This IS the Avid L2: Re: [Avid-L2] Arri Alexa and or Amira "Upscaling" for True 4K not acceptable for Netflix?

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Re: [Avid-L2] Arri Alexa and or Amira "Upscaling" for True 4K not acceptable for Netflix?

On that link below, go:

Original Content > Features and Series Production Requirements
and
Original Content > Documentaries and Stand-Ups Production Requirements

Then on each web page, click on the link to the PDFs. Camera requirements are on the first page.

jim feeley
pov media
word image sound

On May 4, 2016, at 12:35 PM, paulsulsky@comcast.net wrote:

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the link. I believe I've gone completely through this document and can not find a camera list. They accept HD, UHD and 4K.

Netflix: Full Technical Specifications and Operators Manual Version 7.2

From the manual:

• Netflix requires files to be delivered in their original aspect ratio. Netflix will not accept a 4x3 version

when a 16x9 version was originally created.

• Up-resing of content is prohibited. SD sources cannot be used to create HD deliverables. 4K video must

come from a true 4K source and maintain unity in 4K throughout the entire post-production pipeline.

• Source material must be of a quality that is equal to or greater than that of the chosen Netflix

specification. Example: 15mbit Long GOP HD Mpeg2 cannot be used to create 80 mbit I-Frame HD Mpeg2

or ProRes HQ.

Do you remember which PDF you found this in?

Paul

From: "Jim Feeley jfeeley@gmail.com [Avid-L2]" <Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com>
To: "Avid-L2" <Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 4, 2016 2:49:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Avid-L2] Arri Alexa and or Amira "Upscaling" for True 4K not acceptable for Netflix?

Here are the latest posted specs for Netflix Original documentaries, which look to be the same as for Netflix Originals features and series. Note the rather limited list of acceptable cameras. Copied & Pasted from a PDF...sorry about the goofy formatting:

-----
Camera Requirements

● 4K is a requirement:
○ Camera must have a true 4K (4096 pixels wide) sensor that can output an image raster of true 4K to Camera RAW format.

■ Approved cameras:

● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Sony F55
Sony F65
RED Epic Dragon

RED Weapon

Panasonic VariCam 35

Canon C500
Canon C300 Mark II

○ Must shoot at a minimum of true 4K resolution.
■ Shooting at a higher resolution is acceptable.

• ● Recording format:

• ○ Must be shot in the camera's RAW format, at a minimum of 12 bit log (or 16 bit linear) and a

maximum compression ratio of 6:1.

• ○ Must maintain the widest / native color space in camera. No looks or color correction should

be baked into the camera RAW files.

• ● Must maintain all file metadata.

-----

So I suspect that if you upconverted to 4K, Netflix might take a peak at either your camera rental receipts or your metadata and then get royally pissed off.

Things are (or at least were a little while ago) different for licensed content.

You can find the various Netflix specs and stuff here:
https://backlothelp.netflix.com/hc/en-us/categories/202282037-SPECIFICATIONS-GUIDES

I'm lightly acquainted with a couple people at Netflix, one an engineer. Seems to me they're fairly sharp and open to input (at this point). And my impression/guess is that marketing may play a role in the 4K requirement.

jim feeley
pov media
word image sound

On May 4, 2016, at 7:29 AM, john beck jb30343@windstream.net [Avid-L2] <Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

I suspect it would. The sad thing is that once it is compressed to 10
mbps or less it would almost certainly look worse than the HD image
compressed to the same bit rate. --J.B.

oliverpeters@oliverpeters.com [Avid-L2] wrote:
>
>
> Some folks have suggested that if you upconvert HD to 4K (especially
> if the camera masters were 4K or from a high quality image, like an
> ALEXA) and then added true 4K film grain to the image, that it would
> pass QC. I'm not sure whether or not that's true nor if anyone has
> actually tried it.
>
> Oliver
>