Live Wire - Video Duration

There are two timings we need to be aware of when we create content for a studio show, Editorial and Clip Duration

Editorial Duration:

This is the duration of the video as it will appear in the programme, and as listed in the programme Running Order.

For example, the programme Titles may be 20 seconds (20”) long, or a Bumper/Sting may be 7".

Clip Duration:

For studio gallery use the length of the video clip itself will be longer. This is because if our titles clip ended after 20 seconds and went to black or a still frame, it would be hard to avoid getting this on air….hard to cut off the titles at exactly the right moment and cue the presenter. It would all be a bit tight and too fraught in the gallery.

But if the end frame of the titles - probably a programme logo - continued for a few seconds beyond the 20” stated duration, there would be time/space to mix out of the titles to the presenter in vision….and importantly, the director would be able to judge the best moment to do so given the feel of the title music and the mood of the show.

If there is music to run on under a studio side shot or the start of the presenters script… which might be for even longer…. the video clip duration could be 10 or 15 seconds longer than the on-screen/running order duration.

In this example the editorial length of the titles is 20 seconds. The extra 10 seconds of video and sound enable the studio director to mix to the studio exactly when they want and to have the title music running under the opening studio shots.

Starting:

If the animation has an animated background - i.e. animation/movement that is not part of the main animation of a title etc - this should run immediately the video starts. The main, or featured animation/images should animate immediately at the start of the video if already on screen, or, if they start off-screen they should animate no earlier than 1 second from the start.

Ending:

Similar rules for Titles and Stings… If a featured animation such as a title - e.g. ‘MUSIC’ or ‘DANCE’ - comes to an end position as the culmination of the video, consider not having it totally static, but perhaps still moving slightly. Any animation in the background should keep running beyond the imagined ‘end’ of the video. This is because things becoming entirely static after so much movement looks like things have gone wrong. But it is also because a few seconds of continuing animation beyond the ‘end’ enables the vision mixer in the studio to mix to a studio camera (for example) without anyone seeing the static frame.

So a sting which has an editorial length, or on-air length, of 7 seconds would resolve any animation at the 7 second mark, but have video running on to about 10 seconds…to facilitate a smooth transition in the studio.

(If you were creating the animation for inclusion in an edit…you would only make it for the 7 seconds required, because you can control where you cut to the next shot with pinpoint frame accuracy. In live studio production we always leave the ends of video inserts ‘long’ so we can get out cleanly…even though we cannot get the same frame-accurate transition point.)

Music/Audio:

It can be hard to find music with the right character and length for Titles and Stings. But having music which starts cleanly, has purpose and peaks at the right moment makes a huge difference. Music which fades in at the start or out at the end makes the video sequence seem incomplete.

At the start of Titles or Stings music can start immediately.

At the end, the music should climax with the resolution of the animation. If the music mix has a long sustained chord or ending this might last beyond the resolution of the animation and it should be

allowed to carry on without fading out….even lasting beyond the extra 3 seconds of the video clip asked for above….so that it can be mixed underneath any audience applause and the first words of the presenter(s).

Sometimes the music might start another phrase…depending on which music track has been chosen. This is OK if you can imagine it being used as above to smooth the transition from titles to presenters etc.