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Possible complex question regarding workflow issues.
Ok. So…
Here is the deal.We started this project awhile back with one workflow in mind. First part was to take all the source footage for the several shoots and organize them in the 1st PP project. After being organized as multiple sequences that were usable footage it was then exported as SD proxy files to imported into a 2nd PP project for the edit. At the same time all the sorted sequences from the 1st PP project were imported into After Effects for applying keying and color corrections. ORIGINALLY… we were going to export all the HD keyed/color corrected footage out of After Effects to replace the SD proxy files. Then POOF… all done.
Well here is the dilemma we have with this original workflow. We don’t want to lose any quality exporting any of the videos out of After Effects… plus take up a ton of HD space. We want to only call for the source footage the entire time and only export once when project is finalized.
So… how can I replace the SD clips with the AE comps? You can’t select the SD clips in the bin and replace with a specific AE comp. You can’t import the AE comp and replace it from the already modified sequence… I am also concerned with the taxing on a computer with all the dynamic linking going on and all the applied effects as well.
So how would any of you experts out there resolve this workflow issue?
Completely open to any realistic suggestions.
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4 Replies
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[albert trevino] “So how would any of you experts out there resolve this workflow issue?”
I wouldn’t use a proxy workflow in the first place.
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[albert trevino] “After being organized as multiple sequences that were usable footage it was then exported as SD proxy files to imported into a 2nd PP project for the edit.”
When you do that you lose any and all links to the original source footage. No reel, no timecode, nothing. Those are the key needs in order to relink properly.
[albert trevino] “all the sorted sequences from the 1st PP project were imported into After Effects for applying keying and color corrections.”
So then when you render these out…these full sequences, you’ll have a clip of the same DURATION as the SD proxy…but timecode won’t match, name might if you name them the same. But the key need for being able to relink is not there…matching timecode.
[albert trevino] “ORIGINALLY… we were going to export all the HD keyed/color corrected footage out of After Effects to replace the SD proxy files. Then POOF… all done.”
You’d have to eye match it, if the relink didn’t work. And this method also means that you need to key and composite EVERYTHING…all of your selects. Even if you don’t use them in the sequence, you’d have to key everything. This is not typically how things are done.
[albert trevino] “We don’t want to lose any quality exporting any of the videos out of After Effects”
Sorry, but you will. Any time you composite something in After Effects and render out, you are re-compressing the footage. But this is quite normal. This happens in EVERY project out there, even major ones like LIFE OF PI. Quality will be lost, but barely any if you render out to a high res codec.
[albert trevino] “plus take up a ton of HD space.”
Yes. This is why one doesn’t typically composite all of ones selects. this is why you only composite and render out what’s used in the cut. You edit first, THEN send to AE what is in the cut to composite.
[albert trevino] “So… how can I replace the SD clips with the AE comps? You can’t select the SD clips in the bin and replace with a specific AE comp. You can’t import the AE comp and replace it from the already modified sequence… I am also concerned with the taxing on a computer with all the dynamic linking going on and all the applied effects as well.”
Yes…that’s the problem. You can’t really. You’d have to eye-match and recut. Which is why it’s best to edit first, send ONLY the shots used in the cut to AE, work on them, go back to PPro where dynamic linking will replace with the comp. But the footage you work with in PPro should NOT be this SD proxy stuff you made. HOw you did that makes everything very difficult. You need to edit with the original source, or if you need proxies, you need to create them with Prelude.
Although I’m not sure how to then use those to source the originals when you want to comp in AE. I’m not up on the offline/online workflow in premiere, especially when compositing is involved. I just know your current workflow layout is wrong. I wouldn’t do that even if you weren’t compositing. It’s just not how you offline/online edit properly. All reference to the sources is wiped out when you do it that way.
Shane
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Thank you for you replies.
Just to clarify. I really don’t want to export anything until the end of the project. The original workflow was set up in a way where we had to export.
Also, only reason we used proxy files was because the project needed to be portable and able to be edited on a not so powerful laptop. It was about editing and arranging and not the absolute final quality yet.So after doing some testing I believe I found a possible solution.
All the edits in the main project where the SD proxy files were used, I am going to import via dynamic link the AE comps (keyed/color corrected) that are identical to the SD proxy files. I would then go to each sequence and replace each clip with the AE comp.
NOW… the challenging part. Making sure they are all correctly timed. Follow the example below on how I will be able to do this.
Sequence has “Clip001” starting around 1:00 minute into the source clip from the bin.
AE Comp “Clip001” is imported via dynamic link.
I go to the sequence, highlight the seqment where “Clip001” is on the timeline, double click the clip to load it into the Source Monitor. It shows the In and Out points. Notate those points. I then load the AE clip into the source monitor and go to the In Point. Going back to the sequence and selecting “Clip001” I bring up the submenu and select “Replace With Clip.” From that I choose “From Source Monitor, Match Frame.” It matches the In Point and replaces it with the AE version with no timing issues. -
I’m not totally positive this will work with AE comps dynamically linked, BUT
if you import the comps from AE (File>Adobe Dynamic Link>Import comp something something).
And all of your comps are the same length as the source footage, you MIGHT be able to ALT+Shift Drag them on top of your current SD clips in the edit. it’ll replace them based on their relative timecode I believe.Cursious to see if that works, I’m exporting now so am unable to run a test for you.
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