The Nuts & Bolts
Items about what we do and with what

We deliver to most UK video formats

Vimeo Pro is our preferred video server for our own video samples and for clients looking to host their video on other than their own server. There is better opportunity to update the original video upload at a later date. The platform appears to be more stable, a fairly quick support response is available, with a larger community of professional users.

For upload to the internet we would recommend the H.264 codec in a MP4 wrapper, preferable at 50fps keeping the original frame rate if possible, although some may prefer 25fps or 24fps. It's a matter of preference and dependent to a degree upon the content. To our mind there is little difference to be seen between 25/24fps although some believe it's 24fps that makes video look like film - we disagree. There are a number of elements that contribute to the cinematic style beyond it being simplistically a low frame rate. The following video is at 50fps but maintains a cinematic quality: Glider Mile High Flying

Depending upon the size of the video file (a 20 minute 1080p HD documentary using H.264 MP4, at 20Mbps sampling will be approximately 2GB) we often deliver on Flash Memory Stick. For a broadcast package using MXF 4:2:2 10-bit file formats we deliver on SSD hard drive. 

© Spare Wheel Productions

 

Do you need a wider audience for your product or service, project or idea?

If you are looking to enter the video-production world for the first time, or again to a higher level, then we welcome your contact - happy to discuss your requirement at no cost for a first meeting and specified quotation.

Photographic stills accomplish most objectives, but radically fail to deliver movement within its environment, texture and often context - video production captures this function to the fullest extent.

  • Spare Wheel Productions undertakes the entire video production workflow.
  • Our style is short-form video documentary up to 20 minutes in length, but whatever your project we can add the professional point of view.
  • Costs can be matched to budget, but for many not previously exposed to professional video production, prices remain realistic and often negotiable.
  • Video and audio production material is to UK broadcast standards throughout. We can agree most professional formats and methods of delivery.
  • We promise a jargon-free zone in our discussions, to help straighten what you previously thought might be a winding way.

© Spare Wheel Productions

From idea or script to the finished product, not really that much of brain curler by any stretch of the imagination.

Our clients often ask us to document a project. For example the North Level District Internal Drainage Board, in 2010, approached us with an idea to document the whole year of projects being undertaken - it was to be a video story of their work throughout the year which gave reason and understanding of what they do - far more than many people imagine. The result was a unique 19-minute video called Capital & Maintenance Works 2010-2011. At the time it was one of the first among the drainage boards in the UK and was well received; and a project we personally enjoyed being involved with.

But in more recent times, Spare Wheel Productions were engaged on a number of other major refurbishment projects for North Level spread over a number of weeks. The results are on our front page for all to see. We were also lucky to engage the services of television presenter and one-time presenter of the BBC's Tomorrow's World, Adam Hart-Davis, who expressed an interest in what North Level District IDB were doing.

The results were far better than we might have wished for, especially as our other material highlighting the flooded Whittlesey Washes in 2014 was shot well-over a year previous.

Our thanks to Ed Johnson, Operation Manager, and the North Level team for making the job, once again, an easy and enjoyable experience.

© Spare Wheel Productions

 

Sony PXM FS7 camera

 

In 2015 Spare Wheel Productions purchased the Sony FS7 with the 28-135mm lens kit -  plus all the other bells and whistles needed to complete the rig. By far this was the biggest single purchase we had made for a while. And we are glad we did.

The camera has proved itself consistently over the last year. Completed the documentary projects for the North Level District IDB, the Peterborough & Spalding Gliding Club using its smooth high frame rate shooting (HFR - slow motion playback), and two other independent clients - more about this later.

The camera is a beast functionally, but sufficiently nuanced. Even at a total of almost 8Kg on the shoulder it is surprisingly nimble for me a 5ft 6inch going-on-in-years female, but one familiar with ENG shooting techniques. Its biggest advantage is shooting in what Sony call the Cine EI colour-space using the Slog3 curve, which makes those harsh highlights roll gently off in the wake of its wide dynamic range.

Camera shown is equipped with the Sennheiser EW112 G3 radio mic receiver and on-camera Sony mic with Rycote. We take audio seriously too.

© Spare Wheel Productions