All our filming is done in true High Definition, that means 1080I or 1080P. We don't shoot in HDV because this is actually not true High Definition. HDV is a highly compressed format. Our workflow is Purely digital. i.e. we do not use tapes any more. our footage is backed up on Hard Disk drives and is available for editing instantly without the need to digitize off a tape. Our Camera operators are fully trained professionals with many years experince in the Television industry.
Below you can see the size difference between the different types of video standards. High Definition, High Definition Video and Standard Defintion. We shoot on High Definition which is 1980 X 1080 Resolution , which is the highest quality.
True High Definition(HD)
1920 X 1080 Stored on Hard disk drive or portable hard drive, available at out store
High Definition Video(HDV)
1280 X 720, can be stored on Mini DV Tape
Standard Definition(SD)
720 X 576 Resolution, this is the resolution we currently recieve on our televisions in South Africa, can be stored on Mini DV
Formats
We shoot on a Sony High definition EX1 Camera. this camera stores the files in a BPAV format. This format is MPEG4 format. Some newer editing systems can edit on this format in its raw form, but most likely your editing system will work best with the video files in a MXF format. We can provide you with either of these formats according to which ever one suits you best. Some of the later Final Cut Editing suits are able to work natively with the high definition BPAV format, you will need to let us know which system you intend on editing with so we can determine which format is best for you.
High Definition Storage
High Definition footage is stored on portable hard drives, you can use your own or you could purchase one from our store on this site. A cheaper alternative is to use internal sata 3 hard disk drives that plug straight into your mother board. one hour footage = about 18 Gigabytes of storage
