Producing a TV Show for the first time « Videomaker Community Forums

dkmulford
Member

I am co-producing a tv show for an outdoor hunting and fishing network. The show will feature amateur footage that has been submitted to our website.

Although I do not personally have a production company, as the Executive Producer I will have to receive and review the footage submitted for the show. Due to the many different types of video media (hi-8, mini-dv, etc.), I am concerned that I won't be able to view all the received footage because of the different formats.

Should I force the submitters to send footage in a certain format only?

Does anyone have any experience doing anything like this?

Thanks,
Darren

Posted 7 years ago #
browner
Member

Ask for all entries to be submitted on VHS SP. If the clip is choosen you can use the VHS copy you have, or they can send a mini DV copy if that's the original source. That will cut down on time for you.

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

You said video that has been submitted to your webpage. That should solve your problem right there. Just make them send it in over the net. I used to have a friend who worked at the Weather Channel around 80% of there footage is from over the net, obviously a highspeed connection is required. Not sure what you guys are running but that would make your job VERY easy since you wouldn't even have to digitize you could just import it straight into your NLE system

Posted 7 years ago #
Kingkool682
Member

The best thing I can think of would be for people to have the option to send you their clips to your website. Ofcourse, these aren't broadcast quality by a long shot, but it will give you a good idea about the content. Then you could contact them and work out submission details if you find something of intrest that you wish to air. Not everyone will have the capability to send movie clips over the net, so it's always a good idea to still allow submissions via snail mail. VHS, DVD and MiniDV sound like the only worthwhile formats to accept.

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

Having worked in the business for nearly 30 years and having produced and directed a large number of shows, If you're going broadcast quality with this stuff, I wouldn't think you'd ever want VHS copies of anything, ever. VHS looks like crap compared to other sources.

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

on soapbox:
I don't care how many years you've been in the business. If I'm producing an outdoor show and somebody sends me a VHS tape of his buddy taking a 30 point white tail, that tape is going to air. It might have a super that says "Amateur Video" but it's going on.

The question as I understood it was how can he accept tapes from the widest audience in one format, simplifying the submission process. Well, since almost everybody has a VHS machine, and not a Broadcast HDcam in the living room, that led me to the VHS suggestion. As for nobody broadcasting material originated on VHS, America's Funniest Home Videos comes to mind. Vin DeBona and ABC have made a lot of money off those VHS tapes.

Rodney King, he was on VHS. He got broadcast a lot.
Ever watch the weather channel? Those tornados, some of them were shot on VHS. CNN, Fox News, ESPN, they all use it. If the content is powerful enough, or funny enough, or unique enough, it will air.

-off soapbox

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

vhs sucks and is obsolete even for the home user. For any sort of broadcast VHS should be avoided like the plague. it has very low res (250 lines max and you would probably never see that) There will be pleanty of people with footage on Mini DV. If you want your production to have any sort of production values Do not use vhs. Remember your reputation can either make you huge or run you out of the industry. think about your next project if you dont, this one could be your last.

Posted 7 years ago #
nobody
Member

We are talking two issues here. Sure you want the quality to be the best possible. However, there are some things that you just HAVE to get on tv no matter how bad the quality. Rob is right on the money. If you were a hunter, you'd understand.

In the last 4 years of dealing with hunters that are videotaping hunts, I have only run across one that was using an old vhs camera. The rest have 8mm on up. Most of them have minidv's since they are small and easy to carry.

Posted 7 years ago #
WalterGraff
Member

dkmulford Wrote:
Should I force the submitters to send footage in a certain format only?

Most people do not shoot with VHS in the field but rather camcorders are mostly DV these days. Take any footage folks will send regardless of format. You don't want to disclude someone because they don't have what you want in terms of format and you don't ant folks dubbing stuff and making their footage worse.

Posted 7 years ago #