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1080p 24 or 30 fps?

As some of you might recall, I'm making an instructional DVD and while it is, yes, simply an instructional DVD, I want to make it look as good as possible and put all of my creativity into so it won't be a stodgy, boring video. I really like the look of film, the 24p look, but I remember reading somewhere that DVDs should be shot at 30fps. I don't know why and I can't recall where I saw it. To throw another wrench in the mix, I'll also be using a GoPro HD that doesn't shoot 1080 at 24, only 30, along with my Canon 60d and (wait for it) the 50mm *f1.2* (yes, it was a helluva splurge). So, can I shoot it all at 1080p 30fps and somehow massage it in post (I'll be using the CS5 suite as soon as I learn to use it) to look like 24fps? Is this even possible? Or am I worrying too much about the cinema look and would 30fps look fine? I don't want it to look like the video you see with 1/2 hour sitcoms, if you know what I mean. Thanks.
 
You've just described the prejudice in a nutshell, SuperDre...and much as I hate to admit it, I'm guilty of it as well. In fact, the feature I just finished was shot in 24p for that very reason. But I will be glad to see it go away. When you think about it, intentionally degrading the images we work so hard to make look their best is just silly.

I don't think it sounds silly at all.

That's a bit like saying that Canaletto is, by default, a better artist than Monet.

It's a choice about how you want to present your film, much in the same bracket as colouring/film stock/lighting. People didn't say, when Schindler's List came out, 'oh the film was good but I would've liked to have seen more of the little girl because she was the only thing in colour.' Black and white degrades the image (from its potential) but that's considered an artistic choice. I think frame rate should be considered the same way.
 
Wow, man, I didn't mean to put everyone on the defensive. Did you miss the part where I said I agree with you?

But here's the thing: if, back in the day, the standard motion picture frame rate had been established as 30fps instead of 24 we would not be having this conversation. We would instead consider 30 to be the norm. Therein lies the prejudice - a word which has an unfortunate negative connotation, but should not be interpreted that way in this context. It just means that we have a conditioned preconception about the way "real' movies are supposed to look.

Now, Spielberg's use of black-and-white in Schindler's List was indeed an artistic choice, as was his decision to tint the girl's jacket. However, people who disliked the film simply because it was black-and-white instead of color were exercising their own prejudice.
 
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