Workflow for music video for web/DVD

[Alex Wren]

Hi,

I am currently testing to get the best workflow for my current project. I am in the process of trying a number of configurations but am very keen to hear from others who might have already been through this.

The project is a 3-5 minute music video based on about 3 hours of footage. The intended output is for the web but it is likely that a PAL 16:9 DVD will be required as a secondary format.

All footage has been shot on a JVC GYHD111 in 720p25, I have Premiere and After Effects CS3 on a PC and am currently trying out Cineform Prospect. I am using a Dell precision M2300-Core 2 Duo T7500, 2.2GHz, 4GB RAM with an external USB2 Raid 1 disk unit.

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My current ideas for workflow are as follows:

1. Capture using Cineform HDlink as AVI (it seems that Quicktime is not any better and AVI is preferred on a PC). Edit on Cineform 720p25 timeline and export as uncompressed file. Use Sorensen Squeeze to create final QT/Flash export resized output file.

Pro's - Cineform's 10 bit colour correction option, HDlink offers scene split and seems more reliable than PPCS3's capture facility (eventually loses device and needs system restart to get it back)

Con's - Place all my trust in unfamiliar product (Cineform Prospect), have to work on HD timeline (as it seems that the red render lines come up if you try to create a SD cineform preset and then drop HD clips on and resize to 80%).

or

2. Capture HDV using Premiere as normal. Work on SD timeline and scale clips down to 80%. Export as uncompressed file. Use Sorensen Squeeze to create final QT/Flash export resized output file.

Pro's - Familiar process, SD timeline is more efficient, option to resize, and reframe shots as needed (can scale/position as required to suit) - am aware that this might produce some clips that are better than others due to scaling ratio

Con's - Colour correction options limited to 8 bits, no scene split (will need to use large files or use the 'project managers' copy and split file option), PPCS3's capture facility is unreliable

or

3. Capture using Cineform HDlink as AVI (it seems that Quicktime is not any better and AVI is preferred on a PC). Edit on Cineform 576p25 16:9 (make my own preset) timeline and RENDER for playback as required, export as uncompressed file. Use Sorensen Squeeze to create final QT/Flash export resized output file.

Pro's - Cineform's 10 bit colour correction option, HDlink offers scene split and seems more reliable than PPCS3's capture facility, SD timeline is more efficient, option to resize, and reframe shots as needed (can scale as required to suit)

Con's - RENDER TIME, Place all my trust in unfamiliar product (Cineform Prospect)

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With regard to final output:

As I am working with 1280x720 footage I understand that ideally output sizes should be reduced by 50% or 25% etc. Therefore I think that 640x360 might be an option but that is probably a little big. The next option would be 320x180 which is going to be too small. I am keen to understand a little more about my options here as I probably would like 480x270 but don't want to encourage 'jaggies'.

I am very keen to see if anybody else has got any comments on my ideas above. I really want to get this right as changing back from Cineform to normal Premiere captures is going to be very painful once the project has started.

Thanks for listening!