PAL footage to NTSC dvd at DVinfo.net

Joshua Heater · July 22nd, 2011, 05:28 PM

I have never dealt with PAL footage. A couple that had there video in Spain called upon us to create a highlight video. They gave us the raw footage with the copyright release from videographer. I use final cut. They don't want any ambient sound to it. Before I turn this into prores 422 light and start cutting away is there anything I need to be aware of. Would it look better if I turn this into 24p instead of 25Pal? And what is the best method to turn into 24p? They will want this dvd playable in the US (NTSC)

John Knight · July 22nd, 2011, 06:12 PM

Hi Joshua,

I'm in PAL land and sometimes have to provide an NTSC DVD for U.S.A clients.

I shoot and edit in PAL (25p), output a single PAL AVI file. Use Canopus Procoder to convert this final output file into NTSC (30p) and then suck this 30p file into an NTSC project for final authoring.

Don't go 24p.

So you would capture and edit this in a 25p PAL project and convert the final file to NTSC (30p) before burning.

John Wiley · July 22nd, 2011, 06:32 PM

Very easy to do with no quality loss, as long as the original video is progessive not interlaced.

Edit it on a 25p timeline and render it out. Then use cinema tools to conform it to 24p.

John Wiley · July 22nd, 2011, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Knight

Don't go 24p.

Why do you say this? Going to 30p you are going to have to either duplicate frames or blend frames and this will ruin the flow and cadence of the film as well as possibly introduce ghosting.

Going to 24p however, requires only a 4% speed shift - such a tiny adjustment that the audio pitch change will be un-noticed. You can hardly say this method is not acceptable when it is exactly the same (though reversed) process that is used to broadcast films in PAL countries. Before 24p was popular, many NTSC film-makers shooting for a film output would use PAL cameras, then deinterlace and adjust the speed in post to get 24p.

John Knight · July 22nd, 2011, 07:23 PM

Hi John. I've tried it. 24p looked like rubbish. 30p converted with Canopus Procoder and authored in an NTSC project looked perfect. Results obviously will vary dependant on tools and workflow, but this has been my experience.

Joshua Heater · July 22nd, 2011, 08:44 PM

So if I just edit in a 25p timeline and lay an audio track (highlight song) and then cut it in Final Cut, export quicktime and take to cinema tools and conform the final edit the audio will stay in cadence with my cuts if conformed to 24p? Or 30p? Will be roughly 5 minute highlight.

Eric Olson · July 22nd, 2011, 10:22 PM

Since you are not using any ambient sound conform to 24p first. Then edit and mix the sound, this way there is no pitch shift in your music soundtrack when you master the 24p NTSC DVD.

Joshua Heater · July 23rd, 2011, 06:44 AM

ok...so conform to 24p then prores 422 light, then cut and drop song. that makes sense to me. thanks.

John Wiley · July 24th, 2011, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Olson

Since you are not using any ambient sound conform to 24p first. Then edit and mix the sound, this way there is no pitch shift in your music soundtrack when you master the 24p NTSC DVD.

Yep if you're not trying to sync any live sound then this is the best way to go about it.

July 22nd, 2011, 05:28 PM	#1
Joshua Heater Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Saint Louis, MO Posts: 30	PAL footage to NTSC dvd I have never dealt with PAL footage. A couple that had there video in Spain called upon us to create a highlight video. They gave us the raw footage with the copyright release from videographer. I use final cut. They don't want any ambient sound to it. Before I turn this into prores 422 light and start cutting away is there anything I need to be aware of. Would it look better if I turn this into 24p instead of 25Pal? And what is the best method to turn into 24p? They will want this dvd playable in the US (NTSC)

July 22nd, 2011, 06:12 PM	#2
John Knight Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 588	Re: PAL footage to NTSC dvd Hi Joshua, I'm in PAL land and sometimes have to provide an NTSC DVD for U.S.A clients. I shoot and edit in PAL (25p), output a single PAL AVI file. Use Canopus Procoder to convert this final output file into NTSC (30p) and then suck this 30p file into an NTSC project for final authoring. Don't go 24p. So you would capture and edit this in a 25p PAL project and convert the final file to NTSC (30p) before burning.

July 22nd, 2011, 06:32 PM	#3
John Wiley Trustee Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Byron Bay, Australia Posts: 1,155	Re: PAL footage to NTSC dvd Very easy to do with no quality loss, as long as the original video is progessive not interlaced. Edit it on a 25p timeline and render it out. Then use cinema tools to conform it to 24p.

July 22nd, 2011, 07:23 PM	#5
John Knight Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 588	Re: PAL footage to NTSC dvd Hi John. I've tried it. 24p looked like rubbish. 30p converted with Canopus Procoder and authored in an NTSC project looked perfect. Results obviously will vary dependant on tools and workflow, but this has been my experience.

July 22nd, 2011, 08:44 PM	#6
Joshua Heater Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Saint Louis, MO Posts: 30	Re: PAL footage to NTSC dvd So if I just edit in a 25p timeline and lay an audio track (highlight song) and then cut it in Final Cut, export quicktime and take to cinema tools and conform the final edit the audio will stay in cadence with my cuts if conformed to 24p? Or 30p? Will be roughly 5 minute highlight.

July 22nd, 2011, 10:22 PM	#7
Eric Olson Major Player Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 553	Re: PAL footage to NTSC dvd Since you are not using any ambient sound conform to 24p first. Then edit and mix the sound, this way there is no pitch shift in your music soundtrack when you master the 24p NTSC DVD. Last edited by Eric Olson; July 23rd, 2011 at 04:09 PM.

July 23rd, 2011, 06:44 AM	#8
Joshua Heater Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Saint Louis, MO Posts: 30	Re: PAL footage to NTSC dvd ok...so conform to 24p then prores 422 light, then cut and drop song. that makes sense to me. thanks.