Frames per second is a Real-Time Engine term in filmmaking. In virtual production, the nuances of this term take on special meaning. Here, we break down the definition to give you a starting point.
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It defines the speed of a motion picture camera, or in other words how many frames are rendered within a certain time period. It can also be used to measure the rendering speed of real-time engines and if done correctly, should never run slower than the capture rate of the camera.
Accurately measuring FPS is extremely important when it comes to virtual production as having too few frames will cause choppy visuals and having too many frames will waste unnecessary resources like processing power and render nodes. Knowing the exact frame rate of your project allows you to maintain maximum efficiency without compromising quality.
A number of software programs can be utilized to edit the frame rates of projects depending on what best suits the scene. Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid Media Composer are just some popular choices available. The most common measures for FPS include 24p, 25p, 30p, 60i, 50i, and 59i which refer to progressive scan formats with increasing degrees of resolution and quality.
It's always best practice to start by researching the specific video requirements before diving into FPS editing. To ensure high-quality output and avoid wasting resources, utilize visual guides to keep track of playback performance such as ghosting artifacts or low contrast ratios. Additionally, make sure that all computing equipment involved meets the minimum recommended specifications for optimal results.