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Asset Management

Important Video/Audio

QC Issues and

how to find/flag them

Production crew/equipment

Vivid(High Contrast, High Saturation)/Torch(High brightness) mode on your monitor or using a gamma correction can help show objects in reflections and shadows.

Production crew/equipment

Review all reflective surfaces and floors, looking out for items that do not fit within the scene.

Production crew/equipment

Most issues are present in the edge of frame, so please put extra care.

Framing issue

• Framing issue consists of four QC error codes: Framing Error, Frame Edge Shading, Visible Frame Edge, and Non-Native Aspect Ratio, we can differentiate by cause for the error.

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• Framing Error
• Possible causes: poor scaling, repositioning of the image during post.
• Image zooms in/ out or shifts left/ right abruptly mid-shot or immediately before/ after a cut.
• Frame Edge Shading
• Possible causes: Camera hoods or production flags being partially in frame.
• Usually darkening along the edges or in the corners of the frame.
• Visible Frame Edge
• Possible causes: VFX shots, Re-positioning, Image stabilization.
• Frame edge can be diagonal depending on the causes.
• Non-Native Aspect Ratio.
• Possible Cause: Bad image scaling/conversion. Miscommunication between partner and post facilities.
• The frame edge will falls into specific aspect ratio.

Framing Error

Image can creep into aspect ratio matte. In the case of poor re-positioning in finishing stage, Frame Error can be detected as abrupt shift of the image (up/down/left/right/zoom in/out)

Frame Edge Shading

As Frame Edge Shading is caused by camera hood or production flags being partially in frame, this error tends to be in the same set-up shots consistently. The shape of the error tends to stay consistent too.

Visible Frame Edge

The frame edge can be shifted within the shot entirely, or the frame edge can be creeping up/down in a shot. For anime, this error often can be seen when compositors forget to scale up shot when they make camera movement (action sequences, impact shots, earthquakes, etc) by adding script in compositing software.

Non-Native Aspect Ratio

4:3 footage is wrongly fit to 2:1 aspect ratio, and the image is noticeably stretched. The perspective won’t match with surrounding shots.

Non-Native Aspect Ratio

4:3 footage is inserted in 2:1 with pillarbox matte. This can be creative intent.

2:1 footage was zoomed in to delivered in 16:9. This can cause aliasing or blurring in the image. The quality won’t match with surrounding shots.

Framing issue

Best way to find these type of issues is to setup frame/aspect markers on your monitor. Also applying vivid/torch mode help to spot these errors.

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Color Mismatching

• Color Mismatch issue can be categorized into two QC error codes: Color Mistiming and Dolby Vision Metadata Error. The major difference is the cause of the issue.

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• Color Mistiming
• Possible Cause: wrong color setting in camera, wrong color temperature lighting, poor color correction during grading session.
• Color shift is present in both HDR and SDR
• Dolby Vision Metadata Error
• Possible Cause: wrongly input metadata for color space. Wrong edit point of SDR trim-down metadata cause abrupt shift in the color/luminance in SDR video.
• Color shift is present only in SDR

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Color Mistiming

Location, weather, the time in a day, emotion, and the story plot influence the color, so cross check if color change makes sense. Color mistiming can be detected in the different shots that are supposed to be in the similar set up or…(cont.)

Color Mistiming

can be even present in the same shot. In the latter case, color mistining can be perceived as abrupt color shift.

Color Mistiming

When in doubt, by using split screen to compare the suspicious shots is the easiest way to spot this error.

Dolby Vision Metadata Error

When Color/Luminance shift is detected on SDR, check HDR video and also the edit point of SDR trim metadata. There is still a learning curve when mastering HDR/SDR, so please put extra care.

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Video Artifact

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LARGE noticeable video artifacts can be present in anime, and we want them flagged. Artifacts might happen in live action, but should only be flagged if they are noticeable/disruptive to the naked eye. Vivid mode in your monitor would emphasize an artifact to be spotted easier.

‘Missing Content - Effects’ in M&E QC

• Always check Optional tracks thoroughly before flagging missing effects in M&E QC such as vocalizations/ kissing sounds/ distinct mouth noises found over dialogue or very close to dialogue in the Printmaster.

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• Such effects should preferably not be mixed together with other Optional elements like discernible walla, foreign language dialogue etc. and if found otherwise, such flags should carry clear description to indicate the issue. This could also be an FYI instead of an Issue based on context available.
• E.g. Kissing sounds found in OPT A but mixed together with walla.

Printmaster

M&E

Example - Kissing sound effect on the cheek is missing in the M&E

‘Missing Content - Effects’ in M&E QC

Missing effects that are blatantly noticeable as in the adjacent example must always be flagged as M&E Integrity issues and,

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if such effects are present on the Printmaster,

• Also to be flagged as an M&E Comparative issue.

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If such effects are missing on the Printmaster,

• To be flagged as an M&E Comparative issue along with clear description that the issue is consistent with the Printmaster.

Example - Missing effects of man closing the car door and opening the other

‘Missing Content - Effects’ in M&E QC

This is a non-actionable flag as it is consistent with Printmaster and also the action takes place off-screen, so it cannot be conclusively determined that the hand hits any hard surface.

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Missing Effects flags that are consistent with the Printmaster are actionable ONLY if

• The miss in the Printmaster is plot-pertinent, OR
• Missing ambience/walla significantly that impacts the believability of the mixes.

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• in other words, think of it as issues that could also merit a potential Printmaster Integrity flag.

Example - Missing sound effect of hand on the desk

Audio Artifacts - Audio Tick

Audio Tick is an audible artifact usually caused by edits that cut in between samples or peaks of an audio track and cause the output speakers to change voltage abruptly.

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To ensure actionable flags,

• Waveform visualization can help look for any short and clear spikes to confirm the presence and impact.

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To eliminate false positives,

• Look for any onscreen action that could be interpreted as a Tick, such as slight movement of characters, rustling sounds, tongue clicks etc.
• Instances of mouth noise, fire crackling, footsteps off-screen etc. are a few examples of false positives often flagged as Audio Ticks.

Example - Loud audio tick heard before the words ‘Tab Mujhe..’

Audio Artifacts - Abrupt Audio Edit

• While Audio Ticks primarily impact the technical quality of the asset and are usually noticeable in addition to the expected audio treatment and not necessarily disrupt the creative intent, Abrupt Audio Edit or Upcut issues almost always have a direct bearing on the listener and negatively impact the listener experience.

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In the adjacent example, an abrupt edit/interruption in the music is noticeable around the shot change at 00:17:38:03 (SMPTE TC) and sounds disruptive to the creative intent in the scene.

Example - Abrupt edit in the music at 00:17:38:03

Audio Artifacts - Audio Dropout/Mute

"Audio Dropout/ Mute" is the complete lack of audio signal in an audio mix, channel or track.

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• Check waveforms/ audio meter for complete dropouts in audio to confirm that the issue is actually not a creative dip in levels.
• Depending on where they are located within the content, Audio Dropout issues (such as the above example) could potentially be Blocker flags in cases where they directly result in loss of creative intent.

Example - Audio dropout at 00:02:18:14

‘Sync - Dialogue’ - ADR Issues

On-screen characters that may be out of focus or being shown in a reverse angle shot also must be carefully monitored for ADR sync issues and must be flagged if found to be jarring for the viewer and/or negatively impacting the creative intent in the scene.

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In the adjacent example, the woman shown in the reverse angle shot is the central character of the show and the only character speaking through the sequence of shots.

Example - Dialogue delayed by nearly 1 second - noticeable near '..single or famous..'

‘Sync - Dialogue’ - ADR Issues

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• Loose dialogue/ lip sync mismatch issues must be flagged accordingly in the description so as to clearly distinguish from a sync offset.

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• Check whether ADR starts and stops in sync with mouth movement. Some ADR issues may be less disruptive in such cases and can be FYI flags.

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In the adjacent example, the dialogue from the woman on the right is clearly out of sync and does not match the on-screen mouth movement.

Example - Lip movement does not fit the dialogue heard - woman on the right speaks to the driver

M&E vs PM level issue

• Audio level issue can be categorized into “True Peak Out of Spec” “Audio Skip” “Low Level Audio” “Audio Level Shift Change” The major differences are in the outcome of the error.

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• True Peak Out of Spec
• Possible Cause: Poor mixing/mastering
• Audio true peaks are above -2dBFS (+18dB above -20dBFS reference) outlined in the Netflix specifications.
• Low Level Audio
• Possible Cause: Poor recording/mixing.
• There are audio tracks or segments peaking at noticeably lower levels, making portions of the intended mix partially inaudible.
• Audio Level Shift Change
• Possible Cause: Poor mixing.
• Level shift happens abruptly on a cut or audio levels are very noticeably different from their previous level.