DVX100A - shooting for possible film out

CraigTarry · July 30, 2005

Hello, I'm going to be shooting a 20min short film soon. I've already workshopped the scenes using 24p and edited with Premier Pro 1.5 with good results and made DVDs of the footage.

There might be a possibility of submitting this film somewhere, either in HD or as film out. Are there problems related to 24pa that I sould consider both in production and post?

If the film just goes to DVD is 24pa a problem? Please clue me in - Thanks Craig

David Mullen ASC · July 30, 2005

24PA is a variation from standard 3:2 pulldown when recording 24P capture to 60i video, and it's only meant for one purpose only: to make it easier to strip out the pulldown and get to just the 24 frames. In other words, 24PA is a 60i recording, not a 24P recording. In 24P or 24PA mode, you are capturing 24P either way, but the difference is how it is recorded to 60i.

So on DVD, you could put 24P, not 60i, if you wanted to. But if you put 24PA, what you'd really be putting on DVD is 60i with an unusual pulldown.

The 24PA pulldown is less smooth than standard pulldown because it creates an extra frame rather than have a video frame where one field is from an original 24P frame but the next field is from the next 24P frame. But this extra frame is what allows the pulldown to be removed more cleanly. But you're not supposed to leave something in 24PA.

You can read about it here:

http://www.24p.com/AGDVX100.htm

As for whether Premiere supports removing the pulldown automatically when importing 24PA-to-60i material, as FCP can, I don't know.

August 10, 2005

Shooting in 24pa only matters if you also edit in 24p and take advantage of the 24PA setting to remove the pulldown. If you are going to HD or to Film shoot in 24PA and remove the frames then your output will be fine no matter what (you can always convert to 29.97 later). Remember, if you start editing without doing the pull down the 24PA actually becomes a disadvantage as the frames don't look as smooth and the computer has to go back in and guess which are the pulldown frames from your timeline to do a later 24P output.

Good luck,

HAL

CraigTarry · August 27, 2005

Thanks guys - I'll probably use the 24pa setting. Priemere Pro seems to handle it quite well. The pulldown tech jargon is confusing to me. Just trying to plan ahead. Don't want to finish filming and say Oh! I should have used the other setting!

Thanks for your tips - Craig

Preston Herrick · August 28, 2005

If you think you'll do a filmout shoot 24pa. Using the Panasonic preset, Premiere Pro will actually remove the pulldown whether you want to or not. It generates one of two selectable pullups on the fly for previews on NTSC monitors while editing. Outputting 24p DVD's is also not a problem using the PA mode. In fact, they look beautiful.

We produced our short, "The Radio Mechanics" using 24pa (widescreen), edited in Premiere Pro, and authored in Encore with no surprises or anomalies.

Edited August 28, 2005 by PrestonHerrick

CraigTarry · August 31, 2005

If you think you'll do a filmout shoot 24pa. Using the Panasonic preset, Premiere Pro will actually remove the pulldown whether you want to or not. It generates one of two selectable pullups on the fly for previews on NTSC monitors while editing. Outputting 24p DVD's is also not a problem using the PA mode. In fact, they look beautiful.

We produced our short, "The Radio Mechanics" using 24pa (widescreen), edited in Premiere Pro, and authored in Encore with no surprises or anomalies.

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Thanks Preston - I think I talked to you before about focus pulling. I've seen some of "Radio Mechanics" footage before. You sent me a link with a moving camera shot around the news guy's desk. I checked out your website. Very informative production notes.

I discovered the Panasonic preset the other day - how convienient!

I'm curious to know how much you paid for insurance. I'm tempted to do without it, since my short is basically three people talking in a park. No heavy equipment, no running or jumping. I already did a work shop of the second half. Seem pretty safe.

Any thoughts?

Thanks again - Craig

Preston Herrick · August 31, 2005

I'm curious to know how much you paid for insurance. I'm tempted to do without it, since my short is basically three people talking in a park. No heavy equipment, no running or jumping. I already did a work shop of the second half. Seem pretty safe.
Any thoughts?

Thanks again - Craig

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Hi Craig. I may catch some flack for this but from the sound of what you'll be shooting, personally, I probably would roll the dice and not bother with insurance. If you're on private property that you got permission to use as a location, the owner may require some kind of liability insurance.

For our little project we needed insurance in order to shoot on govt. property. Since my wife works in insurance she found a company (Liberty Northwest) that could provide $2 mil in liability for a little under $50/month.

Edited August 31, 2005 by PrestonHerrick

CraigTarry · September 2, 2005

Hi Craig. I may catch some flack for this but from the sound of what you'll be shooting, personally, I probably would roll the dice and not bother with insurance. If you're on private property that you got permission to use as a location, the owner may require some kind of liability insurance.

For our little project we needed insurance in order to shoot on govt. property. Since my wife works in insurance she found a company (Liberty Northwest) that could provide $2 mil in liability for a little under $50/month.

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Yeah, That was pretty much what I was thinking. I;m getting a city permit for the park area site. I think I could have everyone sign a waiver sayng they won't hold me reponsible and all that.

One more question if you don't mind. Did you have a professsional make up/hair person on set all the time, or did one of the crew do it? Thanks Craig

Preston Herrick · September 2, 2005

Did you have a professsional make up/hair person on set all the time, or did one of the crew do it? Thanks Craig

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One of our associate producers did double duty on hair and makeup. Though not a professional by trade she did have experience. And, since she was on set 99% of the time we had it covered. We let the actors handle their own to some degree too.

Good luck on your project - and have some fun!