Best frame rate for recording a documentary film?

[Priit Joesaar]

Hi friends!
Having a question or two here.

1.) Would you be recording a Documentary film rather with settings where project timebase and frame rate is set on 23.98; 24; or 25?
1.1) Ps! Someone can explain what difference it makes to have 23.98 or to have 24 fps?

2.) And do i understand correctly, that the project timebase would have to be set exactly like the frame rate is set for the audio to match and be synchronized perfectly?

Appreciating your response!

 

[Nick Gardner]

In the EU, you would traditionally shoot at 25 fps. That is the PAL standard and at 180 degree shutter (1/50th) that makes for flicker free discharge lighting. The only reason to shoot at 23.98 is if the deliverabe is for an american company which specifies that. If shooting at 23.98 you would want to use a 1/50th shutter speed (172.8) degrees) for the same reason.

Nick

 

[Priit Joesaar]

Thanks alot, Nick! Really appreciate this info!
If shooting with 25 fps then, then later, when rendering it to 24 fps, will the audio be in sync? I have encauntered sometimes, that the audio after rendering is a bit out of sync and don´t have the experience frankly to tell what the issue could be.

 

[Nick Gardner]

Well if your deliverable is 24p, you should shoot 24p. Why would you output 25p to 24? Is this for the US or Europe? Really you should contact whomever is going to distribute the thing and ask what they want.

Nick

 

[Priit Joesaar]

Thanks Nick, appreciate your response. It´s made for Europe, not the US.
24 fps looks slightly more like film, 25 tends to be like video i think.

 

[Christoffer Glans]

Thanks Nick, appreciate your response. It´s made for Europe, not the US.
24 fps looks slightly more like film, 25 tends to be like video i think.

I promise you, no one notice the difference between 25 fps and 24 fps. I've fooled people many times go for 25fps, it doesn't matter so much anymore if the release is in theatres since most digital projectors now work with any framerate. Though, television broadcast under 25fps so to be on the safe side for a documentary you should definetely go with 25fps. Even if you somehow would see the difference, you will get into trouble if you want to broadcast the documentary.

 

[Priit Joesaar]

Thanks alot Christoffer, appreciated! Seems like im going with the 25fps then :smash:

 

[Manfred Lopez]

For example, the BBC requires 25fps. But they allow for both 23.976 and 24fps as long as you use Motion Compensation Processing to deliver in 25fps. Refer to section 2.11 of their Technical Delivery Standards pdf:

http://dpp-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/specs/bbc/TechnicalDeliveryStandardsBBC.pdf

 

[Craig Parkes]

From my perspective - if producing for international release in English language, and you don't have a European broadcaster attached prior to production, producing 23.976fps (ensuring you make shutter adjustment for non 50HZ lighting sources) is the best option.

The reason is: Posting in 23.976fps is the best for conversion to 59.94. Conversion from 23.976 - 24fps for theatrical/DCP is easy/common. Conversion from 23.976 - 25fps is easy and is something that English language audiences watch all the time - the associated speed bump is part of the visual language of tv that they are used to for US shows coming into English markets.

Meanwhile the speed change from 25 -> 23.976 -> 59.94 is more ugly (faster playback is less noticeable than slower playback imho even at 4%), and something NTSC English language audiences are less used to. The acceptance of deliverables in those markets becomes a bigger headache than the other way around.

 

[Patrick Tresch]

All my DCP for cinema release are done in 25p (4k DCP without burning the subtitles in picture but as a separate file). Never had any troubles (thanks to my good post-house!).

Pat

 

[Priit Joesaar]

Thanks alot for all the information, appreciated!