Codec workflow

I was hoping I could get some commentary / pointers on my current video production workflow.
I'm shooting Panasonic gh4. Mostly shoot in 4k at 100mbs.
Stabilize native footage in after effects then render to dnxhd 10 bit 444 at 1080p.
Color correct and add effects then render to avi uncompressed.
Finally I take all these rendered avi clips into premiere where I piece them together, sometimes do some curves adjustments to match each other, sometimes add adjustment layer with lut coloring, then render into delivery codec, usually h.264.
If I had to guess I would say that the avi uncompressed is probably a waste of space. Maybe render again to dnxhd before importing to premiere? I realize that I could just import the ae project file, but sometimes that can be jerky depending on what all I did to it, but plus my machine renders quick anyway so render time isn't a huge issue.
I'm just basically looking for the best workflow for my specific situation, as I'm a one man show here.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Another option I was thinking would be to stabilize footage in 4k, stay with the 4k but render a proxy to work on in terms of color correcting / grading / effects, then render to dnxhd and move to premiere.
But my theory against that is the rendering 4k to 1080p dnxhd is going to get me some 444 footage which would offer greater latitude in terms of color correction and grading...

Similar Messages

  • Multiple cameras & codecs, workflow ideas plz

    Hello
    I need your suggestions please. My son attends a school of over 1100 students. He is in his grade 12 year. He plans to attend Prom. The graduation class will be approximately 150 plus their dates. I'd like to create a video montage of school activities -- from sports to art to $#@&... to play in the background at Prom while the students assemble and before dinner, about 90 minutes.
    It will be impossible for me to attend all the activities let alone video them. I'm thinking about asking the students to video their own activities using whatever method they have-- camera phone, flip recorders, HDD recorders or even camcorders. Here's the thing. How do I use the footage from many different sources in FCE 3.5.1? Avoid conversion problems etc., remain creative, and have acceptable quality. Should I get them to load their video on a large external Hard drive at school, and once a week transfer the video to my system. ? what about codec issues etc. Please make some suggestions on workflow and tech issues to overcome. Any ideas will be appreciated.
    Thanks
    Carl

    Just to chime in...
    Chances are MPEG Streamclip + Flip4Mac + Perian will get you into a spot where you can at least open stuff to convert it. Brian Gary did an episode of MacBreak Studio that will help you out with this part of it http://www.pixelcorps.tv/macbreak_studio019
    That being said, the one media source you'll want to avoid is a camera phone. In general the video capabilities of a camera phone are simply not acceptable(there are exceptions). They are often .avi files encoded in Cinepak at 320x240 - not what you want for production footage even in an amateur production. Your best source is going to be digital camera photos since even a small cheap camera takes still that are HD resolution (all you need a 2 megapixel camera or better). JPEGs import quite nicely into FCE. I've done highlight videos from church events and trips and without fail my best source ends up being photos. Digital cameras are ubiquitous so rely heavily on that.
    My other piece of advice would be to buy two hard drives actually. One for work, one for backup. This is an awesome project that you're doing (as one who works with teenagers I know the power and value of narrative video projects like this) but it's going to be stretched out over a long period of time so make sure you've got a backup of everything you do.
    Message was edited by: wallybarthman

  • Animation Codec w/photo slideshows

    I've read on here that using the Animation Codec with photo only slideshows works well. I'm trying it for the 1st time and having trouble playing it back. I keep getting the spinning wheel and dropped frames.
    My Macbook Pro has a 1.83 Ghz processor and I'm using an external hard drive for my scratch disk with my project file on my computer. Also have a firewire going through a Canopus converter to an external monitor. I've never had a problem before, but this Animation Codec is throwing something off.
    Here are screenshots of my settings... can someone tell what's going wrong here?
    [IMG]http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb441/cksearle/Picture3.png[/IMG]
    [IMG]http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb441/cksearle/Picture2.png[/IMG]
    [IMG]http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb441/cksearle/Picture1.png[/IMG]

    What do you recommend as a codec workflow for photo only slideshows going out to DVD?
    DV50. Low data rate, but good quality. As good as Uncompressed 8-bit. Animation simply is NOT a good codec for editing. Transferring from one app to another, yes. Editing, no. Who told you that? i'll smack them down...
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    Yup...you can only view DV with that converter...nothing else.
    Is there another way I can view my work on an external monitor w/o being limited to DV/NTSC?
    Yup...a CAPTURE CARD. AJA.com, Matrox.com, Decklink.com. But you will need a MacPro or MacBook Pro (w/express34 slot) in order for this to work. There are no options (cheap ones anyway) for iMacs or MacMinis.
    Just use DV50...but you will have to forget about being able to monitor that, unless you get a capture card.
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  • 5D Workflow Query

    I'm trying to work out the best workflow that will allow me to import 1080P H.264 QTs shot on 5D mkII, carry out my VFX work then export the finished 1080P shots with the least amount of compression ready to conform with non VFX & online. The animation or uncompressed YUV codecs would presumably have the least or no compression but they seems to produce a large file size that is clearly unnecessary when compared to the file size of the source QT. I'm concerned however that if I use the H.264 codec even with a sufficient data rate that I could still introduce compression artefacts into my shots. I don't necessarily want to open a can or worms with codecs etc but am just looking for some advice on codecs/workflows that are working for people right now who are in the same boat.
    Thanks!

    Hi Dave,
    Thanks for your response, I edit with Avid MC6, then once my frame ranges are confirmed I import the appropriate source QT that was shot on the 5D mkii into AE & trim my work area to the required frame range. I carry out any number & variety of VFX tasks but the actual processing speed of the application is not a major worry for me. It's when I then come to export the finished product that I am unsure about.
    When you say "you may be better served by getting out of H.264 as soon a possible" I had been given some advice about creating image sequences (.exr or .dpx) from the H.264 QTs & then to use them to work with in AE to avoid further compression but I didn't really understand that at the time. So in layman's terms it sounds like AE can struggle when working with footage compressed with codecs syuch as H.264 & if the footage is converted & then imported as an image sequence instead these compression issues are irradicated as in theory there is no longer any codec in the workflow at this point, correct?
    When it comes to exporting the finished shot then, to avoid an unwanted compression am I restricted to using codecs such as animation or uncompressed YUV or is there someway that I can somehow I can use a codec to try & match the true data rate of the information contained in the shot? Or once the original H.264 QT has been converted to the image sequence have I in effect reset the compression status of the shot with any previous compression artefacts now basically burnt in to the image?
    These may well be basic compression questions but it's only recently that I have been required to produce shots that are to be used to online with, I've been more in the offline relm so these issues aren't as critical.
    I hope I'm making sense with this.
    Thanks
    James

  • Consolidate and Transcode in Cineform workflow: A great feature... if it worked properly .

    Hello,
    So my company recently acquired 17 licences of Creative Cloud teams, we were all very excited for the new 2014 features and capabilities of Premiere Pro CC and the new cineform codec workflow, plus all the connection between video apps on Cc..
    Although it doesn't seem the most important feature, for us, the Project Manager on the presented cineform option of Consolidate and Transcode is a Big Deal for updating and preparing for archive older projects.
    But the thing does not work, and its warnings and results are anything but clear or functional.
    Example 1:
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    Example 2:
    Full HD project 1920*1080 progressive, mixed footage of Quicktime H264 (full hd) and RED 5120*2700, fails.. same error...
    Example 3:
    Full HD project, mixed footage 1920*1080, progressive jpeg sequence + MFX with fields.. fails.. same error..
    IF INSTEAD of choosing "match sequence" i choose "match individual clips" sometimes it works partially but some MXF´s are not converted (premiere does not say why on the Events panel) and those are copied in all the original format. It does not makes much sense.
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    So now.. the company is really happy.. happy they are on the 30 day full refund period, for 17 licences bought based on a workflow adobe promotes, but fails consistently on real world application.
    Help if possible is appreciated

    I'm having issues similar to the original poster.
    When I first saw "Consolidate" when it was released I was very pleased, but when I dug into it and found I HAD to transcode I became quickly frustrated.  I don't want to transcode the footage.  In my case, most of the time all my footage is already in the codec I want.  And if for some technical reason I have to transcode, the Project Manager will not see my ProRes Preset under Match:Individual Clips, even though it will see it under Match:Sequence.
    Trent, while I understand your explanation of Match:Sequence v. Match: Individual Clips, it doesn't work as advertised.  I have a simple, single layer sequence in Apple ProRes HQ, and all the clips are also ProRes HQ.  When I run "Consolidate and Transcode"/Match:Sequence on it, I get full copies of the source, not trimmed clips.  I may as well have run "Collect Files and Copy."  When I attempt to run "Consolidate and Transcode"/Match:Individual Clips, it won't recognize my ProRes imported preset, so I get trimmed clips, but at a lower resolution.  That's not acceptable.
    So now my single layer 1:20 sequence (no audio) that should have about 2.5 gigs of footage "consolidates" with 52gigs of source material.  We are needlessly filling up archive drives with gigs and gigs of unnecessary footage because Premier wouldn't, and now won't properly, consolidate projects.
    If I'm missing something please let me know, I've lost another half inch of hairline on this one.

  • Premiere Pro CS6 Positives...

    Can people chime in about their positive experiences with Premiere CS6?
    More things on this forum are negative rather then positive understanding that this is where people come for solutions to their problems.
    I am getting ready to install CS6 but wanted to hear if people are actually completing projects with CS6 or are they spending to much time chasing bugs?  My workflow at the moment is more HDV based but would like to hear ALL positive experiences.  Does the HDV workflow have any issues?
    Thanks!

    People who have no problems usually don't post here,  since they have no reason to ask for a solution to a problem they dont have. Well there are exceptions like myself. But in general that rule is valid.
    However, those that post here with a problem they want a solution for, are usually:
    MAC users. Mostly because they have to grow accustomed to native editing instead of ProRes or QT intermediates, or because of lacking technical expertise. MAC users are accustomed to plug in the wall outlet and everything works.
    Users that lack the expertise to use a pro application, because they do not understand the basics of video editing, codecs, workflow and make OE's all the time.
    Users that are looking for feature improvements.
    Users that have found a bug, or what they percieve to be a bug.
    It seems that MAC users have more problems than Windows users, but that may be related to point 1.
    Windows users seem to have less problems, but realize that Windows users are usually people who have upgraded, and thus had prior experience, while MAC users may well be new converts who need to get used to a different workflow than FCP.
    The last two categories are the most interesting, but even with the flurry of new posts, as happens everytime when a new version is released, I think that 99% of the discussions in the last month belong in the first two categories. From what I'm reading here, the CS6 release is stable, almost trouble free (as far as any program can be bug free) and a huge improvement over CS5.x.
    I have no gripes or bugs that stop or hinder me while working with CS6. I do have some concerns about performance, but nothing major. I have some feature requests, but again nothing major. I appreciate the added functionality, especially with HDV material where it no longer is required to turn off MPE to preview and export over firewire. It now works with hardware MPE on.

  • EX3 10bit? Final Cut 8bit?

    Hello Everyone
    I have recently filmed some green screen footage on Sony EX3. Which I'm assured by the Manufacturer is HD 4:2:2 10bit camera.
    I have imported the footage to FCP via Media Transfer. However when I play out the footage for my model maker (Who is working on PC based Cinema 4D) in image sequence PNG (millions of colours)
    The end result is only 8 bit frames not the required 10 bit.
    Has anyone else encountered a similar problem or any idea how to get my footage PNG in 10 bit quality?
    Thanks for your help
    Jeff

    Dear Andy
    Firstly many thanks for your speedy reply and to the point information. To be honest it is as I suspected, however I was rather confused by this reply from Sony:
    Dear Mr Leahy,
    Thank you for your email.
    The PMW-EX3 is 10 bits (interlaced) or 20 bits (progressive) camera. The transfer of the material from your PMW-EX3 to your computer is without any loss. The fact that it outputs 8 bit images, might related to the specifications of your computer or your software.
    Unfortunately the operation information you are asking is related to the functionality of FCP. We, as Sony PrimeSupport, can only give you information about the functionality and operation of the PMW-EX3. For information about the export options in FCP I have to ask you to contact Apple.
    Best Regards,
    Frank Sijm
    Sony PrimeSupport Engineer
    B2B service and support
    However I shall give up trying to get 10 bits out of current footage, so thanks for info. Once we start the project we intend to film the green screen straight onto the Mac Pro. I guess it’s a little cheeky but my partner and I were wondering what codec workflow you would recommend for 10 bit HD?
    Bearing in mind that I am working FCP (mac) & the models are Cimema 4D on AE (PC). We’ve been informed that the best codec’s are AVID.
    • Mac_AvidCodecsLE.zip
    codecHowever I’m having difficulty connecting these downloaded codecs to FCP? Do they have to be dragged into Compressor and files burnt? None of the recommended Avid codec’s appear in FCP?
    Anyway any help and advice much appreciated. And thanks again for putting us straight. Yours Jeff

  • Cannot play exported avi (uncompressed)

    Can anyone help ?
    After I export avi (uncompressed) from Premiere Pro, I try all media programs I have on my PC to open the file. I cannot open the file. Still, when I import this avi (uncompressed) file back in Premiere Pro , the aplication is able to play it back. All other export and encoding schemes work just fine. Only avi (uncompressed) export cannot be open.
    I appreciate any one that can help! Thanks a lot !

    My first question would be what is the purpose of the uncompressed AVI file? There are few reasons to work with such a massive file, so perhaps there is a better codec/workflow to look at for your needs.
    Thanks
    Jeff Pulera
    Safe Harbor

  • DVCPRO HD Workflow? What is the CODEC?

    What is the best or preferred workflow to edit and export the final project for highest quality output? Background: we shot our film on The HVX 200 - 24p, 16 x 9 - 720p. Our editor imported the files with this codec, however, I'm not confident that we are seeing the highest quality HD in the final product. How do check I if the codec is correct and what do I export to for the highest HD output?
    Your help is greatly appreciated.
    Paul

    The client did not specify a specific output other that simply "The Best". I realize that does not help
    Not at all. Ignorant clients make things difficult. They need to choose a format...and they need to make an informed choice on that format. First off, find out what formats these festivals take...that is crucial.
    The client did not specify a specific output other that simply "The Best". I realize that does not help
    As I stated, DVCPRO HD 720p24.
    what should we be exporting the final to for highest quality? DVCPRO HD tape is the best I can do?
    Again, depends on what people want and will accept. HDCAM SR is the best you can export...but that is HIGHLY expensive and very FEW companies and festivals have those decks. DVCPRO HD deck will record in the EXACT SAME quality that you shot, so that will be pretty good. But it sounds like you too are a bit in the dark about working with HD. I highly suggest hiring an HD Consultant (post facility) before you get in too deep. Relying on forums for basic support is good, but are full of people who might not know what they are talking about. And I only go so far as I earn a living as a consultant.
    Shane

  • Need Help Determining Least Common Demoninator for Frame Rate, Codec, and Workflow

    I need help determining the best timeline setting and Compressor workflow to integrate footage with varying frame rates and codecs that I'm currently upres'ing for a multi-camera concert performance destined for HD broadcast output. I'm assuming the network needs 29.97.
    Thus far, I've been working with Apple ProRes Proxy files to create lo-res edits. Now, I've started the task of offlining and ingesting new, HD clips from the proxy references. The content originates from either Panasonic HVX200 or Panasonic GH1 cameras.
    Looking at the material, it appears the cameras were not shooting with the same settings and, somehow, a PAL GH1 got into the mix. Some of the performances have the PAL GH1 and other do not.
    Here's the breakdown of the varying sources. I got this info from the Log & Transfer columns.
    HVX Cameras
    Format: 1080p24
    Source Format: DVCPRO HD 1080i60
    Shooting Rate: 24
    Vid Rate: 29.97
    TC Format: Non-Drop
    GH1 NTSC
    Format: 1080i60
    Source Format: AVCHD 1080i60
    Shooting Rate: 30
    Video Rate: 29.97
    TC Format: Drop
    GH1 PAL
    Format: 1080i50
    Source Format: AVCHD 1080i50
    Shooting Rate: 25
    Video Rate: 25
    TC Format: Non-Drop
    ANOTHER GH1 NTSC
    Format: 1080p24
    Source Format: AVCHD 1080p24
    Shooting Rate: 24
    Video Rate: 23.98
    TC Format: Non-Drop

    Call the TV station/network and get their spec sheet first. You need to know more than frame rate.
    Once you have that, you can work backwards to arrive at a workflow.
    As a general priniciple, you'll get a more seamless translation of format when you add frames rather than removing them. (eg 24p to 27.97 rather than 29.97 to 24p)
    At least all the material starts out in the 1080 world.
    Do all your conversions before you start editing. (I'd use ProRes or ProRes LT for the editing codec).
    Budget a bunch of time to sync the material or figure out a quick cutting style that minimizes sync drift.
    What a nightmare.
    x

  • Workflow question - film to AppleProRes or  intermediate codecs

    This is a followup to an earlier post from a few days ago. I'm looking for a little help with a post workflow and would appreciate any input.
    Super 35MM to HDcamSR - no problem. But for offline, I'm looking for best quality while being able to edit on MacBookPros without rendering headaches.
    I'm thinking HDV tape backups while having footage digitized to Apple Pro Res or Apple Intermediate codecs during telecine - are these, especially the proRes codec, too heavy for the laptops?
    Thanks guys!

    What was wrong with the answers given? DVCPRO HD 720p at 23.98 is the best way to go. ProRes is VERY heavy compared to DVCPRO HD. That is intended as a replacement codec for Uncompressed HD...not as an offlining codec. Feature films cut on FCP all pretty much use DVCPRO HD. JARHEAD, ZODIAK, BENJAMIN BUTTON to name a few.
    DVCPRO HD is the offline HD codec of choice. And works grand on a Powerbook, and even better on a MacBook Pro.
    HDV would be the WORSE decision to make as an offline codec. It isn't an I-Frame format like HDCAM and DVCPRO HD are.
    I don't see what was wrong with the initial advice you were given.
    Shane

  • Workflow question - which codec to use?

    Starting a project and want to get a quick check before I possibly do something really dumb:
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    • Taking the resulting .mov (h264) and converting it in compressor to Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC)
    • Edit AIC files in Final Cut Pro 6
    • Once editing complete, make all clips Offline and reconnect original H264 files
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    • Final color correction in Color
    I'm a bit rusty in the video production arena and this is my first project shooting on a t2i. I am a bit unsure about the codec situation and finishing editing with the smallest amount of transcoding. I tested a few codecs and I found AIC to be the fastest and easiest to edit with minimal file size, but I have never used it before. Should I just convert the footage to ProRes and be done with it? I'm expecting a high shooting ratio on this project, so I would like to utilize an offline workflow if possible without crating a bunch of headaches down the road, though with drive prices what they are now, it's not a big deal anymore. I'm really just want to edit as quick as possible (minial rendering utilizing RT) while maintianing good quality (I know the client will be worried if I presented them a 50% quality Jpeg version of the current edit).
    Mac Pro 8-core 2.26 w/ 24GB RAM and 3 drive 3TB Internal RAID

    Thanks Mr. Ross and Mishmumken for the advice, will definetly do the ProRes route. A few final questions though:
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    2. Can you elaborate a bit, not sure what you mean by Roundtrip and what do I need to prep?
    mishmumken wrote:
    Just roundtrip your timeline but make sure you prep it before sending to Color: there are limitations ....
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  • Remote Voice Over Workflows using FCP - thoughts?

    I am going to try and keep this as simple as possible.
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    We edit these shows using FCP 7 amongst a few suites.
    I also do some offline content on my 17inch i7 MBP using FCP too.
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    I want to reduce my travel commitment by air, as in the past I have travelled weekly to commentate these shows (40+ shows a year!)
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    OPTION 1.
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    I copy the Quicktime MOV files that are for use in the shows to my external (eSATA) HD.
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    Then, I open this FCP Project File and re-link and re-render as required once I receive this and we commentate the shows using the VO utility within Final Cut.
    I then do an Audio export only and send the editors the updated FCP Project file, for them to receive and re-link the vision as required, sound mix and print.
    OPTION 2.
    The Editors cut the shows, then export either within FCP or Compressor a reduced quality file size to send via FTP or sendspace.
    I then import this vision locally into FCP, render the vision and commentate it accordingly and just send back the audio.
    SO:
    What would you all suggest as the easiest and best way to do this. We do have tight work timeframes in terms of getting content to air.
    I think Option1 is by far the best, and what I am not sure about is if I did Option2 - what settings for export and I want to avoid bogging down the editors on handling cumbersome vision exports anyway?
    Thoughts?
    Dean...

    I would probably go with option 2, myself - I usually export my cuts and run the movie thru compressor with the H.264 LAN or H.264 800KBPS presets. These are found under Apple/Other Workflows/Web/Streaming/Quicktime 7/
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    While I have used Option 1 (duplicate media, transferring a project file), this can get problematic when the editors have generated media - like effects, color correction, etc...
    my 2¢
    Patrick

  • New to PrPro with specific workflow questions

    Hi, All!
    I'm a 20+ year video veteran wading into the Premiere Pro pool this year. I have an extensive Avid and FCP background. Please don't hold that against me! I also realize this is long, but I'm trying to cram everything in so you can see where I've been to possibly re-route me, make it understandable, and at least a wee bit interesting.
    I'm currently running PrPro 5.5.2 on a MBP 2.8 GHz Intrel Core 2 Duo with 4GB RAM. My media storage is a 2TB Sonnet Tempo RAID partition over eSATA to an Express34 card on the MBP.
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    The nitty gritty:
    These videos  are basically putting a narrator to PowerPoint presentation and prettying it up with a music stinger at the open and close and adding a nicer-than-PPT transition betweeen the slides. I have an AIFF audio track for narration, AIFF music file from SmartSound, PNG graphic files (converted PowerPoint deck), & an animated Apple PNG transition. (from the Digital Juice people. It's one of their "Swipes".)
    I started with a AVC-Intra timeline because that seemed to me to be the highest quality. I understand this was probably my first error. The renders are taking about run time for the module. With these elements and the following deliverables, what Sequence Settings do you recommend I should be using?
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    What I will eventually need to deliver is a family of H.264 in various sizes from 1920x1080 to 320x180 & an authored DVD. So we're talking hours of processing for each one if I go with what I know.
    Since the only thing that moves in these videos are a handful of animated transitions (10-15 per module) and a fade in & fade out, my gut tells me I could make this happen faster if I only changed a few things in my workflow. I'm just at a loss as to what those things might be.
    Another little note. The client will wnat to  custominze these with different logos, so I will have to be able to get in, add or change a logo super, and re-export and re-convert all 2 1/2 hours multiple times. A more efficeint way to do that would be very helpful. Both for my sanity and my clients' budget.
    Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
    deb

    >avoid 24 hours of processing
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  • Specs and workflow for creating opening/closing titles for video

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