If you are hiring a video production company to make a video for you, one question that will come up is what your final deliverable format should be. These are some of the file specifications so you can better understand what that format is and the questions being asked of you.

Frame Size

Frame sizes are typically an HD or 4K format if the video is being used for television, but with more content going onto social media the frame size question can be up for debate. Some clients want a video in a square format for sites like Instagram, while others want vertical video for ads in Snapchat. Make sure you understand where your video will be played and what resizes will be necessary, since it is common for videos to shoot in multiple formats now.

Frame Rate

Frame rate is important to know, but the good thing is that it can be modified. Many broadcast stations use 30fps for commercials, but can accept a 24fps spot and simply convert the frame rate. The difference is the look and feel of a video, with the latter feeling more cinematic and the former looking more like home video. Make sure you know if there are any frame rate requirements before you begin production.

Video Codec

Your video distributor will likely have a preference about which video codec is used to compress the video. If they are asking for a ProResHQ or DNxHD file, this means they are asking for a master format that offers the least amount of compression, which is typically done so the distributor can make the correct file.  

If your distributor needs an MP4 or H.264, they are likely asking for a file that can be used online and uploaded directly to social media since it is a compressed format. Compressed formats also have a variety of different settings, which include quality settings for audio and video known as the bitrate. Make sure you understand what those are since they impact the file size.

Audio

While you can't go wrong with a file that contains stereo audio, there can be requirements about audio levels. Broadcast stations have requirements over how loud a commercial can be for when it is shown on TV, and content for the web is designed to be louder for people's phone or computer speakers.  

Reach out to your video production company like Digital Entertainment Productions if you have questions about the deliverable format of your video.