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Need help with 24p footage for ntsc broadcast (converting)
  • Apologies if this has been asked already, I tried looking through the posts but didnt really find what i was looking for. I have my very first commercial shoot for a friend to be broadcasted locally and have no clue what I need to do. I'm using driftwood's orion v4b and was wondering about the workflow and steps to convert 24p footage correctly for it to air properly. I'm guessing i need to use a 3:2 pulldown for it to be (30p)? but i dont know how convert or what i need to do first, as im using Premiere CS5/AE. I'd rather do the conversion myself than giving someone the files to convert as they might not do it correctly. Thanks for any help.

  • 10 Replies sorted by
  • I would suggest first, before any conversion, to find out the delivery format the broadcast is asking for. Each station has its own specification sheet. Then, you would be out of guessing.

  • Ya i know, but since its my friend that's setting everything up, i'm kind of waiting to know the actual format for it, so lets say it is 30p, how would i go about converting? honestly just trying to prepare myself as best as i can as i've never done anything like this other than youtube and vimeo videos.

  • To point out the obvious: if the delivery is at 30p, then it's probably a good idea to shoot at 30p.

  • @onlocation:

    yes, obviously. If that was the case, I wouldn't of even posted asking for help. Doesn't hurt to know how to do conversions ya?

  • Your delivery requirement is most likely 29.97i. Since you are editing in premiere, doesn't premiere add the 3:2 pulldown if you add 24p footage to a 30i sequence?

    My recommendation is to edit in 24p - that way all your effects are rendered in 24p and match the cadence of your footage. Assuming premiere can do the conversion internally, after you have edited the 24p version of the commercial, create a 29.97i (30i) sequence and drop the 24p timeline into it.

    If premiere does not do it, then export a quicktime and re-import into AE. This might be easier than sending to AE directly through Premiere, since you don't necessarily want to send clips - but I'm not an AE specialist, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

    In AE, create a 29.97i timeline and drop the 24P QT into the timeline. Make the movie (cmd-opt-/, I think). There are a couple of settings. Under Render settings, set your field order to the correct one - Prores 1920x1080 is upper field. 3:2 pulldown should be on and choose any of the cadences. I usually use WWWSS since that means you get 3 progressive frames first.

    Under Output Module, click on format options and change it to Prores, if you are on a Mac... or whatever codec you want, really.

    Make sure to turn on the audio output, or you'll have to create a new QT with the audio attached. Export he file. And make sure you play it down in premiere out to a broadcast display to check everything.

    I also recommend adding a broadcast safe filter at some point in the process (either before or after you send to after effects).

  • @5thwall:

    Thank you, exactly what I needed to know. Very useful information, perfect writeup

  • Being a fan of the 24p look, I always choose to shoot 24p and add pulldown after. Films, many TV shows, and plenty of commercials are 24p and shown on 29.97i broadcast all the time. It's very common, and unless your TV has the stupid "frame-rate up-conversion" crap, there is a subtle feeling that differentiates it from the news, talk shows, etc... If Premier/AE won't do it, or is too complicated (I don't use them) JES Deinterlacer will add proper pulldown and make it interlaced. It's a free program. Just be sure to do it on your final delivery frame size. As far as 16:9 protected for 4:3, I choose to letterbox and pillarbox so that it shows 16:9 on a regular old TV (still a large majority in my area).

  • @yeehaanow @videohq:

    Thank you for the information, learned a whole lot in just 3 posts! and gonna have to check out the JES Deinterlacer.