Dave T2,

A logical and rational thought! But, I should have included the fact that I cannot have any contact with the other post house (it is more ridiculous than you can imagine... that's why I'm shedding the project).

So, I need your best guess as what format.

Dave

Then I would render to the files native format. That way no one can be upset. If you give them what you got, then that is all you can do.

If they are a full post facility, they are probably using either Final Cut or Avid to edit, which would mean they would want a QT file, either ProRes or Uncompressed, but if they are doing the audio post, they may be using Pro Tools. I don't know what format Pro Tools can play.

Dave T2

I am going to complicate it even further.

I am the THIRD post house to touch this project. The first one shot on an unknown format and then rendered everything to a Mac-only intermediary. A second firm had to convert these intermediaries to MOVs using FCP for me. That is the file format I used on my Vegas timeline to edit.

However, my Win764 with VPro10 cannot render back to MOV (it just won't... and never has). I'm thinking the post house the project is going to isn't a full shop... maybe a guy in his living room (like me).

Soooo... what format will keep the HD quality? And what settings?

Sorry, but I understand if you wish to bail out of the conversation. :-)

Dave

A straightforward .avi file would seem to be the most logical at full 1920 x 1080

Anthony

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a "straightforward .avi file." An AVI is merely a container that can contain video compressed with any one of a dozen or more different codecs. Which one do you use? Uncompressed, YUV, Lagarith, Cineform, Motion-JPEG, JPEG2000, UTVideo...? Interlaced or not? What frame rate? Is this going to be used on a MAC or a PC? Vegas, Avid, Premiere, Final Cut, Edius? Maybe a high-bitrate MP4 file might work or maybe a DNxHD encoded MOV file. Who the heck knows?!

I know that the original poster can't have any contact with the next editor in the workflow, but maybe the client or some disinterested third party can just ask what format they want. It will be a whole lot easier than guessing.

Agree with John Cline. You are shooting in the dark here without more information and believe, it will come back to bite you.

Dave T2

Sequential TIFF files can be imported by every NLE and retain all the original quality.

Only downside is size.

Just make sure to have an actual black event (not just a hole) on the timeline if needed.

> "However, my Win764 with VPro10 cannot render back to MOV (it just won't... and never has). I'm thinking the post house the project is going to isn't a full shop... maybe a guy in his living room (like me). "

If you are serious about doing work for hire, you need to fix your computer and be able to render to QuickTime files because that's what the rest of the production post house community uses and expects.

Since you can't deliver QuickTime, render an Uncompressed AVI file and place it on a hard drive. It's the safest format to deliver.

~jr

Well, if he's really in the dark and can't render .mov and has the space he could render out an uncompressed .avi file at the same framerate, resolution and interlaced/progressive settings he received it. Even a mac-based operation should be able to do something with that, shouldn't they?

I've never needed to use ti for this but won't Quicktime Pro save an uncompressed avi as a mov? I know it can't read some avi codecs but uncompressed should work.

I am serious about my work, albeit a part-time profession. The fact that i can't render to MOV is frustrating, but since i deliver mostly non-MOV files (e.g. BD disks, MP4, etc.) I never wanted to mess around and lose my system for a day, week, or longer looking for a solution.

I appreciate your comments, for sure. I always do. I will render an uncompressed AVI and deliver.

Happy Holidays!

Dave

Just curious. do you not want Quicktime on your computer? I have QT Pro version 7 and it does not cause any problems. I can render to most QT formats if Vegas doesn't do it.

Dave T2

Honestly, I don't know what program to use to render to MOV if Vegas won't. I thought I had to render to MOV from the timeline. Otherwise, I would have to render to 'something' and then render to MOV in the other program?