What's the best quality video file to export your final film on ? And is there a quality standard DVD or Blu-ray that you use to create your master film on ? Also what's the best way to duplicate a film on a DVD so the quality doesn't alter if it does ?
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Which format do you use ?
- Thread starter indiemediaROCKS
- Start date
I've been pretty keen on h.264's.
Some people at my film college don't tend to like them much because of how their codec can be screwy with some applications or certain workflows. And it does have a huge issue with Avid, so best to not even try to use them with that. But I use them all the time because they are an effectively versitile format that is reasonably compact and small compared to others, but you can still squeeze a lot of detail and bit-rate into them within your After Effects and Premiere settings.
DVDs are almost always encoded with the typical MPEG-2 format, which splits your film into a dedicated video and audio track, I assume allowing you to then add extra audio tracks inside of your DVD authoring software if you so desire.
Blu-rays I believe can work with a more robust version of MPEG-2, just in HD. But I'm sure there is a more dedicated format for them that others would recommend.
That would probably be currently, 4k RAW. But, I don't think you're really asking which is the best quality format, you're probably asking which is the most practical. 4k RAW is highly impractical because of it's massive file sizes and the limited number of systems which can handle all that data. Furthermore, unless your camera can output 4k RAW, there are no quality benefits either! Exactly which format is best for you depends on the capabilities of your camera (the quality, resolution, codec), your post-prod workflow and your distribution destination/s. In most cases, sonnyboo's advice would be the best format choices.
Actually I would say the opposite! While H.264 is a versatile format in that it can be used in a wide variety of applications, it's generally the poorest or one of the poorest choices of format for pretty much anything except what it was designed for, online distribution, where the image quality to file size ratio is of paramount importance. This post explains why in more detail.
G
make 3 versions of it
1 - DPX sequence with a separate wav file for audio.
---- this one for your screening, when you go for a screening in a hall on digital projector it requires DCP and to make DCP they ask you a DPX with a separate wav (Audio), its a very heavy file and take lots of space. *(now its possible to make DCP directly from Premiere CC 2014)
2- A .H264 File with High bit rate. (.H265 also coming, which is more better)
---- this is for all other Screenings, online Screening etc. many film festivals also take it. it give you best quality in minimum Size.
3- A .H264 file with low bit rate
---- this is your pre-screening or selection file, you can apply to many film festivals with this. once your film selected they will ask you a HD High bit rate version or DPX or DCP, then provide that.
** DPX version is very high quality version, You can make any format from it.
**DVD is gone technology, do not make dvd, blue-ray or any other crap.
1 - DPX sequence with a separate wav file for audio.
---- this one for your screening, when you go for a screening in a hall on digital projector it requires DCP and to make DCP they ask you a DPX with a separate wav (Audio), its a very heavy file and take lots of space. *(now its possible to make DCP directly from Premiere CC 2014)
2- A .H264 File with High bit rate. (.H265 also coming, which is more better)
---- this is for all other Screenings, online Screening etc. many film festivals also take it. it give you best quality in minimum Size.
3- A .H264 file with low bit rate
---- this is your pre-screening or selection file, you can apply to many film festivals with this. once your film selected they will ask you a HD High bit rate version or DPX or DCP, then provide that.
** DPX version is very high quality version, You can make any format from it.
**DVD is gone technology, do not make dvd, blue-ray or any other crap.
I agree with you there. I haven't burned a DVD in a long time, or a Blu-ray. So digital or online distribution is all I've ever needed a format for. But if I needed something for a theater projection or a physical disk, I would definitely use something else.
I didn't say digital or online distribution, I only said online distribution! For many of the digital tasks in filmmaking H.264 can be used, however as I mentioned, for pretty much all of those other digital tasks H.264 is the worst or one of the worst formats to use.
G
Agreed Sonny! Also check out this article/podcast on post production workflow: http://www.indiefilmhustle.com/post-production-workflow/