Figuring out your deliverables can be a pain!
If you have questions on how to fulfill your deliverables we can help. Email us your distributors’ delivery specifications and we’ll help you sort it out.
Send to: workflow@indieranch.com.
We can also help you shop for the best rates for your media work.
Master
THE DEVIL IS THE DELIVERABLES
Finishing a polished and technically correct show master is one thing, figuring out your deliverables and getting them through QC inspection is another. No matter how artful your final picture looks and sounds, your distributor is likely to reject your work if there are technical impairments including inconsistent color and brightness levels.
QUALITY CONTROL
The QC process is more then just a guy sitting in a dark room screening for picture and sound errors. While human eyes and ears are ultimately the arbitrators of image and sound quality, a pro QC operator will also use a computer analyzer to measure signal information. Technical specifications may sound like a bunch mumbo jumbo to you, but they are important to broadcasters and distributors. The entire distribution chain, from digital cinema, terrestrial and cable broadcast and Blu-ray, down to Internet and mobile content encoding, rely on a set of technical standards to insure operability, compatibility and a base level of reasonable picture and sound quality. If your master is in violation of those standards, it may be rejected.
And if you miss your deadline, you could lose your deal! This is a classic mistake we’ve seen all too often. Between the thrill of finishing your master and the stress of a making a tight deadline, quality control is often overlooked.
Quality Control Cops
Aside from the cold, indifference of science, there are also subjective, psychological and even political factors to consider. A QC operator may make judgment call and flag a visual or sound effect, or the absence of picture or sound information, that was a based on creative decision, not a technical fault. However, once the referee throws the flag, you have to take time out of your busy schedule to explain why there is no penalty. The psychology of a QC operator in relation to their work is also a concern. A QC operator only pays attention to what’s wrong instead of what’s right. After all, if every master they evaluate passes with flying colors, his or her boss would have to start thinking if they are really doing their job or just napping. A meter cop is paid to issue parking violations and a QC operator is paid to find problems.
There is also the politics of QC. It’s not a good idea to have your QC done by the same company that finished your master. This poses an obvious and potential conflict of interest. In the same token, having your QC done at your vendor’s direct competitor may also pose a conflict of interest. Beware of the big name labs if you have a low budget feature. They are used to dealing with big budget titles so they are super critical. There are independent labs that will do good QC work at good prices.
And then there are the Germans.
Delivering for Europe is the bane of existence for television and film producers alike. Meeting German specifications is even more annoying. In some cases, your master will be subject to a frame-by-frame analysis that will identify errors imperceptible in real-time playback. The QC regime doesn’t discriminate between a technically perfect movie that sucks and a technically imprecise movie that inspires. This mentality doesn’t recognize the difference between a big budget blockbuster and a low budget indie. Applying the same standards of a 60 million dollar picture to a 100 thousand dollar -guerilla style, run and shoot, indie feature is not fair or practicable. Unfortunately, a QC operator doesn’t know or care you made a great movie on a shoestring.
The best defense is a good offense.
Identify potential problems early and be proactive with your distributor. Different distributors have varying tolerances so check with your contact as early as possible to find out what their expectations are. A good distributor that understands the nature of your project should be willing to accept certain imperfections based on budgetary realities. Even if you have a tight budget, consult with a post house to determine your options to fix any marginal image impairments. Your distributor might cover the costs for image restoration work.
Finally, QC your work at each stage of the mastering and delivery process.
- QC your show master first before striking any clones and conversions.
- QC each down conversion before you make copies from them.
- Have your distributor sign each QC approval form or release for every deliverable element you make. Cover your tush!
We hope this section helps you better understand and prepare make your deliverables because once your done, the ultimate goal of all your hard work finally comes to bear – distribution!
| ‹ Back: Post | ^ Top | Next: Distribute › |