HI folks,

well I've scoured the net for info on how to get the IMDB video player to make my Secure Online Screener (for submitting to festivals via Withoutabox) available at 720p and can't find a solution. There was this 2010 thread in the Apple forum (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/final-cut-suite/486428-web-version-short-film-withoutabox-h264-aint-cuttin-2.html) but thought I'd post on the generic editing one to see if anyone has any ideas, I'm on Vegas 9 myself...

I've tried numerous file formats and settings:

all at 1280 x 720, 25fps:
.mov at 5mbs Sorenson 3, .wmv at 5mbs, .mp4 at 5mbs

but the player always recompresses it to SD and doesn't give me the 480p/720p options at the bottom such as: IMDb Video: Knight and Day: Trailer #2 (http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3528000537/)

Now, the big companies obviously know the HD codec settings required and I also found a non-big-company video here: IMDb Video: "Various" Film Demo 480p or 720 HD (http://www.imdb.com/video/demo_reel/vi3849034265/)
that manages to get HD uploaded so there must be a way!

This is all the info that imdb provides:

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We recommend the following settings to optimize video quality on the IMDb site:

* Size: Up to 2 GB file size. Most files should be substantially smaller, though.
* Length: A 2 GB file can usually accommodate a full feature film.
* Frame: Up to 1280px by 720px at 30 frames per second
* Format: Flash Video (Codec: Sorenson or VP6 codec) or Quicktime
**********

I'm really stumped and am considering just sacking off the process and resorting to good old DVDs as the streaming quality is terrible at SD. Thing is with dozens of festivals to send to the Seciure Online Screener process would save me time, effort and money, espoecially with many being US-based (I'm in UK).

Any thoughts or experiences most welcome...

Many thanks,

Baldwin

I actually kinda gave up on this a while ago too, and then a recent fest I submitted to said they preferred 'em. I made one uploaded, finally figured out how to watch it. . .and I gotta say, SD or not, it looked pretty good. Of course, mine was animated short with simple colors.

thanks for the message josh, it looks like i'm stuck with the blocky SD version (it looks like its 480x270 or something like that) unless anyone knows any different. all the big companies uploading trailers have the HD options so i would have thought there is a way somehow and IMDb do say they will go up to 1280 x 720 on their video submission instructions...

i wonder if it needs to be .flv really as that's obviously what it's being recompressed to for streaming. thing is, i dont have anything that can export a flash video file as i'm on Vegas...

best,

baldwin


p.s. ive just posted a support question to both IMDb and Withoutabox. i'll post here if i get a reply though i'm not holding my breath!

p.p.s. anyone else out there as frustrated and annoyed as me at the shocking web design of Withoutabox.com?

Mine looks nice at the default resolution on that player. . .not so much if you go full screen. It's a really nice option if they can get it right as it saves hassle/cost of shipping and burning discs, etc. One particular festival said that was their PREFERRED method of viewing. I don't know if that translates to "we will be more pissed off at your movie and more likely to pass on it if you send us a disc" but I certainly don't need to give anyone another reason to reject my film.

thanks for the message josh.

just got my answer, not a positive one, but at least now I know. It's a shame really, as 480x270 is very poor resolution, even worse than NTSC DVD. The technology is already there to support 720p, i really don't know why they dont use it, there's no excuse really as people with slower computers can just watch in SD anyway.

At least I know everyone is in the same boat with these online screeners.

**********
Thank you for contacting Withoutabox. We are not able to support HD videos for Secure Online Screeners.
**********

Hopefully it will change at some point!

Best,

Baldwin

One question about compressing my film for the screener:
My film is 24fps. If I compress it to 30fps, will that change the look of it? I prefer the feel of 24fps. Can I upload it as 24fps? They're recommendation is 30fps.