Video Submissions
From TreetWiki
Treet accepts video submissions in various circumstances, such as:
- Intros or Credits for shows produced by 3rd party producers.
- Complete shows for airing on the Treet TV network.
- Advertising submissions
- Show inserts for particular show episodes
This article presents some guidelines for how video should be prepared and submitted.
Contents |
Quality and Resolution
Treet TV creates broadcasts in 720p format, which is a true broadcast resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels. This is far greater than most video you see on the web, and so we often downsize our videos for web display in various standard formats.
Because our videos will be watched for years, and increasingly people will want to move to the highest quality format, the most important consideration for video submissions is quality. For a video to be of acceptable quality for 720p broadcasts, it will need to be:
- Produced in a high quality format, not "up converted" from a lower format such as a YouTube or web clip.
- Have good quality audio
- Converted properly before submission (if any conversion is required). Note that proper frame rate conversions are almost impossible, especially without advanced equipment and software. All our footage is stored at 23.976 fps.
- Submitted using a high quality file format
While it is possible for us to accept almost anything, the effect of watching low-quality video side-by-side with high quality video can be arresting to viewers, especially when watching larger screens, and can detract from the overall effect of a show or presentation. In some cases, only low quality video is available. In such cases, we will create "matte backgrounds" or inset the video in order to make it clear to the viewer that the video is lower in quality.
For critical parts of shows, such as intros or credits, or for complete produced show segments, it is essential to provide footage that is the best possible, that has been produced in a high quality format.
Video Conversions
The best guideline to use in converting video is DON'T!
Video conversion is much more complex than anyone realizes. Today's web-based video use makes it appear that conversions can be done trivially. After all, people routinely upload things to YouTube in any format they wish and it is magically converted and looks "good enough". Packages like MediaFork, Virtual Dub and others make it seem easy to drag-and-drop video and have it simply and quickly converted to another format.
When working with high quality video, the only good conversion is no conversion and it is important to avoid the misconceptions which abound. You should especially be sure to understand the difference between container formats and codecs, since these are major factors in determining quality of converted video.
Frame rate conversions are the most important to avoid. It is much easier for conversion software to change the size or resolution of a video than it is to change the frame rate. Even extremely expensive grid-based computing platforms used for professional conversions may take up to 1 hour per minute of video if a good frame rate conversion is needed. So, if your conversion software takes a 10 minute video and converts the frame rate "automatically", beware.... it is probably doing a lousy job.
When converting, observe the following:
- Convert to the highest quality format you can. We use H.264 codecs at a bit rate of 5000kbps or greater for saving and transferring near-production video.
- Use the best software you can afford.
- Avoid upsizing.
- Avoid frame rate conversions at all cost!
If your video is not at the right frame rate, please talk to us. We are experienced in handling frame rate conversions and can work with you to assure the results are the best possible. If all else fails, send us the best quality footage you can at whatever native framerate it was produced in. We will then convert it.
Producing Good Video
While there are many video practitioners who have excellent creative and editing skills, few have an understanding of the technical aspects of producing video that is properly encoded, color adjusted, and ready for broadcast display. These are issues that usually are a low-priority for those producing web-based videos.
To produce good video which is "near" broadcast quality, here are some important rules:
Use the best software you can afford, and understand its features. Professional software almost demands this because project and sequence properties are complex and difficult to use without training. "Prosumer" packages often hide many features in an attempt to make things easier, but in doing so allow you to create video with improper frame rates, codecs, and effects rendering.
Produce at 720p and 23.976fps. This is the most important rule. Assure that your source materials are captured in this format, that your editing timelines are set to use this format, and that your finished results are in this format. Doing so will assure that your video fits seamlessly into our workflows and looks as best as possible when shown on the Treet network.
Avoid video conversions. Video software makes things easier by allowing you to import or export almost anything. Avoid having software make decisions for you and be sure you know what your "intermediate codec" is (the format your editor prefers to work in natively) and be sure that your captured footage is converted once to the intermediate codec format so it never needs to be converted before using it in your edits. Convert your results only once for distribution. Don't save files in formats like WMV or MP4, then "convert again" to formats needed by us or other clients.
Watch for smooth motion, transitions and dissolves. Train yourself to have a sharp eye for smooth motion and perfect dissolves. Creating machinima gives us a lazy eye, and we are often very forgiving of "jerky" motion and momentary glitches. This sometimes allows us to gloss over production imperfections which could otherwise be fixed. Watch especially for motion created in your editor (credit rolls, keyframed movement) to be sure that your videos are being rendered smoothly.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, the only thing that matters is quality. If your goal is to send us the absolutely best quality you can, then you are on the right track.
