferred delivery method for all SD copy is DG Systems. The DG system ID for DirecTV is DIRLA.
(Note: ?HD? delivery via DG to DIRECTV will be available by end of 1st Qtr ?09)

What the hell does all this mean? I understand that they are talking about DG fastchannel but do they expect me to login on my own? My Sequence is in 720p DVCProHD right now and I'm assuming that I have to change that.
Help.

It sounds like they want you to deliver through DGFastchannel and the Syscode that DG uses for DirecTV is DIRLA

Curious about HD delivery through DG. 1st Quarter is over. I do have HD specs, not yet implemented, for DG. There's also a means to do this through your local DG account rep and DG Chicago regional office.

If you use Telestream Episode I can send you my DG preset.
I can also send you the DG specs.

Bars and Tone are in the Viewer drop down menu...the one with the "A". Look for BARS AND TONE. A slate...make that with TITLE or TITLE 3D. Do you not know what a Slate is?


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
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> If you use Telestream Episode I can send you my DG
> preset.
> I can also send you the DG specs.
Craig,
I would like those specs if you don't mind.
bolex7@mac.com

Thanks, Craig.

Thank you guys.

Okay, yes, I would love to have the specs, too. For SD and HD if possible:
jan@bluetreeproductions.us

But were do I log in and upload the files? Seriously I have no clue and obviously my client thinks I know these thing.

Shane Ross Wrote:
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> Do you not know what a Slate is?

Actually I don't.
What do I have to include? I'm assuming the clients name and ...?

Contact DGFastchannel (phone number should be on spec sheet I'll send you). Generally they will do a credit check which can take 24 hours or less to complete. When they setup the account they will give you a "drop box" with FTP info specific to that account.

How do people get broadcast work without any broadcast experience? Not knowing what a slate is...

The slate can contain a LOT of information. Production Company, Show title, show number, production number, date, total running time, audio information (what is on what channel). Usually to be determined by the client/network. Basic information is Project title, date, total running time, audio information.

Please, if you are going to continue to deliver broadcast shows, it is HIGHLY recommended that you work at a company that does this...typically in a lower level position working up...so that you can learn how things are done. There is a reason apprenticeships are done...why people work their way up. If you don't do this...get training and learn what is needed before you venture into this again. Like stumbling into a jumgle with only a machete and canteen, with no idea of what dangers lie within...not prepared for them.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Typical slate info. I'd add Edit Date.
BTW it can be ISCI or AdID.
I also include my contact info in the slate (phone/email) so I can be contacted for technical issues in case of an urgent matter.

► Your Company
► Agency
► Advertiser
► Brand
► ISCI
► Title
► Length

I think y'all have left out the most important thing on the slate: the countdown and two-pop. The countdown is not strictly necessary, but it's traditional; it really only exists to cue the two-pop, which is a single frame of 1 KHz tone at the 00:59:58:00 mark, followed by 00:00:01:29 of black and silence. The two-pop is used for cueing and synchronization, and is never optional on tape-delivered spots. I'm not sure if it's as mandatory on digitally delivered spots, but if they want bars and a slate, then I'm guessing it is.

But seriously, what Shane said. This is very fundamental stuff in broadcast production. I don't mean to be insulting, but it's analogous to a doctor asking where the heart is or how to take somebody's pulse. It sounds obscure and nerdy, but it's incredibly basic in this industry. And DG, to their credit, is absolutely brutal about rejecting any spot that doesn't pass their QA, so you can't half-ass it.

Your best option at this point is to call up a local post house that does a lot of spot work, tell them you have a master that needs to be prepped for delivery to DG, and ask them how much they'll charge you to take care of everything. And then pay it with a smile, because if they take your business at all, they'll be rescuing you from a potential career disaster.

Awww Shane, some us have to start at the top.

These days many wedding and corporate video folks can climb their way into the local cable spot market. Given the look of most local cable spots I think many fabled "uncle joes with a camcorder" could do better.

After many years editing at higher end post houses and eventually becoming a video engineer I started a "mom and pop" video business. I was delivering local spots on BetaSP shoot on DVCAM, bring to the dub house, run to the UPS/FedEx office. One fine day a dub house screwed the order (a spot going to like 6 regional cable offices) and they insisted they QCd the dubs. They redid the order and half of them were bad AGAIN.

I finally went to the cable companies and said there has to be a way to FTP masters. They told me about DGFastchannel. The cable companies had no idea that small fry like would be able to access a service like DG. Well the digital cat is out of the bag (container file?) and small fry can use DG to deliver local cable spots. It costs all of $25 per delivery without the dub house/QC/FedEx hassle.

During DG's "certification" process they will check that your spots' audio, black levels, luma/chorma levels are within broadcast spec and report if something is wrong. So they will do some hand holding.

About the only thing they don't list is what the slate should contain but the DG regional office that does HD even gives you that info . . . with step by step on how to export from FCP using Quicktime to comply with their HD spec. Mind you that's for HD only. SD specs are not application specific.

In any case they really do try to help you through if you're a small fry entering into the local cable spot market.

If you cannot apprentice at companies that do broadcast work, then you need to get training in how to deliver broadcast work. This is a highly technical craft, and broadcast delivery is more strict than wedding and corporate works...typically.

And Jeff, not everyone needs the countdown and 2-pop. I have never done this for Disney, Nickelodeon, History or Nation Geographic. Discovery..oh my yes.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

DG doesn't require countdown or 2-Pop (hey isn't that a different forum anyway)

Don't be intimidated, DG will help you with this stuff.

Jeff Harrell Wrote:
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> I think y'all have left out the most important
> thing on the slate: the countdown and two-pop. The
> countdown is not strictly necessary, but it's
> traditional;

Shane Ross Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Please, if you are going to continue to deliver
> broadcast shows, it is HIGHLY recommended that you
> work at a company that does this...typically in a
> lower level position working up...so that you can
> learn how things are done. There is a reason
> apprenticeships are done...why people work their
> way up. If you don't do this...get training and
> learn what is needed before you venture into this
> again. Like stumbling into a jumgle with only a
> machete and canteen, with no idea of what dangers
> lie within...not prepared for them.

I know I know,
this project was my first chance of producing something that actually gets aired. My client has now clue what they're doing and expects me to do EVERYTHING. I directed, produced the whole thing even did the camera work. I edited the spot, did motion graphics etc.
My plan was just to hand them a DVD with a HD Quicktime file. That's what I told them. Basically I just want to help them out. In the future, I will hire somebody with experience.
You don't want to know what they paid me....

Jeff,

Just as an aside to your post above, I was rejected on a feature QC from Fotokem because I LEFT THE 2 POP IN!! This was a couple of years ago, but I was given to understand that the broadcasters don't want 2 pops any more.

Has anyone else had this experience?

And - hey, guys - this guy got a lucky break - and he clearly admits that he doesn't know a thing about delivery and he did the right thing (sort of) in that he came here and asked questions rather than making an ass of himself with the TV station.

I empathize with him because, as a complete moron myself, I am quite capable of asking equally naive questions here and you guys always come flying to my rescue - day and night.

Love and kisses to one and all.

Harry.

Harry Bromley-Davenport.

If you do the media buy, the cable company will pay you the 15% agency fee.
It's one way to make more money on these low budget cable spots.


janbecker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shane Ross Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Please, if you are going to continue to deliver
> > broadcast shows, it is HIGHLY recommended that
> you
> > work at a company that does this...typically in
> a
> > lower level position working up...so that you
> can
> > learn how things are done. There is a reason
> > apprenticeships are done...why people work
> their
> > way up. If you don't do this...get training
> and
> > learn what is needed before you venture into
> this
> > again. Like stumbling into a jumgle with only
> a
> > machete and canteen, with no idea of what
> dangers
> > lie within...not prepared for them.
>
> I know I know,
> this project was my first chance of producing
> something that actually gets aired. My client has
> now clue what they're doing and expects me to do
> EVERYTHING. I directed, produced the whole thing
> even did the camera work. I edited the spot, did
> motion graphics etc.
> My plan was just to hand them a DVD with a HD
> Quicktime file. That's what I told them. Basically
> I just want to help them out. In the future, I
> will hire somebody with experience.
> You don't want to know what they paid me....

Do you mean if I buy the air time for the spot?
15%? That's awesome.

janbecker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do you mean if I buy the air time for the spot?
> 15%? That's awesome.


Exactly. Basically you become an Ad Agency. I had no problem doing that with the local cable companies here. They are quite happy that you're bringing them business and they really don't make any money on the production side so it's not like you're taking away business from them in that area.

The idea is that you can offer an "all in one" service to businesses that want to buy local cable.
You produce and post. You buy the time for them (spending their money). Upload the file to DG for delivery. Get whatever you get for production and post, get 15% on the media buy. If the buys are big enough you can even cheat production/post lower (not that local cable buys get that big). Getting that 15% helps when you're dealing in the low budget world of local cable spots. In fact at one point the local cable sales people where showing my demo reel since I could do a bit more in production/post (at a higher price of course) than they could.