APPENDIX
MULTIMEDIA FILE TYPES
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there are a host of different file types that represent a stage
in the evolution of 'converging' technologies (i.e those
new introductions that try and 'talk' to as many different hardware
platforms as possible)
telecommunications (modems), phones, stand-alone v. mobile,
games, portable computers and everything to do with the web
producing content for all these areas is a minefield of complexity
and with the introduction of new concepts and software every
month, it gets harder and harder to stay on top
but in a few areas there is some longevity where it isn't
necessary to be making changes until you are forced to
by your working environment - e.g. moving from 4 x 3 screen
format to 16 x 9
the time is very close for many companies to look at moving
to 16 x 9 in areas where they have to present themselves to
the outside world |
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DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDIA:
treatment options:
there are a variety of different treatments one can use
from the broad choice of media available, from which
to grab your audience and take them on a theatrical
experience under the banner of 'business theatre'
these are just some of the options available:-
- VIDEO using live source material
- VIDEO compiling different material from other sources
- VIDEO using live source material + other media
- STILL IMAGES still photography
- STILL IMAGES sequence of stills - as video or animation
- GRAPHICS text + colour shapes
- GRAPHICS text + treated images
- TEXT typography
- TEXT typography + graphics
- TEXT moving
- ANIMATIONS -2D static frames in sequence or moving
- ANIMATIONS -3D realistic movement in the round
- AUDIO 100% sound off video - background FX
- AUDIO adding recorded (straight) voice-over
- AUDIO adding recorded voice-over/s (character)
- AUDIO using music only
- AUDIO mixing voice-over with music
- AUDIO specially written music - with/without lyrics
- AUDIO as above with special effects added
- INTERACTIVE MEDIA using linked text/audio/video/games/feedback
for desktop or web-linked
- LIVE EVENT MEDIA theatre-dialogue-music
- LIVE EVENT MEDIA large screens - lighting - lasers
- LIVE EVENT MEDIA live performers - dancers - musicians
- LIVE EVENT MEDIA effects - smoke - ice
- LIVE EVENT MEDIA large groups - visual effects -
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DIFFERENT STANDARDS & FORMATS:
standards:
australian moving image standards conform to the
international 'PAL' standard - which are the majority
of countries in Europe and S.E. Asia
however in the U.S. the standard is 'NTSC'
and there are quite a few countries that have
embraced this as their standard
the exceptions are those few countries with French influence
that have "SECAM" - but few production companies
can produce for this format
the important message is that everyone is aware of the
different options out there, when handling overseas material
platforms:
PC v. Mac
these different items of hardware all have to have specific types
of file formats to operate at their optimum
there is also the small complication of the 'PC' v. the 'Mac'
once upon a time any Windows-based computer was unable
to talk to an Apple Macintosh - and vice versa - but few cared
in the 'PC' business environment
but slowly and surely these two platforms have come closer
together and in many cases are now able to operate and
use the same content material as each other
video display formats:
the traditional video analogue platforms of VHS and Betacams in the
4x3 ratio format have almost disappeared
they were:
- VHS
- S-VHS
- Betamax
- Betacam
- Betacam SP & SX
we now have higher quality levels with HD (High Definition)
over SD (Standard Definition)
- SD
- HD - 1080i
- HD - 720p
these can be 14 x 9 or 16 x 9 in ratio - to suit the wide-format tvs
and cinematic content now being produced
and today, the digital equivalents are:
- digibeta - tape-based digital
- dv cam - tape-based digital
- dv-minidv - tape-based digital
- dvd
- videoCD - video recorded in CD format
- blu-ray dvd
replay units - stand-alone & portable:
today we have digital versions that come in different formats
to suit the different replay environments, from desktop computer
to portable devices
- DVD players - stand-alone and in PCs for dvd video - interactives-data storage
- DVD recorders for dvd video - data storage-data transfer
- DVD -ROM for interactives-large storage-file transfer
- CD-ROM for interactives - data storage - file transfer
- CD players - fixed and portable/in-car for high quality music
- MP3 players - fixed and portable/in-car for web - mobiles - games - portable equipment
- portable and fixed games
- portable/in-car and fixed DVD units
- PVRs (or set-top boxes for TV)
- i-pods
- i-phones
- i-pads
- personal gps units
- memory chips/sticks
A. FILES FOR THE WEB
video: .wmv windows Media Video
.flv flash video
.mpg MPEG video
.mpg1 using MPEG-1 video
.mp2 using MPEG-2 video
.mp4 apple TV, i-pod - using MPEG-4 video
.psp MPEG 4 video
.asf advanced streaming format
.rm realvideo
.html5 coded video in html
.H264 mpg2 HD files
audio: .wma windows media audio
.wav waveform audio
.aiff apple audio
.aac Advanced Audio Coding
.ac3 AC3 - dolby digital AC-3
.mp2 MPEG 2 audio
.mp3 MPEG 3 audio
.mp4 MPEG 4 audio
.ra real audio
graphics: .wmv windows media video
.psd photoshop
.png photoshop compressed file
.gif compressed graphic file for web
.swf shockwave graphic file
images: .jpg photoshop
.png photoshop compressed file
.psd photoshop
.gif compressed graphic file for web
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B. FILES FOR GRAPHICS/IMAGE CREATION
.jpg photoshop
.psd photoshop
.ai adobe illustrator
.ind adobe indesign
.ae adobe after effects
.eps adobe flattened file for print
.tif image for print
.swf flash graphic file
.gif low-resolution file for web/animations
.png low-resolution file for web
.tga single static frame for video
.pdf converted graphic from text document
.mtn mac animation file (Motion)
C. FILES FOR AUDIO & VIDEO PRODUCTION
video:
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.avi
.mov
.m2v
.wmv
.wmf
.tga
.smx
.mxf
.ts
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pc video/Xvid/DivX quicktime movie
dvd video
windows media video
windows media file
single static frame for video
digibeta - disk, and tape-based
Sony Digital
proprietory transfer file
videoCD
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audio:
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.wav
.aif
.ra
.rm
.mpg
.MPS3
.mp2
.wma
.S3D
.gxf
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pc audio
mac audio
real audio
real video
mpg audio
highly compressed portable audio
MPEG 2 audio
windows media audio
surround 3D sound
graphic digital file
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in many cases, more than one file version of the same production
has to be generated
this is to cater for the different ways the sound is handled by
the different players
mid-range sounds are often lost when downloaded from
the web or played on a mobile phone/portable audio system,
and so have to be 'flattened' or 'compressed' to suit
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D. FILE TRANSFERS & THEIR TECHNOLOGIES
- memory sticks
- firewire 800
- USB 2.0
- storage drives
- Wi-Fi
-Wireless
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