I'd submit the guy doesn't know what he's talking about. Comparitively lightly compressed video such as DV is difficult to key; further compression only makes it that much more difficult. Errors in compositing are only exacerbated and elaborated when compressed for the web.
Maybe he wants it small for emailing? I'd be asking him to detail exactly why he wants to compromise the video further than any in-camera compression already done.

I've had this type of request before, but what they want was a .mov file with apha( with mask) and not a stream of individual tagra files with apha.

Douglas, et al, I've tried talking to the guy and we're simply not communicating. By the time I got off the phone (he's San Diego, I'm In Miami) I knew he didn't know what he was talking about. And, as nicely as I knew how, that's what I told the client here in Miami, it was a web guy talking with a video guy.

I asked the client to allow us to do the compositing and I'd send the web guy the finished file. He said he wanted the web guy to to it. So I guess at this point I'll have to give them some kind of disclaimer that once the video's out of our hands, we cannot be held responsible for the outcome.

Thanks to all for your replies!

When I asked him if he wanted it as a .mov file he told me he wasn't working with a Mac. When I told him it would be an .avi file, he seemed confused and wasn't sure what that was.

The guy does Flash videos, but they are all created in his computer using stills and text! Again, I tried to explain the difference to the client, but to no avail.

Against Stupidity, the Gods Themselves contend in vain.

Isaac Asimov

The only way I can think of to explain it to them is that compositing is part of the content creation, and no compression should be applied at this stage. Web delivery of course requires compression but only after all content is created. His toolset must only allow for compressed media.

But it sounds like you've already had those conversations.

His toolset must only allow for compressed media.

That's the scary part, David. The guy claims to be using After Effects! But he didn't seem to know what an .avi was and he didn't reakize that the video would be 720 X 480!

I've already told the client, in writing, like I mentioned above, that once it was shot, we are not responsible for the outcome.

Jay,

He doesn't know what an .avi is? You sure you want to use this guy?

j razz

Jay, I would supply them with AVI, mov, plus I would do the chromkey on one version and give them avi with apha channel. This guy is probably really lost, so he'll probably screwup the keying. Tho you did not contract for the keying, saving the customer project can create alot of good will ( well, maybe).

Jeremy, no, I wouldn't use him. He is the web designer for the client we're shooting the video for. I have no say in the matter.

I am a firm beliver in going the extra mile, and I have attempted to do so in this situation. However, when people refuse to listen to reason and common sense, I do not feel so inclinded to do any more than I have already. Besides, the client has made it clear that I am to shoot and supply the video, and nothing more.

"So let be spoken, so let it be done."

Jay, whats he want it compressed to ?

Flash.

Jay,

I'd keep the project files handy for a few weeks, for when your client comes back to you with the need for you to deliver it the way you recommended in the first place.

And also start thinking up a good "fix other people's problems" price rate!

Ditto fldave,,
bad news is you are not done with this project , keep it handy ,good news is you are going to look brilliant with your client and pocket some extra cash.
As a ace in the hole, I would put a background in and have it ready to show your client when the web dude falls from grace.
good luck!!

Hmmm. If he wants the video in flash format, is it possible that his "compositing" will merely be placing it in his flash creation suite and adding titles/buttons/doodads on top of it? That wouldn't alter or recompress the video at all. Maybe all he uses After Effects for is to create his doodad images to be imported into flash. That would explain a lot of how he intends to be successful without knowing anything about video.

Yeah, but if they got the talking head behind a green screen, they would want to put something there I would imagine right? So, he would have to do something with that and the compression would make it that much more difficult, especially if you had the uncompressed footage to start with (or DV avi).

j razz

ask this guy if he's done stuff like this before. He might not need or want a good key.

But it's wierd he wants it compressed to flash.

I once delivered video to a web guy in WMV, I kept asking him what bit rate he wanted, he said it didn't matter, just "high quality." So I sent him some test samples at 512K and he said that was great.

I later found out he was recompressing them down to 170K.

Being a web guy who works in flash, my guess is the guy doesn't know it was shot on a green screen and thinks he's getting finished video.

I'm with Apit on this. Give him the compressed FLV file and, if possible, also send him something decent to work with.

AEFX can output SWF files too, after a fashion. I wouldn't think you'd want to start out with FLV files as sources, though.

Rob Mack

The sounds insane. You do not ask for video compressed to flash, ever. The only time it is to be compressed to flash is when you export the final flash video file.

Green/blue scren or not, if it's shot on DV is bad enough, compressing it further is lunacy if you need to key it. Even if you do not intend to do any chroma keying, you still want an uncompressed avi file and then if the fnal output is to be flash video, compress to that at the very end.

i would of been smart about it & send him 5mbs files. :)

"sounds insane"

Yes, but from the client's perspective, the web guy is cheap compared to Jay's rates. Jay is telling them exactly what they need. They choose what they want to pay Jay for, and Jay clearly spells it out to them what they are paying for, per what they asked for.

Sounds like a return client to me, as long as Jay covers himself, makes them realize what they are currently paying for may not be the best solution, and maybe gives them a little bit more.

Edited: when someone hires me (computer consultant) they are paying for my best "advice". And I give it to them, good, bad, ugly. They decide what solution they want to pay for.