High Definition? I Think So!

With quality becoming a growing requirement for not only films but photography as well, we find ourselves trying to obtain the highest quality footage possible. This applies differently to real life than it does to RuneScape (or any other game), so I'm going to be explaining both, and let the secrets about quality be revealed!

Quality of video is done in multiple ways, just as everything else in post production is done. However, you have to ask yourself if the quality of your work needs to be increased or just tweaked. Small tweaks like lighting and little color corrections can be done in programs like AFX, Vegas, Photoshop, etc. However, if you really want to make the quality crisper, clearer and ultimately better you need to look at quality in a different perspective. From now on, think quality as size.

What I mean by size is that the dimensions of your video are most likely going to determine the quality as well. Sure, you need to have good lighting, good camera angles, but those are on-set issues that the cinematographer needs to deal with. Your job as the editor is to ensure that from what was captured on the camera, whether it be a film or digital, the quality is never diminished. To do this, you need to examine the dimensions of the video!

Explanation for real life filming:
 To make it simple and clear, you need to shoot the footage in the dimensions you wish to edit it in. It is vital that the editor, director, and cinematographer discuss the dimensions that the film is going to be shot in. In most feature film cases, the dimensions are 1920x1080 and up to 4K and so on. If you shoot in those dimensions, then edit in those dimensions, then render in those dimensions, you will lose no dimensional quality and have a very large image for the audience to view. This works to your advantage as well, because most of your audience isn't going to be viewing your material on an IMAX screen, so your film may be re-sized, and if it is re-sized proportionally, your quality will look better and better. This also applies to photography. See the image below for an example.

Example image used from DigitalTrends

                                                   

Explanation for in-game filming:

For RuneScape (or any other game, but I chose RuneScape since it's the easiest to explain example), you need to approach the filming side differently. Due to the fact that what you're recording is on the screen, it limits your options when it comes to F-Stop, shutter speed, etc. However, quality will never have to be an issue if you know what you're doing! Basically, RuneScape has a maximum display size of 1920x1080, which coincidentally (or not so coincidentally) is 1080p. However, if you want to lower your file size dramatically, and lower your quality somewhat, you can also record in 720p (1280x720). I personally recommend 720p because it offers very nice quality, fairly low file sizes, and the option have your videos played in HD on YouTube. The nice thing about Camtasia is that you can record in any dimensions you would like, however to follow HD and NTSC guide lines, I'd recommend you record in 640x480, 1280x720, or 1920x1080. Below is an image to show you what it looks like to record in 720p and 1080p with Camtasia in RuneScape.

720p recording

1080p recording

In conclusion, recording in the dimensions you want is just as important as rendering in the dimensions you want. It's important to know what the dimensions mean and what they are doing, and I hope this helped you understand that. Not only does this apply to real life filming, but in-game recording as well, so feel free to use this information for any type of screen recording! Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions feel free to ask.