Ok, lets talk about size.  It matters.  Since I deal mainly with Avids that's what we are going to stick with.  If you have anyother info or corrections just email me or leave it on the BBS and I'll update this.

The numbers I am going to spout off my seem a bit high but these are the figures I use.   For creating stills I use 720 x 540.   So you thought tv was 300 x200?  Well technically it is.  What you have to remember tho is that TV is interlaced.  So we double the lines.

Hey that only adds up to....SHUT UP!!!  You need to accommodate the overscan.   That makes up the rest of the pixels.  Feel better?  When it comes to creating graphics I usually turn on the rulers in photoshop (cmd or ctr R) and plot out an inch all the way around the composition.   That is my safe line.

Animations are another story.  The secret to animations is choosing the correct compressor.  When in a graphics program that lets you make movies (usually with quicktime) you can usually choose a codex.  If you are using an Avid then make sure you choose the Avid codex.  It usually says something like Media Composer or Avid Quick-Time in the codex list.  Once you select them it should ask you what AVR you plan on rendering with.  The trick to remember is that for some reason known only to the creators of Avid you need to use 720 x 486 as the size of your composition.   I have know ideal why this is.  It just is.  If you do not use this size when you import the movie into Avid it can take 15-30 min just to import.  If you use the correct size & codex then you are looking at :30 sec import times :)

The last thing people ask is how to deal with interlace.  Truth is I never worry about it.  Maybe I should?  The problem is that Avid interlaces the pictures as it imports so I never worry about it.  Programs like After Effects let you specify emphasis on odd or even fields but I never render with interlace options enabled.  I just let the Avid worry about it.  I am smart when I make my graphics tho....I remember that half of my composition will be missing (every other line) at any one line, so to avoid flicker I make sure my work is at least 2 pixels thick...preferably more.   My other way to reduce flicker to look at the colors in photoshop.  When I pick a color I look by the sample box to the right of the color palette.  When you choose to big of a color depth it gives a little warning symbol.  Pick colors that don't give you that symbol and they will usually be screen safe.

Anyway that's all I have on this subject.  Do you want some screen shots with this?  Any changes?  Let me know...else have at it!