Film to High Definition Tape - Workflow

  1. Shoot film in Camera
  2. Process (Develop) film (Important Video Prep Suggestions)
  3. Dailies – Transfer film to High Definition Tape (Savings Ideas)
  4. If you have the budget, rent an Avid Nitro where you can input and output HD, otherwise...
  5. Make a Standard Definition tape dub from the Hi Definition Telecine Master. This is called a downconversion. The question of what tape format to downconvert to, is answered by checking to see what tape machine you will be using to input into editing system. Sometimes you can make your own downconversion by using the HD camera and a rented tape deck.
  6. Rent or buy an off line non-linear editing system (Avid, Final Cut Pro, Premiere, etc)
  7. Input (digitize) the downconverted video tapes into the editing system
  8. Spend as much time as needed to make creative decisions and edit the material into the final edited version. Slug out sections (leave space holders) for effects and titles.
  9. Somewhere along the line you should have been concurrently making the sound track. Usually this process includes adding sound effects and foley, cleaning up the dialog, adding music, and then mixing all the "stems" together. The final product is called a Print Master.
  10. When you have completed editing, output an Edit Decision List (EDL) from the edit system that represents the final editing decisions.
  11. Give the EDL, the High Definition Masters, the Print Master and any Special Effects Files to a company that can do On-Line Editing. During an auto-conform editing session a High Definition Edited Master will be created that matches the final edit.
  12. Do a Tape-to-Tape High Definition color correct session. Have your final tape go through a 100% Quality Control process to be sure it is ready for prime time. Make any necessary fixes.
  13. That's it! Now you are ready to make HD or Downconversion SD tape for distribution around the world.