Which codec to use in Filmic Pro?

[Ambrosia7177]

Which codec should I choose in Filmic Pro?

This seems to be a deep topic, but the little bit I picked up while watching YouTube videos and reading online, sorta points towards AAC, but it's not entirely clear to me.

I see people saying one place that only AAC works and then others saying the exact opposite.

This includes people saying with AAC they can see video but not hear audio, and then the exact opposite where people cannot see the video but can hear the audio?!

Things appear to be further complicated between Windows and mac users.

I am doing this on my iPhone and then will be editing video (and audio) in Final Cut Pro X.

My target audience will likely be on YouTube, but I might also put these videos straight up on my website, and you just never know how else you might want to use things - especially if they become popular.

I would say that I want my videos to be mobile-friendly as well as working well on desktops.

The main thing is I don't want to go on my roadtrip, shoot a thousand interviews, and then get home to find out my videos and audio are FUBARed?!

Suggestions?

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

AAC is fine. YouTube will only allow certain formats, AAC among them AFAIK, and won’t allow an upload if it’s not in the correct format. On your website you would just embed the YouTube links (IMO).

 

[Ambrosia7177]

AAC is fine. YouTube will only allow certain formats, AAC among them AFAIK, and won’t allow an upload if it’s not in the correct format. On your website you would just embed the YouTube links (IMO).

If I ever did choose another audio codec that didn't play well with whatever, would I lose the audio, or would it just mean I need to convert things?

For example, let's say I shot a video using AIFF or PCM...

Could I just convert that later?

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Yes

 

[sevoneone]

Are you going direct from your device to the web/YouTube, or always editing in FCP first? I'd lean towards AIFF or PCM if you're going to FCP every time. When you export your finished video from FCP, it will convert the audio to a format suitable format for the web/YouTube anyway.

The number one thing that will set the baseline perceived quality of your production is audio. It's easy to ignore and it is easy to accidentally mess up, especially in a one man production. Especially since you're doing interviews. Ask yourself, what happens if there is a glitch or problem with the image or lighting right in the middle of a great soundbite from an interview? What can you do? Easy, you can cover it with B-Roll, Still Image or stock footage and no one ever knows... What happens if something goes wrong with the audio and you can't fix it? You're SOL.

AAC is a lossy compressed format, meaning some of the data is quantized and thrown out. AIFF/PCM is a lossless uncompressed format. It's like comparing a still image JPEG to TIFF. They might look/sound the same, but only the lossless format still has every pixel/sample. The downside to PCM is it will use more storage space, but nothing compared to the overall video file.

Say you are interviewing someone and something goes wrong with the mic, or you forget check a setting and the audio get's recorded very low or quiet, or there is an annoying hum you didn't notice. Neither format is going to be completely forgiving, but, when you go to turn up the gain or remove the noise in Final Cut, the compressed format is not going to have all the data to make it sound as good as you possibly can. The compression algorithm assumed that was how you wanted the audio to sound while recording, that there is no possible way you'd want or desperately need to max out the gain later, and it dumped all the information except for what it needed to make it sound decent at the current level. With PCM, every single bit and sample is there and will give you the best possible end result.

Consider that most prosumer and many consumer cameras that shoot a highly compressed video format like H.264 or HVEC still capture uncompressed PCM audio. Most professionals will tell you audio quality is magnitudes more important than video. You'll never see any professional cutting corners on audio to benefit video quality. If I was doing field interviews and you gave me the choice between shooting with a 15 year old, tape based 1080p camera with a scratched lens and top-notch audio gear -OR- a brand new Arri Alexa with a prime lens set that has its own home mortgage and average audio gear... I'd be on Amazon looking for who was still selling HDV/DV tapes. Or selling a kidney to buy my own audio gear to go with the Alexa.

TLDR: Prioritize your audio. Higher quality is always worth all the benefits.