50 or 60?

[Guy Caplin]

This is a subject that concerns many of us living in countries using 50 Hertz based video systems. More and more of my work is only ever seen on computers or, if it is projected, it is is run from a laptop anyway. Consequently moving graphic sequences can exhibit motion artefacts/juddering.
I am tempted to originate all graphics in 60i, but I don't wish to shoot the live action at this frame rate due to the flicker that can be produced doing this with lighting running off the local 50 Hertz and also the fact that none of our cameras will shoot at 60i.
It wouldn't be too much of a hassle to shoot the graphics in 60i and the video at 50i. Then I would render the rough-cut without the graphics to 60i and do the final edit in 60i. Has anybody in PAL-land any thoughts on this?

[Gary Nattrass]

I would stick to the PAL std of 50i at 25 frames per second as our mains frequency is 50hz, 60i 30fps (29.97 DF) is the USA and other countries standard and suits their 60hz mains frequency more.

Scan rates for computer screens can be up to 70hz but as said just keep everything in 50i 25fps as it will also suit delivery for DVD and other formats in the UK.

If you are getting judder it is probably more due to feeding an interlaced signal to a computer screen which tend to be progressive so producing a de-interlaced progressive master will help this.