This
page will attempt to answer some frequently asked questions about
VideoCat Productions, Media 100 and anything else that may pop up.
If you have a question not listed here please let us know so we can
share the answer with everyone.
The
Questions
Where
is VideoCat SF located?
What
About Reno ?
How
can I get there by BART or MUNI?
Where
can I find parking?
Do
you accept Credit Cards?
What
is your cancellation policy?
Can
I book an operator to work with me for just one hour,
and then edit self-serve for the remainder of my time?
If
I want to create my own titles in Photoshop for Media 100,
How should they be created?
Can
Media 100 export Video Frames for use in other graphics applications?
How
long does it take to make my video into a Quicktime/AVI movie?
How long does it take to make a video from my Quicktime/AVI movie?
I
have a number of frames for an animation created in another application,
can you put them to tape?
How
can I bring my files to you?
What
are Media 100's Audio Capabilities?
Can Media 100 accept an EDL (Edit Decision List) from another
application?
Can Media 100 create an EDL for another application?
Where
is VideoCat SF located?
VideoCat Productions
is located at 400 Brannan St. Suite 4 San Francisco, CA 94107.
We are at the corner of 3rd and Brannan streets.
What About Reno ?
VideoCat Reno
is Located at 4920 South Virginia St.
How
can I get there by BART or MUNI?
VideoCat is
easily accessible from BART and MUNI. From Powell Street Station
(4th & Market) you can
take the #30 or #45 bus to the corner of 3rd and Brannan. You can
also catch the "E-Embarcadero" train from Embarcadero
Station and ride it to the CalTrain station..
Where
can I find parking?
There is a Parking
Lot at 4th. & Brannan as well as metered on-street parking
Do
you accept Credit Cards?
We accept Master
Card and Visa, however we do not take American Express..
What
is your cancellation policy?
Cancellation
without giving 24 hr. prior notice will result in a charge of 25%
of the time booked.
Can I book an operator to work with me for just
one hour,
and then edit self-serve for the remainder of my time?
Yes. People
frequently do this. Our operators are always available to answer
any questions you may have.
If I want to create my own titles in Photoshop
for Media 100,
How should they be created?
Media 100 works
very well with Photoshop files. Titles should be in RGB mode. 640x480
@ 72 pixels per inch.
The Media 100 prefers to use PICT files. We recommend that you bring
in the Photoshop files and a saved copy of each one in the PICT
format. Having the original Photoshop file comes in handy if you
need to alter the title in any way.
The newer versions of Media 100 can import most any graphics format
directly.
Can Media 100 export Video Frames for use
in other graphics applications?
Yes. The Media
100 can export individual video frames as Photoshop PICT files.
If a series of stills is required we can use Media Cleaner Pro,
Premier, or After Effects.
How long does it take to make my video into
a Quicktime/AVI movie?
How long does it take to make a video from my Quicktime/AVI movie?
The answers
to these questions vary based on several factors. Those factors
are the dimensions of your movie file (646x480,320x240,160x120),
The frame rate (# of frames per second) and the type of compression
codec. The most common size is 320x240 cinepak @ 15 frames per second.
This generally takes about 8 minutes per minute of video for the
compression phase. The greater the size and frame rate the more
time it will take. Cinepac is one of the slowest compressors, other
codecs will go faster. The one exception to this is the new Sorenson
compressor for quicktime. It is the slowest compressor but the results
are awesome! Small file size, super high quality, and the ability
to stream over the Internet make Sorenson a great compressor regardless
of the long compression times. (As long as 20-1).
I
have a number of frames for an animation created in another application,
can you put them to tape?
The answer is
yes. We can accept frames in most any graphics format. The frames
are put through an application called De-Babblizer which converts
each one into a PICT file that Media 100 can read. Those PICT's
are then imported into Media 100 and then can be put to tape.
The newer versions of Media 100 can import most any graphics format
directly, without the need for De-Babblizer.
How can I bring my files to you?
VideoCat can
accept files from Floppy, Zip, Jaz, CD and DVD RAM or ROM.
For really big files you can bring in a MAC Formatted SCSI Hard
Drive.
What are Media 100's Audio Capabilities?
Media 100 has
8 channels of audio, you can designate pan and level information
for each track.
Combined with a lossless mix-down capability we effectively have
unlimited audio tracks.
Media 100 can
also export to AIFF for use in SoundEdit 16 which has numerous capabilities.
SoundEdit 16 can also convert AIFF's to WAV's and vice versa. Media
100 Offers Real Time Audio Equalization.
The newer versions
of After Effects now has the ability to do audio FX and editing
as well. Along with the added capabilities of the new Media 100
software (addressed in the next section) we now have virtually unlimited
audio capabilities.
Can Media 100 accept an EDL (Edit Decision
List) from another application?
Can Media 100 create an EDL for another application?
The answer for
each question is yes. Media 100 can accept EDL's in standard CMX,GVG,
and Sony formats. It is recommended that your EDL be Cuts Only,
as transitions are marked differently in different applications.
Media 100 can also export in the standard CMX,GVG, Sony formats.
A new feature
of the Media 100 is the ability to interact directly with After
Effects. This gives us the ability to do After Effects quality titles
directly onto the Media 100 timeline
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