Project Deliverables
3D Digital imagery can be delivered in many formats – prints, animations on a website, DVDs. This sections covers how to choose and the relative merits of each option.
Deliverable is the rather generic sounding term used to denote on what medium and in what format a 3D imaging project will be delivered. As discussed elsewhere in this guide, it’s best to decide what the deliverable will be at the beginning of a project. This is because sometime, though by all means not always, there can be extra costs associated with changing the deliverable.
The choice of final deliverable is tied to the deliverable type (for example still versus animation). Other factors that affect choice are the target audience and method of distribution. Here’s a list of the most common deliverables associated with 3D architectural imaging:
- Digital Still Image Files – This is the format for 3D Renderings that will be displayed on digital devices – for example on computer monitors, TVs and projectors. Images seen on websites and within a PowerPoint presentation are all digital still image files. Common file formats are JPG, GIF and PNG.
- Hard Copy Prints – For example 8 x 10 prints on glossy paper. The printing process used depends largely on the budget and how many prints are needed. 3D images intended for print are usually written in the TIFF file format.
- Digital Animation & Video Files – This is the format for motion files that will be displayed on a digital device like computer monitors or projectors. Common examples are animations and videos that are seen on a website or as part of a PowerPoint projection. Common file formats are MPEG, AVI and FLV
- DVD – Stands for Digital Video Disc. This is a great method of distributing video content, especially when a video is too large to view reliably on the web. Mass production of DVDs is pretty economical of
- CD – Stands for Compact Disc. CDs can be mass produced and distributed to an audience for playback on computers. This format is almost obsolete, having been replaced by web-based distribution, which can make the same content and interactivity available online, without the added cost of CD duplication.
