What Frame Rate Should You Be Filming In?

Summary

This video explores frame rates in video production, starting from the basics and moving up to more advanced topics like shooting on high-end cameras. The creator explains the difference between 24 and 30 frames per second (fps), emphasizing the cinematic feel of 24 fps, while also touching on higher frame rates like 60, 120, and 240 fps for slow-motion effects. The video also offers insights on why certain frame rates are used in different contexts, including television and film. The creator promotes a beginner-friendly course for those wanting to dive deeper into camera settings and filmmaking techniques.

Takeaways

• 🎥 The video is a segment from a larger course on camera settings and frame rates, aimed at beginners.
• 📷 Frame rate is measured in frames per second (fps), with 24fps being the standard for cinematic looks.
• 📖 Frame rates work like flipbooks—still images played rapidly create the illusion of movement.
• 🌍 Different regions use different video standards: NTSC (common in the U.S.) uses 23.976fps and 29.97fps, while PAL (common in Europe) uses 25fps.
• 🎬 Most movies are shot at 24fps to mimic traditional film cameras and achieve a cinematic feel.
• ⚙️ Shooting and editing must be done in the same frame rate for consistency—mixing frame rates can lead to choppy or incorrect playback.
• 🏃‍♂️ Higher frame rates (like 30fps) produce smoother footage, commonly used in news, sports, and reality TV.
• 🎞️ Slow-motion footage requires higher frame rates (like 60fps or more) to maintain smooth playback when slowed down.
• 🎶 In music videos, slowing down footage requires speeding up the song during filming for proper lip-syncing.
• 💡 Shooting at 60fps or higher consumes more data and light, making it more complex but useful for specific effects like slow motion.

Q & A

What is frame rate and how does it affect video playback?

Frame rate refers to the number of still images, or frames, displayed per second in a video. It affects how smooth or choppy the video appears. A lower frame rate results in choppier playback, while a higher frame rate offers smoother motion.

Why do we use frame rates like 23.976 and 29.97 instead of exact numbers like 24 and 30?

The frame rates 23.976 and 29.97 were introduced due to technical limitations when color TV was developed. To make the technology work, broadcasters slowed down frame rates by 0.1%, and those standards were kept despite advancements in technology.

What is the difference between NTSC and PAL standards for frame rates?

NTSC is a video standard used in countries like the U.S., where common frame rates are 23.976 or 29.97 frames per second. PAL is used in many other regions, and the standard frame rate there is typically 25 frames per second.

Why is 24 frames per second considered the most cinematic?

24 frames per second is considered cinematic because it's the standard frame rate used in most films. This frame rate originated from film cameras, and digital cameras adopted it to mimic the aesthetic of traditional cinema.

Can you mix different frame rates in a single video project?

Mixing frame rates in a video project is possible, but it’s not ideal. If you put 30 frames per second footage into a 24 frames per second timeline, the editing software will drop frames, which could result in a jarring or inconsistent look.

Why would someone choose 30 frames per second over 24?

30 frames per second provides smoother motion, which is commonly used for content like news, reality TV, and sports. It’s more universal because almost all cameras can shoot in 30 frames per second, and it works well for fast-moving content.

What happens when you try to create slow-motion footage from a 24 frames per second video?

When you slow down 24 frames per second footage, it can appear choppy because the frames are stretched out, leaving gaps. To create smooth slow motion, you need to record at a higher frame rate like 60 or 120 frames per second.

Why is shooting at 60 frames per second beneficial for slow-motion effects?

Shooting at 60 frames per second provides more frames to work with, allowing smoother slow-motion footage. You can slow it down to 50% of its original speed without losing quality, ensuring that the footage remains smooth and fluid.

What are the drawbacks of shooting in 60 frames per second for regular video playback?

Shooting in 60 frames per second requires more data storage and processing power. Additionally, the quality per frame might be reduced if you're limited by bandwidth or storage, and most videos don’t benefit from the additional frames in regular playback.

How do professional filmmakers sync audio when shooting in slow motion for music videos?

When shooting in slow motion for a music video, the song is sped up during filming, and the artist lip-syncs to the faster version. In post-production, the footage is slowed down, and the audio is synced to match the original speed of the song.

Outlines

00:00

📽️ Introduction to Frame Rates and Course Overview

In this introduction, the speaker teases a comprehensive video course on frame rates, targeting beginners but covering a wide range of equipment, from smartphones to advanced cinema cameras like the RED. They explain the basics of frame rates, focusing on the cinematic standard of 24 frames per second (fps) and how it's related to the perception of motion in video. The speaker also introduces NTSC and PAL standards, highlighting the technical nuance of frame rates such as 23.976 and 29.97 fps, which were historically adjusted due to early broadcast issues. A strong emphasis is placed on the idea that 24 fps creates a cinematic look, essential for filmmakers.

05:03

🎥 Frame Rate Standards and Editing Considerations

This section dives deeper into frame rate technicalities, explaining the challenges of mixing frame rates during editing. The speaker stresses that once editing begins, a video must maintain one consistent frame rate. They discuss how footage shot at 30 fps would need to be adjusted to fit a 24 fps editing sequence, which leads to a loss in smoothness. The importance of pre-planning frame rates before filming is highlighted, especially for professional projects where delivering the wrong frame rate can be costly.

10:05

🎬 Frame Rate Usage in Cinematic and Smooth Footage

Here, the speaker contrasts 24 fps with 30 fps, noting that 30 fps offers smoother motion and is often used in news, reality TV, and sports for a more fluid look. However, for cinematic purposes, 24 fps is preferred due to its historical association with film. They recommend checking the capabilities of all cameras before shooting and give practical advice for non-cinematic uses, suggesting that 30 fps can be beneficial for smoother footage in certain contexts.

⏳ Using High Frame Rates for Slow Motion

The speaker explains the concept of using higher frame rates, such as 60 fps or higher, to create smooth slow-motion effects. They share an example from their experience directing a music video, where they shot at 30 fps and slightly slowed it down to create a subtle slow-motion effect without sacrificing realism. Additionally, they discuss the challenges of syncing audio with video in slow-motion shots and provide tips for music video production. Higher frame rates allow for more flexibility in slowing footage down without losing quality.

🎡 Advanced Slow Motion Techniques and Frame Rates

This paragraph discusses advanced slow-motion techniques, explaining how shooting at extremely high frame rates like 120 or 240 fps can produce ultra-smooth slow motion, ideal for capturing intricate movements. The speaker highlights the benefits of shooting at higher frame rates for more dramatic visual effects, enabling footage to be slowed down by up to 10 times without losing smoothness.

🛠️ Troubleshooting DJI Osmo Action and GoPro Hero7

In a change of topic, the speaker shifts focus to responding to viewer comments about the DJI Osmo Action and GoPro Hero7 Black cameras. They humorously discuss their personal struggles with setting up FPV drones, highlighting the technical difficulties compared to more user-friendly drones like DJI’s models. They emphasize the importance of firmware updates and stabilization features, particularly in DJI’s cameras, which may improve their performance over time.

🎒 Vlogging Gear and Final Thoughts

Concluding the video, the speaker expresses excitement about using the DJI Osmo Action for travel vlogging, especially for an upcoming trip to Mexico. They wrap up by encouraging viewers to check out their course for more in-depth information on camera techniques and filmmaking. The speaker humorously thanks those who have supported the course and looks forward to future content.

Keywords

💡Frame Rate

Frame rate refers to the number of individual frames or images displayed per second in a video. The video explains different frame rates such as 24, 30, and 60 frames per second (fps) and how they affect the smoothness and cinematic feel of the video. For instance, 24 fps is often used for a 'cinematic' look, while 30 fps provides smoother motion.

💡NTSC and PAL Standards

NTSC and PAL are two video standards used in different regions of the world. NTSC, used primarily in North America, has frame rates like 23.976 and 29.97 fps, while PAL, used in Europe, typically uses 25 fps. These standards are important for content creators to ensure compatibility with local broadcasting systems.

💡Cinematic Look

A 'cinematic look' in video production refers to creating a film-like appearance, often achieved through the use of specific frame rates (like 24 fps). The speaker emphasizes how using 24 fps mimics traditional film cameras, which were originally set to shoot at this rate, and it contributes to a more cinematic or dramatic effect in videos.

💡Slow Motion

Slow motion is a technique where footage is recorded at a higher frame rate and then played back at a standard frame rate, creating a slowed-down effect. The video explains how recording at 60 fps or higher (e.g., 120 or 240 fps) allows for smooth slow-motion playback without losing frame quality.

💡23.976 vs 24 fps

The video explains the small but significant difference between 23.976 fps (commonly used in NTSC systems) and true 24 fps, which is more cinematic. The speaker highlights how this discrepancy arose from historical technical limitations with color TV but clarifies that most modern cameras automatically adjust for this when users select 24 fps.

💡60 Frames per Second

60 fps is a higher frame rate often used for capturing fast motion or creating smoother video playback. The video discusses how 60 fps can be used for slow motion or smoother footage, but the speaker cautions against editing or uploading all content in 60 fps due to the additional data and processing requirements.

💡Log Profile

A log profile is a video setting that captures a wider range of colors and details, often used by professionals to allow more flexibility in post-production. In the video, the speaker mentions it as one of the camera settings that beginners may find complex but can be vital for higher-quality footage.

💡Bit Rate

Bit rate refers to the amount of data processed per second in video or audio recording. In the video, the speaker includes this as another technical aspect of video production that beginners need to understand when setting up their cameras. It directly impacts the quality and file size of the footage.

💡Editing Software

Editing software is used to assemble, modify, and finalize video content. The speaker mentions how once you start editing a video, it’s important to maintain a consistent frame rate throughout the project. For example, mixing 24 fps footage into a 30 fps project can cause visual issues like duplicated frames.

💡Golden Hour

Golden hour refers to the period right before sunset when the sunlight is soft, golden, and ideal for shooting visually appealing videos or photos. Although mentioned briefly, the speaker emphasizes its importance for achieving cinematic shots, making it a key consideration for beginners who want to enhance the aesthetic of their footage.

Highlights

This video segment is part of a three-hour beginner's course, covering everything from using a phone camera to a RED camera.

The meaning of '24' in 4K is 24 frames per second, describing how video is just a series of images played in rapid succession.

The video explains how 24 frames per second creates the illusion of movement in video, similar to a flipbook.

A demonstration of what different frame rates look like: 1, 4, 12, and 24 frames per second.

NTSC and PAL are the most common video standards, with NTSC using 23.976 or 29.97 frames per second.

The historical reason for 23.976 and 29.97 frame rates is a legacy from color TV's early days.

Modern cameras automatically convert 24 frames per second to 23.976, except for advanced equipment like RED cameras.

For cinematic looks, 24 frames per second is preferred, while 30 frames per second is used for smoother, reality-like footage.

A smooth slow-motion effect requires shooting in higher frame rates, such as 60, 120, or 240 frames per second.

Mixing frame rates can cause problems, so consistency across all cameras and editing processes is essential.

Shooting music videos at 30 frames per second and slowing it down to 80% creates a subtle slow-motion effect.

Understanding frame rate early in a project is crucial to avoid issues in editing and maintaining a professional workflow.

Higher frame rates like 60, 120, and 240 frames per second are used for slow-motion shots.

The video emphasizes the importance of shooting in 24 frames per second for film-like, cinematic footage.

Editing workflow should maintain the same frame rate to avoid choppy or inconsistent footage.

Transcripts

- So today we are gonna do

a nice little deep dive on frame rates.

This segment is actually just a chapter

of a full video course I just made and it just went live.

So if this is the kinda stuff

that you want to learn more about,

it's a three hour course, so go check it out.

It is more of a beginners course,

but we start all the way from the bare basics

of how to dial in your phone,

all the way to shooting on a RED camera on a Movi Gimbal.

So if setting up a camera is complicated to you,

like what is it a log profile, what is bit rate,

what aperture should I be shooting at,

the definitely go, check out that course.

(upbeat music)

Right, so now we know what that 4K means, what's that 24?

That is going to be our frame rate.

So that 24 means 24 frames per second.

'Cause when you're watching video,

you're not actually looking at something that's moving,

you're looking at a series of images.

Still images that move through and play through fast

to where it looks like it's moving.

Kinda like those flip books

with a bunch of drawings in them

and you go (growls) and you flip through them

and it actually looks like that art is moving

because you're viewing through them so quickly.

So right now you're looking at 24 still images

every single second.

If this were one frame per second,

this is what it would look like.

It would look really, really terribly choppy.

And let's go to four frames per second,

that looks a little bit better.

Now 12 frames per second, much, much better

but still a little bit rough

and this is 24 frames per second

which is what I'm currently shooting at.

So there's different standards on where you live,

the most common is NTSC and PAL standards.

Now if you live in a place that has PAL standards

then you're probably working with 25 frames per second,

so easy but I live in America

which uses the NTSC video standard

which gets a little bit trickier.

The most common here is 24 or 30.

It's a little bit complicated, I say 24 and 30

but really, instead of 24, it's 23.976

and instead of 30, it's 29.97.

Which is kind of a weird decimal number

to have as our standard and frame rates, right?

It's kind of a dumb reason why we use that.

Way back when color TV's were first introduced,

broadcast companies had these technical issues,

so what they had to make that technology work

was to slow down the frame rate by .1%.

So .1% slower than 24 is 23.976.

.1% slower than 30 frames per second is 29.97.

Technology has gotten way, way, way past the point

where we would still need to do that

but since those standards were kind of made

way back then and all the broadcast companies

were like, ah, well we're already

doing this complicated 29.976,

we've kind of adapted to this weird frame rate.

So, generally speaking I'm going to say 24 frames per second

and 30 frames per second but just keep in mind

whenever I say those, I mean 23.976 and 29.97.

And when you're selecting your frame rates in most cameras

it just says do you wanna shoot 24 or 30?

And you just put it at 24 and it automatically

it will put it at 23.976.

Once you start getting to the advanced cameras

such as that RED, it will give you the option

to shoot between 23.976 or actually true 24.

But I personally have never shot in those formats

because of these NPSC standards.

So basically, you'll probably never need to do it either,

so I really wouldn't worry about that yet

unless a client comes to you and says

we need to shoot true 24 which again,

has never happened to me ever.

Now if you're like me and live in the states

or pretty much anywhere with NPSC standards,

you have to decide, are you gonna shoot to 24 or 30?

Now I shoot 24 as much as I can

because I feel like it's the most cinematic,

it's not as smooth as 30

but it's what a majority of movies have been filmed on

because these digital cameras have evolved

from film cameras and back then

they were just shooting solid 24.

So a lot of times we want this digital cinema cameras

to look just like those film cameras

'cause those looked fantastic.

So, if you are looking to get cinematic footage,

definitely be shooting 24.

So this video is being shot at 24 frames per second.

I bring this footage into the computer

and I edit it in a 24 frame per second sequence

and then I upload it in and publish it

as a 24 frame per second.

So notice that whole pipeline,

that whole work flow, 24, 24, 24.

So how about 30 frames per second?

It's more frames per second

so it is going to be a bit more smooth.

I would show you what 30 frames per second looks like

but I can't because again I'm editing this video

in 24 frames per second.

So I could put my camera into 30 frames per second

so then my camera would be shooting 30

but when I bring this into the editing software,

it would take that 30 frames per second

and it would just extract one out of every four frames,

I think to make it 24 frames per second.

So it ends up being a jacked up 24 frames per second.

And once you start editing a video,

you can't switch the frame rate.

Every video clip is one frame rate

so I can't have the video be 24 frames per second

in some parts and 30 frames per second in some parts,

like one video is gonna be one frame rate.

So for me to show you 30 frames per second,

I would have to shoot in 30 frames per second,

edit in 30 frames per second

and upload in 30 frames per second.

So that is why it is very important for you to know

what frame rate you're filming at very early on

in the process.

So when you pick up your camera you should already know,

I'm gonna edit this in this frame rate

so make sure all the cameras that we're using for this video

is in that same frame rate.

It's not gonna be the worst thing ever

if you've mixed the two frame rates,

like if you put 24 frame per second video

into a 30 frame per second video,

then it's just gonna duplicate some of the frames

to just fill in that space.

But on the other hand if you were a professional film maker

and you deliver 30 frame per second footage

when they ask for 24,

you will never get a call back from them again. (laughs)

And like I mention 30 frames per second

is going to be a bit smoother

and it is also a bit more common.

Pretty much all video cameras can shoot 30 frames per second

but not all cameras can shoot 24 so 30

is gonna be a tad bit more universal.

I definitely recommend checking

what all your cameras can shoot in.

And if you're not necessarily going for that cinematic look,

then going 30 may be a little bit beneficial for you

because it is going to be a tad bit smoother

as we mentioned.

So a lot of news, reality TV, sports, often they film

in 30 frames per second,

just to give it that extra smoothness.

And again a camera operator, for channel four news

isn't necessarily gonna be like,

I need this to be cinematic.

Let's film this newscast at golden hour. (laughs)

By the way golden hour is right before sunset

when the sky and sunlight looks really nice and orange,

it's a great time to shoot.

Most of you already knew that

but this is a beginners course

so just wanna make sure that I cover everything.

So, based off that you should have a general idea

of what frame rate you plan on shooting at

and if you decide to go 24 frames per second

then make sure all your cameras can shoot 24.

Now there are some people that shoot, edit

and upload 60 frames per second

which I wouldn't recommend.

You're really not benefiting that much

from having that extra frame per second,

at going all the way at 60

and that's double the number of frames,

so that's double the amount of information

it takes to process those frames and a lot of times

instead of doubling the quality of each frame,

they actually reduce each frame in half

if you're trying to fit a certain bandwidth.

It's gonna require more light to shoot it,

a lot more data to store it.

Just I wouldn't really do it.

But just because you don't want to upload

all your videos in 60 frames per second

doesn't mean you shouldn't shoot 60 frames per second.

I actually set this camera to 60 frame per second

all the time.

There's your camera's frame rate or your shooting frame rate

and there's also your project framing.

What you're gonna be editing

and they're two completely separate independent things.

Most of the times you're gonna want that to sync up,

so this project 24 camera right now is shooting 24.

But let's say we get an epic shot

of Sam trying to look cool.

That was too fast so let's try to make it slow motion.

Notice that now it looks really, really choppy,

why is that?

Well, what we did is we took our 24 frames

that we recorded in a second and we stretched it out

so there's no longer images in between each of these frames.

That's why the footage turns out choppy,

there's nothing there to look at.

So what we need to do is to create more frames

to stick in between there when we stretch it out.

That way we have a nice full timeline of frames

that we can watch through.

So the more you wanna slow it down,

the further the frames are gonna get stretched apart

and we you want more and more frames.

So the more slow motion you want,

the more frames you have to record.

So one example, I directed a music video

for Pepe Aguilar and we shot at 30 frames per second.

And everyone was like, 30 frames, I thought you wanted this

to look cinematic?

What the F was you thinking?

But the reason why we shot that at 30

is because I wanted to slow it down just a little bit

so if you take 30 frames per second footage

and slow it down to 80% just enough to take the edge off,

it felt a little less harsh than real time

but it didn't really feel like slow motion,

it was just a little bit of like, is that slow motion?

One thing to keep in mind with music videos

is that the artist does need to listen to the song

so you can sync in post.

The thing is if you're gonna shoot slow motion

then you have to counter the lip syncing

by speeding up the song.

So they actually have to lip sync to a faster version

of their song.

So really when we're filming they're just like (mumbles).

It feels weird but it looks good

when you end up slowing down the song

because then their syncing matches with the song.

And if your project is 30 frames per second

and then you shoot 60 frames per second,

there's a little math involved

but then at that point you could put it through 50% speed.

Then you can get into slow shots, more frames per second

recorded the slower you can make it,

so 120 frames per second, 240 frames per second.

240 frames per second is 10 times more frames per second

then 24 which means you can slow down that footage 10 times

and it still looks perfectly smooth, so awesome.

Anyways, hopefully that cleared up any sort of questions

you might have had about frame rates

and why you would choose 24 frames, 30 frames per second

and high frame rates like 60, 120, 240 and beyond.

And if you wanna another three full hours

of me explaining stuff about cameras

then go check that link down in the description

where I go over everything from recording on your phone

to shooting on a cinema camera.

Anyways, let's read some comments

from a video I recently just posted

about the new DJI Osmo Action

in comparing it to the GoPro Hero7 Black.

The top comment from KingCanon,

"Everybody else rushed out a video,

thanks for sitting on this and finding hiccups

in the software.

Slow and steady wins the race."

- Well, I appreciate that KingCanon but let's be real

if DJI were to send me an early version of the camera,

I definitely would have rushed

'cause it's like guaranteed views

but yeah, I mean the DJI Osmo Action,

still an awesome camera,

I just still kinda prefer the Hero7 Black.

Lee Chris prefers the GoPro.

"I fly FPV drones and the real steady go quality

is unbeatable."

Oh man, FPV drones, those things are kind of crazy.

I have one, I actually bought one not too long ago

but I've been too intimidated to hook it up

and try to turn it on.

I don't know what I'm doing, it's complicated.

It's not like a DJI drone where you plug it in

and everything makes sense.

So this thing, I mean, do I plug it in,

will it explode if I plug it in, I really honestly, don't--

Oh, my god, what was that sound?

(electronic beeping)

See what is happening?

This is exactly my point, I need help,

I need some serious help with this.

Okay, I'm gonna unplug it, save it before it blows up.

Couldn't tell the difference between that and a time bomb

where you have to cut the right wire

or else it's gonna blow up on you,

that's how I feel, that's how much anxiety I have right now.

It'sNJ says he prefers the "DJI Osmo Action

because of the rock steady stabilization,

also Firmware updates are coming in for the Osmo

which might fix some of the bugs you are talking about."

And I hope so because I do really wanna use this thing more

and I do love how it has this front facing display.

Like look at this little thing,

it's a perfect little vlog camera,

I can't wait to take it traveling

and I'm headed to Mexico this summer

so this would be a perfect little companion for that.

And you know thanks for sticking around to the end

and also thank you for checking out my course

and whoever buys it and gives me money,

I thank you too also and I'll see you guys later, peace.

(upbeat music)