Post Production Question: Who's responsible...?

Question

In light of my most recent post, receiving video files that are unusable, the following question came to mind:
When delivering video files to an editor or post house, who's responsible for making certain the files are compatible with the NLE being used, the producer/director/cameraman or the editor/post house?
Thanks! Looking forward to the opinions.

Answer 1

Joe,
I agree - first, the editor should provide necessary specs., whether to shooters, or folk doing preliminary editing, say with dalies.
When I contracted work out, I was always very specific on what I wanted, and how to deliver it. Without my agreement to any change, the contract was null and void - my way, or the highway. It always worked well, and most suppliers greatly appreciated the instructions. As I did quite a bit of work with contractors on Mac's, I felt that my instructions were very important, as many Mac folk seemed to want to do things in proprietary, Mac-only formats, unless specifically instructed NOT to. In some cases, it almost seemed to be a passive-aggressive move. Do not know if it existed going the other way, as I never used a Mac. When sending my work out to a Mac-house, I always wanted to be 100% positive that what I delivered worked perfectly on the Macs, so sought THEIR instructions in great detail.
The same holds true for people in the production lineup, for graphics work too, though one often has to ask for those specs., whether from a printer, a sep house, or an artist in the workflow. I always communicated with all of MY suppliers, and always asked for complete instructions from the person/company, that was the "next step." I was often amazed how lackidasical some sep houses and printers could be, when specs. were requested, and I always took that as a bad sign. As most of the choices of others in the chain were usually hired by my client, I just saw it as a red flag, and would push for specifics, and ask for them in writing, either a PDF, or FAX to me, just in case something ever went wrong. [Side note: if anything DOES go wrong, ALWAYS attend the "post-mortem" meeting, as all blame will fall on the "empty chair."]
I also learned to never trust any specs. that a client furnished, as they usually were not well versed in the terms and requirements of production, and would loosely translate things, getting many wrong - sort of like the parlor game "Telephone." I would always contact the next in line, and get the instructions myself, as I knew what to ask for, and could speak the "lingo."
Good luck to the OP.
Hunt