dumb frame rate question - IndieTalk

locust tree · 08-07-2004, 07:34 PM

One of the first differences I noticed between good-looking and amateurish movies was the frame rate. Higher frame rates always make viewers think "camcorder" for some reason. My camera has an option on it that seems to make the frame rate a little bit slower. Whether it slows it down to exactly 24 fps, i'm not exactly sure. But it does look quite a bit more cinematic.

However, I could easily use my editing software to lower the frame rate to 24 fps. I guess my question is, if you're not using actual film, when is the time to worry about frame rate? Should the source footage from the camera be the rate you want, or should you take care of all that in post-production?

The reason I ask is because i don't think it's mathematically possible to take 30 fps footage and make it 24 fps without losing fluency... it's not divisible. To evenly distrubute the frames you're dropping, it would be 1 dropped frame for every 6 frames. I would imagine that would look kind of unnatural or jumpy.

DirectorX · 09-02-2004, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by locust tree

I could easily use my editing software to lower the frame rate to 24 fps. I guess my question is, if you're not using actual film, when is the time to worry about frame rate? Should the source footage from the camera be the rate you want, or should you take care of all that in post-production?

I don't know what camera you are using, but if it allows you to change the frame rate (or at least emulate the look of a lower frame rate) and that is the look you want in your final product, definitely go with that. It will save you a lot of rendering later in post.

As for converting the frame rate later in post-production, it's possible but you also have to process the audio and that may have some negative results (I don't know what format and hardware/software you're using and it all depents on those factors so I cannot really help you).

I do NTSC to PAL (and vice versa) conversions all the time. That's 29.97fps versus 25 (instead of 24).

LOGAN L Productions · 09-02-2004, 04:21 AM

I change my frame rate to 24 fps in post using Adobe after effects. I like doing it in post, because that way I have the option to leave it at 30 fps (or 29.7...whateva!)

I think that some things, like action shots, look better on video. Fast moving cars, explosions, and the like look cool in 30p or 60p video to me because video is more similar to how our eyes see real things. And, maybe, I don't think "camcorder" because the action or effect looks expensive or like it took a lot of work. More mundane activities DO look sort of "home movie" on video sometimes. I hope that makes sense to you.

...my point is: do it in post. That way, if you decide you don't want it to look filmlike, you can go back to the original footage.

Shot Renegade · 09-02-2004, 05:53 AM

If you've got a Canon XL(S) / or XM1 you can set the camera to "FRAME" mode and control the shutter speed to get the desired frame rate. So at 1/50 you're shooting at 25 (PAL) or you can crank up to 1/1200 for action shots - Swwweeeeetttt!

SuperSoupy · 09-02-2004, 07:19 AM

how much is 1/1200?

DirectorX · 09-02-2004, 07:34 AM

Hey Nathan, the XL1/XM1 (or GL1/2) cannot change the frame rate. You can change the shutter speed as you mentioned but no matter what setting you have the shutter at, the camera still records at 25fps (PAL) or 29.97(NTSC). If you raise the shutter to 1/1200th, you'll get a crisper image (no motion blur) but the camera is still recording the image on tape at 25fps (or 29.97 NTSC). Also, you can adjust shutter controls without using FRAME movie mode.

SuperSoupy, 1/1200 is 1 1200th of a sec.