Format for Distribution? at DVinfo.net

Paul Tauger · March 26th, 2003, 11:19 PM

I have this crazy idea to try to license a couple of projects to smaller independent television stations. They're shot (hopefully well-shot) and mastered on miniDV (from which I've been turning out DVDs).

I know little to nothing about professional formats. Do the smaller stations want DVCAM? BetaSP? Something else?

I know about bars and tone and a countdown. I just have no idea what physical format to use assuming anyone is actually crazier than me and wants to license and air these things.

Thanks.

Mark Argerake · March 27th, 2003, 08:58 AM

You need to ask the station what they'll accept because ya never really know.

Paul Tauger · March 27th, 2003, 09:29 AM

I'm going to try to "mass market" this, i.e. prepare some marketing slicks and send them out with either a DVD or a VHS review copy of the project(s). These are the kinds of things which I've seen aired before, and I'm hoping that a very low license fee will make them attractive to stations that are looking for the odd hour (or half hour) to fill at very low cost.

This makes it a little impractical to call each station that might be interested.

Would it make sense to simply put in the marketing slicks, "available in the format of your choice" or something similar? As I live in southern California, I assume it would be an easy enough (and inexpensive enough) matter to get conversions done if anyone wants to buy them.

Mark Argerake · March 27th, 2003, 09:43 AM

I think the "available in the format of your choice" is a great idea. That way when someone does say yes (notice i said when and not if) you can get exactly what format they need as well as any other requirements (bars/tone, timecode, whatever...)

Where in SoCal are you?

Paul Tauger · March 29th, 2003, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Where in SoCal are you?

Orange County (for the moment)

Bill Pryor · March 29th, 2003, 06:21 PM

Stations are accustomed to getting review copies on VHS; just let them know that they can have the real thing on Betacam SP or whatever format they want. I doubt there is a TV station in the country without a Betacam SP deck, though I did have to get a 3/4 dub made a couple of years ago for a cable station at a small town out in western Kansas. That didn't mean they didn't have a Betacam deck, just that their cart machine was still 3/4.

Paul Tauger · March 29th, 2003, 09:09 PM

Thanks.

Should the review copies have bars and tone and a countdown?

And, at the risk of proving my total ignorance of this field, I'm planning on two versions -- one for PBS stations with no commercial breaks, and another for commercial stations with breaks edited in. For the commerical version, is there a new countdown for each lead-in back from break?

Ken Tanaka · March 29th, 2003, 10:29 PM

Paul,
Re: This link may be helpful with respect to planning submissions for PBS. It provides funding info, production guidelines, etc.

Good luck.

March 26th, 2003, 11:19 PM	#1
Paul Tauger Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Los Angeles (recently from San Francisco) Posts: 954	Format for Distribution? I have this crazy idea to try to license a couple of projects to smaller independent television stations. They're shot (hopefully well-shot) and mastered on miniDV (from which I've been turning out DVDs). I know little to nothing about professional formats. Do the smaller stations want DVCAM? BetaSP? Something else? I know about bars and tone and a countdown. I just have no idea what physical format to use assuming anyone is actually crazier than me and wants to license and air these things. Thanks.

March 29th, 2003, 10:29 PM	#8
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Paul, Re: This link may be helpful with respect to planning submissions for PBS. It provides funding info, production guidelines, etc. Good luck. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 27th, 2003, 08:58 AM	#2
Mark Argerake Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 227	You need to ask the station what they'll accept because ya never really know.

March 27th, 2003, 09:29 AM	#3
Paul Tauger Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Los Angeles (recently from San Francisco) Posts: 954	I'm going to try to "mass market" this, i.e. prepare some marketing slicks and send them out with either a DVD or a VHS review copy of the project(s). These are the kinds of things which I've seen aired before, and I'm hoping that a very low license fee will make them attractive to stations that are looking for the odd hour (or half hour) to fill at very low cost. This makes it a little impractical to call each station that might be interested. Would it make sense to simply put in the marketing slicks, "available in the format of your choice" or something similar? As I live in southern California, I assume it would be an easy enough (and inexpensive enough) matter to get conversions done if anyone wants to buy them.

March 27th, 2003, 09:43 AM	#4
Mark Argerake Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 227	I think the "available in the format of your choice" is a great idea. That way when someone does say yes (notice i said when and not if) you can get exactly what format they need as well as any other requirements (bars/tone, timecode, whatever...) Where in SoCal are you?

March 29th, 2003, 06:21 PM	#6
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Stations are accustomed to getting review copies on VHS; just let them know that they can have the real thing on Betacam SP or whatever format they want. I doubt there is a TV station in the country without a Betacam SP deck, though I did have to get a 3/4 dub made a couple of years ago for a cable station at a small town out in western Kansas. That didn't mean they didn't have a Betacam deck, just that their cart machine was still 3/4.

March 29th, 2003, 09:09 PM	#7
Paul Tauger Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Los Angeles (recently from San Francisco) Posts: 954	Thanks. Should the review copies have bars and tone and a countdown? And, at the risk of proving my total ignorance of this field, I'm planning on two versions -- one for PBS stations with no commercial breaks, and another for commercial stations with breaks edited in. For the commerical version, is there a new countdown for each lead-in back from break?