Submitting music for TV

[chribble]

What is the max DB limit we should be hitting for

1) Filmclips
2) Advertisements

I have had some audio for videoclips turned down to peak at -6db and others at -12db

If I am submitting to a client, what DB peak should I be limiting at? And should I be juicing that RMS as if it were hitting a CD or keeping more transients?
Assuming this were to be used on a commercial.

[peat]

depends on the 'deliverables' which should be provided somehow by the client

i have a friend who works in post, and every output bus has a brick wall at -10dBFS, and says he stays well clear of that anyway

also mentioned it changes depending on the client

[musikwerks]

Always -10 limit for TV.... no exceptions. Also, you're not really supposed to hammer it into -10, just occasional peaks.

It shouldn't change depending on the client.... it's a SMPTE/EBU standard. There's also OP48 (operational practice 48) to take into consideration in Australia. It was drafted to combat the apparent loudness of commercials in comparison to TV shows. It's unenforceable but exists nonetheless.

PSP Xenon plug in has a great TV limiter preset. I use it all the time.

You should probably get your masters QC'd before submitting to the network to ensure they conform with broadcast standards. Every master I make gets that done as a precaution. Nothing more embarrassing or costly than having a master rejected the day before broadcast. Also, some broadcasters won't accept a master unless a report is attached to it.

[Chinagraf]

The OP48 specs are available online. Google it if you want to have read and a good laugh. Vaguest hotch potch of random terms thrown together by someone who has no understanding of the mixing process ever.
Also worth mentioning, depending on what you are doing.... audio on tv commercials has to have 1/2 second silence at the head and tail. It has gotten a lot stricter in this recently, although why we need it in this day and age is beyond me
AS far as music mix for tv, print to around -8 to minus 6 on the peaks. That is assuming it will be put into a post sound mix and the engineer there will control the final level. So, the level you print at will not be the final overall master level anyway. If the music mix is being restriped straight to the master without a sound mix then -10 it is.
CD's for clients....get them as hot as you can without destroying the audio. Most of them do not realize there is a volume control on their hifi/computer.

[musikwerks]

Andy is correct... 12 frames of silence at the start and at the end.

Also correct on how ridiculous OP48 is.

[chribble]

Thankyou everyone

Brilliant info.

[rob]

OP48 seems to make sense to me...don't do shit to make it sound bad!

the only other pointy nosed thing they could have looked at if concerned about TV ads and loudness is to have specified a crest factor, but this does get tricky and hell, who has the metering to measure crest factors

[musikwerks]

More importantly, who cares about crest factor? Try getting an ad agency "creative" interested in a crest factor. No way it's gonna happen unless it has a line of coke on top of it.

[Adam Dempsey]

More importantly, who cares about crest factor? Try getting an ad agency "creative" interested in a crest factor. No way it's gonna happen unless it has a line of coke on top of it.

or if you (we) put it in a $ formula:
lower crest/peak-average => louder => even louder & distorted on air => more annoying => "consumers" (people) more inclined to turn it down or switch channels => less revenue.
At least, I'm yet to see any evidence to the contrary.

A performer wanting to hush down a room of noisy, ignorant punters need only play softly (assuming they're there for the music).