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General HQC Guidelines

1. Metadata Verification:

a. Opening Credits/Episode Name: Check for accuracy and completeness of credits/episode title.

b. Synopsis: Check for accuracy of the supplied episode & series synopsis.

c. Language: Check the metadata language matches the language of the MO.

Content considerations will list any exceptions; i.e. same synopsis for both series & episode, different language etc.

2. Video:

a. Video Check (Spot Check): Verify video quality at each checkpoint, ensuring consistency. Check for any issues with interpolation, blanking or other issues. Note AQC results for extended blacks.

Typical checkpoints for TV content would be:

  • Start of asset: 2 minutes (or until end of opening credits, whatever is longer)
  • 50% Duration: 1 minute
  • 75% Duration: 1 minute
  • End of asset: 2 minutes before end credits until the end of the file

Step through 50-75 frames to check for duplicate frames, frame blending etc.

Typical checkpoints for Feature content would be:

  • Start of asset: 3 minutes (or until end of opening credits, whatever is longer)
  • 25% Duration: 2 minutes
  • 50% Duration: 2 minutes
  • 75% Duration: 2 minutes
  • End of asset: 3 minutes before end credits until the end of the file

Step through 50-75 frames to check for duplicate frames, frame blending etc.

Content considerations will list any exceptions; i.e. best available.

3. Audio and Subtitles:

a. Audio Check (Throughout): Verify audio quality at each checkpoint, ensuring consistency. Check for any issues with balance, volume, or synchronisation. Note AQC results for mute sections.

b. Subtitle/Captions Check (Throughout): Verify the accuracy and synchronisation of subtitles/captions at each checkpoint and also to ensure proper formatting. Note any AQC errors for line & character count and duration.

Subtitles vs Captions vs SDH Subtitles: Subtitles translate the dialogue/narrative. Captions are the text version of the spoken content in the language of the medium. Captions can also contain non-dialogue information such as sound effects, music and speaker identification. SDH Subtitles assume the end user cannot hear the dialogue & include important non-dialogue information such as sound effects, music and speaker identification.

Content considerations will list any exceptions; i.e. best available.

4. Rejections:

a. HQC Fail: Provide as much information as possible. For example, if there is interpolation, set TC in & TC out where it is most noticeable.

b. AQC Fail: If any AQC fails are not fixable in house, timecodes must be supplied for video/audio errors. For subtitle/caption fails, provide event/line numbers (as well as timecodes where possible) as well as the information on what the fail is. For example, caption at Event 2 (00:00:20:18) has 4 lines.

c. Metadata Fail: If any metadata fails are not fixable in house, provide as much information as possible. For example, episode synopsis & name are not correct. episode name in video is "The Master". metadata episode name is "Hellmouth".

d. Breakpoint Fail: If any partner supplied breakpoints are not suitable, continue creating breakpoints that meet the required spec but ultimately, fail the asset and provide as much information as possible. For example, partner supplied breakpoint at 00:25:24:00 is not usable as in middle of scene.

Rush (24hr/48hr) F3: This content should always use partner supplied breakpoints even if out of spec, excluding start and end of file breakpoints.