I work for a TV content company that does business with iTunes.
Apple's tech specs require that all shows be delivered in their original framerate, including graphics, transitions etc.
This isn't very common, especially in nonfiction.
Has anyone here, working for a production company, been faced with these issues?
Have you switched to single framerate production? Have you changed your deliverable formats to the networks you work with?
Thanks!
How many different frame rates are you dealing with?
Are you delivering final shows or elements contained within a show? I presume you are delivering masters of completed shows.
Isn't your final sequence/master one frame rate no matter what the sources?
I think Apple doesn't want you to change the frame rate of your deliverable so that is different than the master. I would presume that Apple has had issues with submissions where the frame rate was changed to something other than the original.
We mostly shoot and edit in 23.98 but DG requires that all submitted spots be 29.97(SD & HD). They don't care what you start with it just needs to be 29.97 for them to accept the spot. Other networks have spec sheets that are very specific to format, codec, & frame rate.
If we need to change our frame rate we use Compresor to convert a master file to the desired specs. We are normally only converting 23.98 to 29.97. We do any upscaling(720p to 1080) in Final Cut.
I'm not actually delivering shows - I receive them.
Anytime we get 29.97/59.94 shows that originated in 23.98, we have to run an inverse telecine on them to remove the pulldown.
This is really problematic when 29.97/59.94 graphics, effects or transitions have been applied on top of the converted footage.
We've rewritten delivery contracts to request shows delivery in the same framerate they're shot in, but it's been an uphill battle, post-house by post-house to explain exactly what happening and what we're trying to avoid.
Asked to deliver a show with a single frame rate? I don't get you. ALL the shows I deliver are in a single frame rate. I don't have multiple frame rate masters. Masters are only one frame rate. And they want it in the ORIGINAL frame rate? meaning...you edited the show at 23.98...or 29.97. Deliver in that format. The format you edited in. The MAIN frame rate of the show.
I work on shows that are shot 23.98, for example. Interviews, b-roll...the main frame rate is 23.98. But then we incorporate video that is 29.97, some that is 59.94. Some 25fps. WE convert all of that to 23.98 before we edit. Or before we online at least. The show started 23.98, and ended 23.98. We then deliver 23.98...or if requested, 29.97 masters.
I don't get your question I guess.
Apple requires all footage to retain its original cadence - to wit - no converted footage is allowed to be distributed in the iTunes store. If it was shot in 23.98, it can't go into the store after having been converted to 59.94 etc.
In the workflow you outlined, we still have shows fail Apple's TE because of the instances of converted footage.
The biggest challenge I'm having is in convincing post houses to shoot, edit and deliver in a single framerate, rather than converting everything to match a 'main' framerate.
I'm curious how widespread this is, because I have to imagine that folks at the other networks (Scripps, Viacom, A&E) are dealing with the exact same issues.
The real demon here is footage shot 24/60. Folks import the footage as 59.94 and load it up with graphics, edit in 59.94 etc. When we run it through IVTC to take out the pulldown, it reveals all kinds of nasty interlacing artifacts, which prompts the fail on Apple's side.
I have only had this requirement at one place...MSNBC. They require that your source footage all be 29.97. No master you shoot will be 23.98, or it will be rejected. That is the only network I have ever had that requirement for (and I have delivered to quite a few networks.)
APPLE iTUNES requires this? So Apple is a network now? And they require all your source footage to be not converted from another cadence? I guess they is because a) they are clueless about a lot of Film/TV production. I mean VERY clueless. or b) they have gotten a lot of footage from people where this is done VERY poorly. Given the influx of people posting questions here and on other forums, I can tell you that there are hundreds of people editing who have no clue about frame rates or proper conversions of such. So that might be an issue.
Still, Apple is pretty clueless for this requirement.
Apple isn't a network - they're a distribution channel, like a cable operator. I understand that they don't want to pass along converted material - they don't want any chance that content could look compromised on one of their devices.
Single Framerate Production for iTunes
