Precision at 25 fps
March 20, 2016Video is powerful.
Video is evocative.
Video is fast.
Whether live, animation or both, video is a sequence of individual images at the rate of 25 frames per second (fps).
When watching video, how many of these frames does a person actually see?
Let’s focus on two examples:
As the Australian broadcast of the Formula One Grand Prix season commences, the local coverage features an interstitial at the start of each commercial break.
This beautifully animated interstitial features an ‘exploded’ technical view of a stylised formula one car and a series of driver’s names.
Amongst the names is Adrian Sutil, who is not on the grid this year.
Does that matter? Will anyone notice? Well, ‘Yes’ to both.
As a professional filmmaker, I believe that every single frame is critical to convey the message evocatively and within the required time frame, (irrespective of whether that is a fifteen second online video, 30 second TVC, three minute corporate, two hour feature film or ten hour miniseries).
Anything that detracts from the message or the flow has to be removed.
A director has to be focused at a macroscopic level. Many times in edits, an errant frame has been visible to me, yet missed by an extremely experienced editor.
Even at 25 fps, an individual frame is noted subconsciously. This was the premise of ‘subliminal’ advertising in the 70’s, which has returned via intensely rapid cutting in TVCs and music videos.
In the case of a TVC or interstitial, the audience may see it repeatedly and as it becomes more familiar, notice more.
So, when the audience sees it, we need to be sure that every frame is pixel perfect.
Another example is a corporate film for Hanas New Energy. We shot 4K UAV aerials of Vestas wind towers on a remote windfarm.
Once the short film was assembled, it became clear to me that in order to ensure a smooth flow, it was necessary to match the position of the blades in edits.
At every cut between two similar shots, the position if the blades was matched precisely on the most prominent wind tower.
While few viewers will be conscious of this, it certainly made for a more coherent film.
It has often been said that the most effective editing and the most effective music (are so integral, that they) are not noticed.
If anything is distracting, the film has not achieved its goal.
Video is precision at 25 fps!
Image source: Twitter
@andrew_w_morse
@digital_tsunami
@hanasnewenergy
@tensportstv
@vestas
From Our Clients
I worked with Andrew on a photography project that involved a high level of visual complexity for a multinational client. Andrew was clear and professional in his briefing, but at the same time, was open to other ideas and approaches.
Central to the development process is Digital Tsunami’s thorough understanding of the project needs, clear and constant communication, and creative, innovative and meticulous approach to delivering solutions.
I recently engaged Digital Tsunami to design and build my 60-page website. I'm a website copywriter who relies heavily on web-generated business, so my own online presence needs to be impeccable.
The solution that Digital Tsunami supplied is brilliant. It meets my needs perfectly; it's clean, bold, elegant, fast, and easy to edit. I've had lots of very positive feedback about it, and since launch, my request for quote rate and conversion rate have increased markedly.
The team at Digital Tsunami was incredibly responsive, delivering a solution well ahead of deadline. Their technical knowledge was exceptional, they were innovative, and they were very meticulous. What's more, they understood my business and technical requirements and translated them into a user-friendly, refined, professional site which is conceptually simple and cohesive.
I have no hesitation in recommending the website design services of Digital Tsunami to any business .. that needs a stand-out online presence.
Our take-away menu advertised TamarindThai.com.au, even though the site didn’t exist.
Digital Tsunami offered great ideas and design to set up a professional website that matches our name, ideas and style of the restaurant.
Andrew is very knowledgeable IT professional and he never hesitated to see and consult us in the restaurant.
I'm very pleased with my new website. Clean, crisp and well-ordered. Many thanks to Andrew and the team at Digital Tsunami for their speedy work and dedicated follow up, ensuring a glitch-free launch!