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Broadcast quality issues with the GH2 in Europe
  • gamebgameb

    Anybody heard of broadcast quality issues lately shooting with the GH2 for national TV stations, like german TV, british or french? Somebody told me, they won't accept documentaries shot with the GH2 any more, is that true?

  • 8 Replies sorted by
  • wgtowgto

    german tv should not be a problem(as most shows from german tv stations are crappy reality tv shows with a horrible picture.

    BBC has standards but you can change the bitrate to match those and color grade it in a good way so that they won't notice.

    I am not really sure about french.

    B.t.w if you want to produce something for german television get ready to fill out lots and lots of forms and permission slips.

    Also consider that it is hard to get a documentary into tv in germany there are only 3-4 stations left that will actually screen documentarys.

  • sicovdplassicovdplas

    you have to fix the IRE levels for tv, and convert the content to broadcast ranges. also bbc does not accept 4:2:0 content so ive heard.

    when you export to mxf xdcam, a common codec for tv your quality gets assraped anyways, just that you have to fix your saturations and black levels and all that, in the netherlands it's no problem to deliver.

    done some tv deliveries with canon and gh2 footage combined, the only important thing was the IRE and saturations since those are just too damn high, it's recommend to double check your footage on a regular lcd tv. (not LED!)

  • gamebgameb

    @wgto german TV has technical standards as far as I know, even if the shows are crap...

    @sicovdplas "you have to fix the IRE levels for tv, and convert the content to broadcast ranges"

    is that posible, expensive and a common thing to do? (I don't know what that means technically) If yes, that means, that you can shoot stuff for TV with GH2...

  • wgtowgto

    really they have standarts? A buddy of mine made a film with a cheap 500 dollar camcorder and they showed it.

  • gamebgameb

    @wgto its quiet well known, that german TV has high TV standards, for sure not the ones of your buddies 500$ camcorder, that might have been an exception for some particular reasons...

  • goannagoanna

    (Again,!!)

    You should aim to deliver your files/footage in exactly the same format as the station uses every day. This includes storage format, file type, file naming conventions, title frame, any colour bars, paper work with intro and outro; in short everything they do, you do, including meeting quality standards.

    (How many threads does this question have to be answered on?) Start here:

    https://personal-view.com/talks/discussion/441/gh2-broadcast-discussion-/p1

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/2296/bbc-approved-cameras-list/p1

  • goannagoanna

    One occasion on which a GH2 is likely to be unacceptable is when a newcomer wants to negotiate a future assignment or script with a broadcaster, rather than submit existing, unsolicited footage.

    Article 8 of the AJA's Code of Ethics states:

    8. Use fair, responsible and honest means to obtain material. Identify yourself and your employer before obtaining any interview for publication or broadcast. Never exploit a person's vulnerability or ignorance of media practice.

    If you tell interviewees that you're working for [Broadcaster's_Name_Here] that means you've arranged that in advance and have been provided with credentials. [Broadcaster's_Name_Here] may decide whether or not your turning up for an interview, press conference or secret assignment in Tibet with a DSLR is an appropriate way for you to represent them.

  • mrbillmrbill

    If you're shooting for the BBC, part of your contract will be agreeing to shoot on an HD camera that is approved by them. 20% of the programme content may be standard definition content upscaled to HD, or on a camera that isn't on their approved list - which includes the GH2.

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