Tips for preparing video for live playback
A lot of the info on this site relates to live
camera work, but playing back video clips is a very common requirement for
VLOBLIVE events, and there are quite a few things you can do to make this work
better...
Here are some basic tips to get the best out of
any playback clips:
- review any clips that you are not preparing yourself BEFORE the event, so there is time to change them. Don't assume that everything is fine.
- Use the best playback format you can. In order of quality for normal 'prosumer' formats this would be Digital Video tape (DVCAM, miniDV, DVCPro etc), then DVD (or MPEG2 video on PC/Mac), then S-VHS, then normal VHS, then SVCD (or MPEG1 playback on PC/Mac).
- if it is possible put all the clips on the same tape or DVD and put them in the correct order. There is nothing worse than hunting around for a mislaid tape, or rewinding through a tape to find the right place while under pressure. Having one tape with only the bits you need, in the right order is a big help.
- ALWAYS make backup media
- On tapes always enable the record protect tab
- put black video before and after for 10 s minimum
- make life easy for the PA guy and add audio fades at the start and end if necessary
- watch the audio levels if going to analogue tape - they should be peaking at -6dBFS digital
- keep DVD compression low to avoid artefacts
- add a countdown to tape. You know the 8..7..6..5..4.. thing that you see at the start of movie clips. This may sound naff, but for cueing up tape is a lot easier when you have a proper countdown that drops out at 2 and let's you accurately cue on black. You can find an example one here.
- adjust blacklevel and midtones on your video clips to give a good histogram of exposure.
- add a tech title before the countdown, so whoever is playing it in knows they are playing in the right clip. Always say what the duration is, what the audio is, and ideally what the first frame and the last frame are, so folk know what to expect.
- If possible try it out all clips on the projector you will end up using. this will ensure that you can get the brightness levels right. if you can't do this, then play them back on a TV or monitor with the brightness control turned up a bit and the contrast control turned down a bit (to simulate a lower contrast ratio on the projector)
- review any clips that you are not preparing yourself BEFORE the event, so there is time to change them. Don't assume that everything is fine.
- Use the best playback format you can. In order of quality for normal 'prosumer' formats this would be Digital Video tape (DVCAM, miniDV, DVCPro etc), then DVD (or MPEG2 video on PC/Mac), then S-VHS, then normal VHS, then SVCD (or MPEG1 playback on PC/Mac).
- if it is possible put all the clips on the same tape or DVD and put them in the correct order. There is nothing worse than hunting around for a mislaid tape, or rewinding through a tape to find the right place while under pressure. Having one tape with only the bits you need, in the right order is a big help.
- ALWAYS make backup media
- On tapes always enable the record protect tab
- put black video before and after for 10 s minimum
- make life easy for the PA guy and add audio fades at the start and end if necessary
- watch the audio levels if going to analogue tape - they should be peaking at -6dBFS digital
- keep DVD compression low to avoid artefacts
- add a countdown to tape. You know the 8..7..6..5..4.. thing that you see at the start of movie clips. This may sound naff, but for cueing up tape is a lot easier when you have a proper countdown that drops out at 2 and let's you accurately cue on black. You can find an example one here.
- adjust blacklevel and midtones on your video clips to give a good histogram of exposure.
- add a tech title before the countdown, so whoever is playing it in knows they are playing in the right clip. Always say what the duration is, what the audio is, and ideally what the first frame and the last frame are, so folk know what to expect.
- If possible try it out all clips on the projector you will end up using. this will ensure that you can get the brightness levels right. if you can't do this, then play them back on a TV or monitor with the brightness control turned up a bit and the contrast control turned down a bit (to simulate a lower contrast ratio on the projector)
Posted: Fri - April 16, 2004 at 02:20 PM |
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This site contains my personal views, ideas, tips, tricks and rants about doing live video, IMAG or graphics at live events on a very low budget. They are published as I get time, in a style closely approximating a weblog. Dave C.
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My name is Dave Chalmers and I live in Edinburgh in Scotland, UK. My background is in Electronics, but for 10 years I have been helping to put on live video at events in central Scotland in my spare time. Through the course of these events, nearly all on very constrained budgets, I have learned a few things about what works and what doesn't. While I would not claim to be able to give you all the answers, I can at least help you avoid some of the mistakes.
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Except where otherwise stated, all content on this site is either my own views and opinions, or is collated from my own experience or research. Feel free to use the ideas, but please do not rip off the content without permission. No liability is accepted for it all going horribly wrong if you follow any of this advice!
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Published On: Jul 06, 2006 11:37 PM
Total entries in this category: 8
Published On: Jul 06, 2006 11:37 PM