Do you mention to clients what ratio 4:3 or 16:9 at DVinfo.net

Robert Bec · September 2nd, 2008, 03:03 AM

Hey guys

I have been shooting up to now in 4:3 but just got my new camera which shoots 16:9 and HDV.
Do you mention to the clients if you are shooting 16:9 because i know alot of people still dont have widescreen TV's
nI did a test shoot in 16:9 was viewing on my 4:3 monitor picture looked squashed exported it quicktime anamorphic and then produced a DVD in widscreen in DVDSPRO and i ended up getting the blacklines top and bottom
Is this the way to do it so people with 4:3 tv's can watch

Rob

Vito DeFilippo · September 2nd, 2008, 05:13 AM

I always shoot 16:9 now. I never mention that there's a choice.

Danny O'Neill · September 2nd, 2008, 05:42 AM

We tell them its widescreen and we always goto see them before the day anyway. If I ever see somone with a 4:3 ill ask them if they want it widescreen or not. I would never mention 16:9 or 4:3, people just dont know what they mean. Widescreen or normal is what they understand.

Ive seen a lot of videographer sites who go on about the technical detail, talking about their mics and how they pickup from -15db with a range of xxx Mhz and other info. Which just confuses people. KISS.

The blacklines are how its done for 4:3 and how I prefer it, otherwise you eitehr loose the sides or have it squished. You no doubt edited it with 16:9 aspect in mind so should present it like that.

Jason Magbanua · September 2nd, 2008, 07:55 AM

Black bars for 4:3 TVs is the way to go. If your clients watch movies on DVDs, your transition won't be noticed.

Peter Szilveszter · September 2nd, 2008, 05:04 PM

Hi Robert

So far I have never had anyone say "ah I didn't know there was black bars". I think with movies on DVD and television programming being all in widescreen most people are used to it now. I don't mention it other then I shoot everything in HD as that's the current buzz word around even if the client isn't totally aware of what it exactly is. Plus you'd be surprised how many people have upgraded to LCD's/Plasma especially if its a youngish couple getting married.

When rendering to dvd as long as you select widescreen on the software the DVD should author fine and give you black bars on a an old TV so what you did is correct.

Anthony Smith · September 2nd, 2008, 05:16 PM

Hi, you don't need to mention unless they ask.
Wide screen is the standard now.

Chris Davis · September 2nd, 2008, 05:52 PM

I've never mentioned it. I shoot in 16:9. Everyone has widescreen DVDs and watched widescreen tv programs on a 4:3 window.

Watching 4:3 on a widescreen tv says "out-of-date".

If they don't have a widescreen now, they will in the near future.

What I think is funny is when clients will request shooting in HD, yet also specify delivery on standard DVD. I gave up trying to explain that they're mutually exclusive.

Anthony Smith · September 2nd, 2008, 06:08 PM

^ what do you mean
"I gave up trying to explain that they're mutually exclusive." ?

Chris Davis · September 2nd, 2008, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthony Smith

^ what do you mean
"I gave up trying to explain that they're mutually exclusive." ?

DVD video is 720x480, or in digital television parlance - 480i, which is Standard Definition.

Sure, I can shoot HD, but if you're demanding it be delivered on a standard DVD, it will be SD.

Peter Manojlovic · September 2nd, 2008, 08:04 PM

I feel it's my duty to give them the option. But it's like deer in headlights.....
After about thirty seconds, i simply convince them that 16:9 is the way to go.

When they buy their next big screen TV, there won't be any complaints...

Dave Blackhurst · September 2nd, 2008, 09:06 PM

There's no "mutual exclusivity" between SHOOTING in HD and DELIVERING in SD widescreen. I've started to render an HD copy of a project for later use with BR when it becomes mainstream. And the SD DVD looks great because the footage started life in Hi res.

Starting from an HD source gives far better quality when output properly to SD than starting with an SD source that really probably isn't even 480 lines of vertical res... and of course your footage is future proofed.

It's probably a result of Marketing, but people are starting to realize the benefits of "High Def"...

Kevin Shaw · September 3rd, 2008, 12:21 AM

I specify in my contract and on the DVD covers and disc labels that my videos are widescreen format, and don't offer a choice unless it's for a corporate client. For consumer projects I only shoot HD/widescreen because that's what I want for my demos and what will serve the customer best in the long run. If anyone ever complained it would be easy enough to center-crop back to 4:3 format, but that hasn't happened yet.

Robert Bec · September 3rd, 2008, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Davis

DVD video is 720x480, or in digital television parlance - 480i, which is Standard Definition.

Sure, I can shoot HD, but if you're demanding it be delivered on a standard DVD, it will be SD.

Wont the quality be better even if it has been shoot in HD and delivered in SD i am sure you could notice the difference your down converting

Noa Put · September 3rd, 2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Bec

Wont the quality be better even if it has been shoot in HD and delivered in SD

Yes it will, I have noticed sharper images between my downconverted xh-a1 footage and dvx100 footage, especially when the lens is wide.

Bill Busby · September 3rd, 2008, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Bec

I did a test shoot in 16:9 was viewing on my 4:3 monitor picture looked squashed exported it quicktime anamorphic and then produced a DVD in widscreen in DVDSPRO and i ended up getting the blacklines top and bottom
Is this the way to do it so people with 4:3 tv's can watch

Yes, if it's encoded with the 16x9 flag & also your authoring program has some sort of setting where it will "let the dvd player choose the aspect ratio", then that DVD on a 4x3 will display letterbox and a widescreen TV will display 16x9. Of course provided the client has their player & TV set up properly.

September 2nd, 2008, 03:03 AM	#1
Robert Bec Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 358	Do you mention to clients what ratio 4:3 or 16:9 Hey guys I have been shooting up to now in 4:3 but just got my new camera which shoots 16:9 and HDV. Do you mention to the clients if you are shooting 16:9 because i know alot of people still dont have widescreen TV's nI did a test shoot in 16:9 was viewing on my 4:3 monitor picture looked squashed exported it quicktime anamorphic and then produced a DVD in widscreen in DVDSPRO and i ended up getting the blacklines top and bottom Is this the way to do it so people with 4:3 tv's can watch Rob

September 2nd, 2008, 05:13 AM	#2
Vito DeFilippo Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Montreal, Quebec Posts: 1,585	I always shoot 16:9 now. I never mention that there's a choice. __________________ . http://www.nosmallroles.com

September 2nd, 2008, 05:42 AM	#3
Danny O'Neill Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 915	We tell them its widescreen and we always goto see them before the day anyway. If I ever see somone with a 4:3 ill ask them if they want it widescreen or not. I would never mention 16:9 or 4:3, people just dont know what they mean. Widescreen or normal is what they understand. Ive seen a lot of videographer sites who go on about the technical detail, talking about their mics and how they pickup from -15db with a range of xxx Mhz and other info. Which just confuses people. KISS. The blacklines are how its done for 4:3 and how I prefer it, otherwise you eitehr loose the sides or have it squished. You no doubt edited it with 16:9 aspect in mind so should present it like that. __________________ mintyslippers.com

September 2nd, 2008, 05:04 PM	#5
Peter Szilveszter Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Yeppoon, Queensland Posts: 332	Hi Robert So far I have never had anyone say "ah I didn't know there was black bars". I think with movies on DVD and television programming being all in widescreen most people are used to it now. I don't mention it other then I shoot everything in HD as that's the current buzz word around even if the client isn't totally aware of what it exactly is. Plus you'd be surprised how many people have upgraded to LCD's/Plasma especially if its a youngish couple getting married. When rendering to dvd as long as you select widescreen on the software the DVD should author fine and give you black bars on a an old TV so what you did is correct. __________________ www.livinglens.com.au \| www.livinglens.com.au/blog

September 2nd, 2008, 07:55 AM	#4
Jason Magbanua Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Manila Posts: 317	Black bars for 4:3 TVs is the way to go. If your clients watch movies on DVDs, your transition won't be noticed.

September 2nd, 2008, 05:16 PM	#6
Anthony Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 65	Hi, you don't need to mention unless they ask. Wide screen is the standard now.

September 2nd, 2008, 05:52 PM	#7
Chris Davis Trustee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Willmar, MN Posts: 1,400	I've never mentioned it. I shoot in 16:9. Everyone has widescreen DVDs and watched widescreen tv programs on a 4:3 window. Watching 4:3 on a widescreen tv says "out-of-date". If they don't have a widescreen now, they will in the near future. What I think is funny is when clients will request shooting in HD, yet also specify delivery on standard DVD. I gave up trying to explain that they're mutually exclusive.

September 2nd, 2008, 06:08 PM	#8
Anthony Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 65	^ what do you mean "I gave up trying to explain that they're mutually exclusive." ?

September 2nd, 2008, 08:04 PM	#10
Peter Manojlovic Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hamilton Ontario Posts: 769	I feel it's my duty to give them the option. But it's like deer in headlights..... After about thirty seconds, i simply convince them that 16:9 is the way to go. When they buy their next big screen TV, there won't be any complaints...

September 2nd, 2008, 09:06 PM	#11
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	There's no "mutual exclusivity" between SHOOTING in HD and DELIVERING in SD widescreen. I've started to render an HD copy of a project for later use with BR when it becomes mainstream. And the SD DVD looks great because the footage started life in Hi res. Starting from an HD source gives far better quality when output properly to SD than starting with an SD source that really probably isn't even 480 lines of vertical res... and of course your footage is future proofed. It's probably a result of Marketing, but people are starting to realize the benefits of "High Def"...

September 3rd, 2008, 12:21 AM	#12
Kevin Shaw Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,488	I specify in my contract and on the DVD covers and disc labels that my videos are widescreen format, and don't offer a choice unless it's for a corporate client. For consumer projects I only shoot HD/widescreen because that's what I want for my demos and what will serve the customer best in the long run. If anyone ever complained it would be easy enough to center-crop back to 4:3 format, but that hasn't happened yet.