Full resolution HDV clip - or is it ?

I got inspired by the debate about HDV, and the apparent "death" of SD.

I think that it is most likely that the future will bring TV-on-demand via the internet, and therefore I think that is most likely that the format will be mpeg4.

I then made a test, compressing a little clip (28 sek.) standard DVcam pal 720x576, to the 1280x720 HDV format, 5393Kbps.

The clip is difficult to compress, because of the amount of moving "things" in the frame, but if you ask me, it still looks very fine.

Here is my point. If you have a high-end 3ccd camera with housing, and you are happy with it, keep on using it !

To me it looks like there is a there is a tendency to focus on technical specs, instead of stories....

The market for stock footage is extremely small, start focusing on making complete productions with interresting stories, and if you do that the end product will have a value, HDV or not.

Take a look at the clip here: http://www.hdvunderwater.com/uploads/1280x...DV_5393Kbps.wmv

(OBS 18.5 MB, so download it first, unless you have a monster internet connection)

Hey nice little clip there.

I agree in that the internet will become like TV soon as there is some cool TECH ways to transmit data down normal copper wires allot faster than just normal ADSL etc.

One of the main problems with upconverting Mini DV is that you are going from 4.3 to 16.9 so the picture will look stretched just like that clip you loaded up.

Even though that clip looked great, if you had shot the same subject with a HDV camera and played them side by side you would indeed see the difference.

This has been a topic of conversation for me with a lot of people in the dive industry. I wholeheartedly agree with skawdiver that the future of media delivery is going to be on-demand and via the web. Gone are the days when just a few filmmakers and camerapersons had the monopoly on underwater content. If I was one of the old guard I'd be shaking in my boots right now with all the competition. Heck, I'm a NEW guy and it scares me.

Having said that, it's important to remember the convergence of technology. When web-based, downloadable content truly does take over the computers and personal devices we use will have a comparable resolution. SD just won't cut it.

Is it prudent at this point to hang onto a nice 3-CCD rig? It might be, depending on what you want to get out of your stuff. Personally, I'm having a go at making at least a partial living off of my work, so upgrading to an HDV rig as soon as is financially possible is imperative. I've pretty much reached the end of my run with SD. An investment in an HDV rig now will hopefully keep me competitive in 3 years...

Great thread - I'm anxious for other viewpoints on this.

Wags,

Even though that clip looked great, if you had shot the same subject with a HDV camera and played them side by side you would indeed see the difference.

Absolutely - but that was not my point.

I was just trying to motivate people to use whatever equiptment they have, and start telling stories.

yep, good point too.

same with stills, if you want to sell, you need the whole package

There is a big difference between creating stories, something I wish more would do as I am tired of creating and seeing travelogs of my own and others, and building a stock footage library for sale.

For film festivals and competitions or if you simply want to produce short films for friends, creativity and story lines are in great need. No matter how wonderful the shot, its still a shot usually in the same old format, different ocean and thats all. Travelogs are travelogs and I can do them in my sleep and yet still I am bored. It is not often that I see a new film come in or on line that shows creative promise as well as technicle expertise and craft.

However, if you are interested in selling stock that is another story. They could care less about story or creativity. The footage companies get calls for specific shots and thats all they want. The better houses get all kinds of requests. Some of the 'call fors' that come across my email range from shots of a hospital in Hawaii to a woman holding her child's hand in a mall to a giant squid in a death fight with a sperm whale. All that is being asked for is that the clip be of broadcast quality, usually HD or film. However, if you have the clip they desperately need they'd take hi-8. Recently signed a contract with a major footage house and we are selling all our SD library containing several 100's of hours. It must be worth something to meet their needs if they are buying. Currently my HDV library is quite small in comparison but I'm building on that and hopefully will move up the ladder with that as well.

Okay, I need to get back to creating a strong storyline for my Squid vs Sperm Whale sequence.

Steve B)

hehehe Nice one Steve,

I've had encounters with Humbolt Squid so I'll wish you all the best with that one, ferocious beasties to say the least.

My point exactly guys. Footage is just footage, whether its 4k, 2k, 1080p, 1080i, PAL, NTSC, MiniDV ....etc etc Zzzzzzzzzzz. The whole deal is to transform that into something acceptable and in demand from the consumer markets out there. Don't always focus on the Holy Grail delivery platforms of Cinema or TV etc, there are so many many different viewing platforms these days. How many times have you been on a Tube / Metro / Underground trains etc and seen pretty much every passenger with their heads buried in a Palm Pilot, iPod, Cell Phone or handheld video game ??????? These people are ALL WATCHING SOMETHING !!!!

Think outside of the box. The next biggest growth market according to tech watchdogs is the delivery of video imagery, and TV, on cell phones (next logical step after the iPod). Its already happening in Japan and its HUGE.

There are a million and a one people vying for the chance to say "well I had my opus movie shown on NGC last night". That movie may have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars to make, not o mention one, maybe two years for completion. During which time other imagery specialists had cornered the market in cell phone imagery delivery and had the license to print their own money.

Think about it.

Best,

Mark.

There are a million and a one people vying for the chance to say "well I had my opus movie shown on NGC last night". That movie may have taken hundreds of thousands of dollars to make, not o mention one, maybe two years for completion. During which time other imagery specialists had cornered the market in cell phone imagery delivery and had the license to print their own money.

 

Think about it.

 

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Dude. Right on.