Hi-Def: Yes or No

[Nessie]

I don't generally run polls to ask people what I should do. That is because it is not likely that I will listen anyway.

But I don't know the answer to this one.

It is likely not to be too long in the future where I will have the capability of making everything hi-def.

Hi-def certainly does look gorgeous. But it makes HUGE files and incurs long download times, and if the scene won't fit on a DVD...then you must buy a hard drive.

So here goes.

[Duncan Edwards]

A lot depends on the subject matter and how it's shot. For a highly detailed and well lit scene where the performer is made up and there are multiple cameras hitting several views and maybe there are wardrobe details I like, then yeah, Hi-Def is a must. Even more so if I have a larger screen to view it with. After you've seen it a few times then it's hard to look at anything less with the same level of visual respect. Yes, it requires more resources to shoot, edit, and distribute. There's also higher def audio details from just stereo to Dolby 5.1 surround sound to consider as well.

Over the years we've asked the same question about Hi-8, Super VHS, DV, etc and ultimately the higher performance wins every time.

But I wouldn't close my eyes to the right subject matter (like yours) even if it were shot with a twelve year old webcam.

[Fred588]

My rule of thumb is to always, or at least whenever its possible and practical, to use high definition when shooting. I also insist on always shooting in color and to never use camera-based special effects such as black and white or night vision. Those effects can always be simulated in post production and you can always convert high definition to standard if there is a reason to do so, but you can't do the reverse.

[Mynock]

If I can watch it full screen and it doesn't look blurry or pixilated I'm satisfied. But then, I'm old fashioned.

[wysvp]

As the other producers have said, hi def looks great and certainly does take up a lot of space. I just bought at 3TB drive for back up (in order to coalesce all my older drives into one) and it is nearly full. And that is with just using one camera per shoot.

That said, though - I, personally, love HD - so crisp, with rich colors and details. I would not go back to regular DV. And FinalCut, which is the editing software I use, works well with HD.

Mike

[ChatteNoire]

I just watch so I'm not sure my vote really matters much but...

I'm not a visual person so I don't care that much. I'd much rather it sound good than look good.

[mudxdresser]

If you can capture the scene in Hi-Def at minimal expense, sure, why not, some folks always want it in the highest quality possible. I personally avoid high quality like the plague as once you step up with technology, you can't go back. I still enjoy some of the old VHS movies I have on a 45-year old TV and don't notice anything particularly wrong with the picture. Saves me a lot of money in the long run as by the time I have to upgrade, everything is dirt cheap and there's no doubt who won whatever format war.

It's the Red Queen Effect, you have to run to stay in the same place, so to speak, once you get hooked on keeping up with the latest technology advances. Some people really get off on it and enjoy the extra. And I would too if I were rich and could hire someone to keep up with how to hook all the stuff up and keep it actually delivering high quality. Keep in mind that a lot of people pay for high quality that they don't actually get as they missed some minor little component in their system that causes things to display in a lower quality mode. Or, not to make tooooooo fine a point of it, have aged to the point where the can neither see nor hear the difference.

But, it is inevitable that you will have to join the quality race as a producer, the market demands it. So it all comes down to a cost/benefit ratio of whether you can make a greater profit staying at the forefront of the pack or lagging somewhat behind.

[newQSFguy]

Hi-def all the way. I have the storage and system to handle it so I want the best. Plus like others have stated, the quality and clear picture just add even more to a genre like this.

I can understand the need to make a non-HD companion when possible for those who need it.

[Boggy Man]

Shooting in hi def is definitely the way to go, since you would be getting the best possible quality and detail. Even if you find that you need to convert it to standard def for a smaller file size for easier download/storage by customers right now, you will still be able to sell hi def versions of these videos in the future when huge file sizes and download times are no longer an issue. If you are able to, you could sell both standard and hi def versions right now, side-by-side, so people have the option to buy whatever works best on their system.

[MuddyEddie]

Being the sort of person that prefers stills to video it's almost a moot point for me. However, I would agree that every video should be shot in HD when possible. It's easy to convert HD to SD, but impossible to go the other way.