Creating video for broadcast

Question

I'm about to start making some commercials for the company i work for.
i've never done anything for broadcast before.
most of the things i work on are for the web and for dvd.
i'm using a jvc hd1.
I guess i'm just asking for any advice that can be given...
including how to get the best possible quality in every aspect..
recording, capturing, exporting, etc.
any help would be appreciated.
thanks!
cASEY

Answer 1

Wow, Michelle. You are very professional in your practice. I wish more people in my market were like you. Although, I would like to modify some of her recommendations, and add some more of my own, too.
First off, Michelle is right. :30 is not :30;00. It's :29;15, or 29;20 for me. However, with new digital video servers and automated playback units in Master Control rooms, even the big guns like Dodge, Budweiser and so on get away with :29;29. Since switching can be done on the frame level with computer controlled stuff, the margin of error is less. However, don't push it if you don't know what they have in the control room. Stick to :29;15, or :29;20 if you feel lucky.
Thirty seconds of bars is a must. Record thirty seconds of bars at the beginning of every tape before you shoot. It will help during capturing later. At least :10 of a slate is good. Mine is about :13 (I have a special composited slate with a huge animated countdown that moves to killer rock music). However, with a countdown ending at 2, you can't put 10 seconds of black after that. I only put two seconds. Also, make sure you put at least 10 seconds of black at the end of the spot. Slates should include the client, title, version or revision if necessary, date, length, and names of important people (like editor and producer).
If you use a cassette to archive your finished spots, put a "dirty" version with all the graphics, and follow it with a "clean" version, which has no graphics, and the music is placed on the left channel and the voice on the right (or vice versa if desired). I archive on hard drive using those rules as well. I also archive my bins, projects and sequences. The edit system I use for commercials is not FCP, so my bins and sequences can be saved outside of the project. This is helpful because you can always recapture your footage and recreate the spot if necessary.
This brings me to my next point. DO NOT recycle MiniDV tapes. I've found that they fail quickly. Use a new one for each client, and keep all their footage on their own tape (or tapes). Include it in your operating cost, since they're $4 each. Doing this helps you if you have hard drive problems or if you need to change a shot in a commercial you made last year. Keep in mind the tip of recording bars for thrity seconds on each tape. If you need to recapture footage that starts 4 seconds into the tape, the process is a lot harder than if it starts 34 seconds into the tape. The second option is more automatic and it will make you happy. Another good idea is to record bars after your footage for thirty seconds. That way you have a separator between shoots. As long as the timecode remains consistent, capturing will never be an issue.
That's it for now. I'm sure I'll think of more later.