How Video Production Companies Can Deliver Ultimate Format Flexibility

Even though digital video formats have made post-production easier than analogue formats, digital video’s flexibility has been made more complex by the plethora of formats and storage options commonly in use.

Example? Consumer cameras range from HDV (MPEG-2), DV, AVCHD, and H264 on tape, hard drive, mini-DVD, and solid state flash cards, while professional options range from DVCProHD (including variants AVC-Intra50 and 100), XDCam (EX and HD), HDCam (including the SR variant), REDCode, DigiBeta, and a host of others on tape, XDCam (optical) discs, P2 (solid state) cards, hard drive, etc.

Years ago, mixing any two formats wasn’t possible on the same editing timeline. Now, multiple formats can be used, making a project’s post-production much easier for video production companies.

For example, our recent project for Coast Spas Manufacturing in Langley required digitizing footage from analogue ¾” tape, VHS, and DVD, and adding new footage shot in HD from DVCProHD from a Panasonic (P2 Card) camera, MP4 from a GoPro (SD Card), and H264 from a Canon 7D DSLR (CF Card), all with varying aspect ratios.

Coast was well-invested into the original project, which was initially produced over 10 years ago in standard definition, and starred Leslie Nielsen. The new footage needed to be HD to have some long-term usage for other potential video projects down the road. With editing systems as flexible as they are, mixing all of the above onto one timeline was handled, and the final project was put onto DVD for Coast’s dealers and trade shows.

Pacific Producers Group would be happy to provide great flexible video production solutions for your next project, whether you're in Langley -- or anywhere in the Vancouver area! Please feel free to check out our online portfolio, client list and testimonials – and give us a shout at 604-374-5242.