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Full cycle beginner tutorial?
Hello,
I am looking for a detailed tutorial that will touch on all the setting/format questions a beginner would have throughout an entire project. There are lots of posts on here about specific issues, some contrasting information, and a lot of good info. Is there a place that has it all tied together in a workflow manner so that I can avoid making a mistake early on that will end up in a lower quality finished product.
My general idea is to use After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Encore to end up with a DVD or Blue-Ray. (Obviously those are different, but the general idea remains the same.) It goes without saying I want the highest quality output possible on whichever media I am using. I am looking for answers to this:
I have my footage and I want to start putting clips together. Is Premiere Pro my first step? What Premiere project settings should I choose (even if this is not the first thing I do)?
- Here is a post that says to match the desired output: https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/205/873411
- Here is a tutorial that says to match your footage: https://library.creativecow.net/devis_andrew/Premiere-Pro-Starting-Splash-Screens/1
I assume this makes a big difference? Can I just do the work and change the settings later with no effect on quality?
I have a clip that needs something done to it in After Effects, what project settings should I use in AE? Do I match footage, or output? Do I match final media output, or something that Premiere would want?
I need to create a graphic in AE, what settings should I use in AE now that I am not using any footage?
How do I get things from AE into Premiere? What file types should I use? Or should I even be collecting all the clips in Premiere over AE?
Once I have my project built in Premiere, how do I get it into Encore? What file types?
What (if any) settings in Encore are important?
Are there any major procedural differences between outputting to DVD or Blue-Ray? Does this decision need to be made at the start, or can you do it so you can go either way at the end?
Where are the random sneaky little options that should be checked that make a huge difference?
I know some things from reading on here: DVDs (and Blue-Rays I assume also) have standard file types they need, and limits on bit rates to ensure smooth playback. For DVDs that limit is around 8000. I read that it really doesn’t make a difference between 7000 and 8000, and just to use 7000 to make sure it doesn’t get bumped over by anything. I understand what VBR and CBR do, and understand that it doesn’t matter that much if you have a short video where fitting isn’t really an issue. If it will fit, is it always better to choose CBR at the max? Or is there some reason that VBR should be used even in that situation? 2-Pass mode only helps if using VBR? Or does it do stuff for CBR also?
If some of these answers are non negotiable it would save time learning that now. If you 100% absolutely need to have a MPEG-2 file to make a DVD, that would be nice to know ahead of time. Things like that….
As I mentioned, I would be a little surprised if a workflow outline with all this information didn’t already exist. Plus, I would feel a lot better moving into this project with at least a basic understanding of the full circle. Not having to worry about every step if it is going to work or not, or if I get all the way to the end have have something I am embarrassed to present.
Any insight, answers, or direction anyone can provide (even if it is just a single answer out of the many questions) is much appreciated.
~Wes
P.S. Bonus question: If my footage is already over the bit rate limit for a DVD and therefor being bottlenecked in that format, why do I get fragmentation when professional DVDs do not? And if the answer is “Because their camera costs $42,000” I will accept that.
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4 Replies
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Wes, I’m going to give it my best shot to answer these. I really think that there is no free tutorial out there; for your questions, it’d be best for you to either take a class or read a book. (Yes, you have to indulge me this for such a long post.)
And before anyone else starts to pick at little things – this is a big broad overview. I’m taking some liberties, okay?
[Wes Bail] “I have my footage and I want to start putting clips together. Is Premiere Pro my first step? What Premiere project settings should I choose (even if this is not the first thing I do)? “
Premiere Pro is your hub for importing and assembling a timeline. So it’s the first step.
Your sequence ought to match your footage – any downscaling/framerate change ought to be the last step you do to maintain the highest quality throughout the workflow.[Wes Bail] “I have a clip that needs something done to it in After Effects, what project settings should I use in AE? Do I match footage, or output? Do I match final media output, or something that Premiere would want?
“
Match your original source footage (assuming you’re not using 10 different types of media. Again – see about – keeping the footage as pristine before the last step keeps the quality as high as possible.
Know that because of Dynamic linking, you can push stuff from Premiere Pro to AE without any problems. And because of Dynamic link, you’ve got an AE comp in Premiere Pro, not a QuickTime or AVI file.[Wes Bail] “I need to create a graphic in AE, what settings should I use in AE now that I am not using any footage?
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The type of your main footage. Then you can place the AE comp in Premiere Pro[Wes Bail] “How do I get things from AE into Premiere? What file types should I use? Or should I even be collecting all the clips in Premiere over AE?
“
Dynamic link makes this easy. You just send it from Premiere Pro and AE comps show up as footage. You could always use QuickTime + the Animation codec, but I’m striving for easy.[Wes Bail] “Once I have my project built in Premiere, how do I get it into Encore? What file types?
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Once again, Dynamic link lets you send a sequence from Premiere Pro to Encore with no output file. It ‘talks’ to Encore for you.[Wes Bail] “What (if any) settings in Encore are important?
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Blu-Ray, SD or Flash? Which do you want?[Wes Bail] “Are there any major procedural differences between outputting to DVD or Blue-Ray? Does this decision need to be made at the start, or can you do it so you can go either way at the end? “
Kinda. You shouldn’t switch (can’t recall if it’s possible. I’ll just say no, it’s not.) Everything is scaled differently – Pixel Aspect Ratio, frame size.[Wes Bail] “Where are the random sneaky little options that should be checked that make a huge difference?
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Hard to say? Make sure you get your audio tracks right at the beginning?[Wes Bail] “Or is there some reason that VBR should be used even in that situation?”
VBR does generally help, especially if there are graphics, even at a high bitrate.[Wes Bail] ” If you 100% absolutely need to have a MPEG-2 file to make a DVD, that would be nice to know ahead of time. Things like that…. “
At the END of the process, if you’re making a SD DVD, yes, you 100% have to have an MPEG-2 file. But that’s what Adobe Media Encoder does for you.[Wes Bail] “As I mentioned, I would be a little surprised if a workflow outline with all this information didn’t already exist. Plus, I would feel a lot better moving into this project with at least a basic understanding of the full circle. Not having to worry about every step if it is going to work or not, or if I get all the way to the end have have something I am embarrassed to present.”
It appears that way, that there should be ‘something’. Right now, there are a dozen or so camera codecs, at least 5 different frame sizes, six or so different frame rates, and 10 types of output possible (Some of that I’m making up.) But to give you an idea, right there thats, 3600 possible combinations.
I hate to say this, because you’re asking all the right questions (these are GREAT intelligent questions). This is why you work for someone else – so you can apprentice and learn these tools and the order/procedure you should use them in.
One tip is to actually push something through your whole workflow before you start to shoot so you can test the workflow.
[Wes Bail] “If my footage is already over the bit rate limit for a DVD and therefor being bottlenecked in that format, why do I get fragmentation when professional DVDs do not? And if the answer is “Because their camera costs $42,000″ I will accept that.”
Your footage would need to be recompressed to a data rate that’s compatible with DVD.
Whew.
Best,
Jeff G
Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
————
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website -
I think this is also a good place to start:
https://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-premiere-pro-cs5/ -
First off thank you for taking the time to really get into this and answer everything I asked. I do appreciate it very much.
You had recommended reading a book, is there a specific “Bible” for video editing? Any recommendation on what series or specific book people have found to be better than others?
I will have to take the time to go through all of the Adobe TV episodes also, I am sure a lot of questions are answered there as well. Thank you for that heads up.
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Wes,
I’ll tell you ANY intro book will be fine. If you exceed what any book on the market provides for information, you’re at the point where you’ll be able to make these sort of decisions more intelligently.
For the Aesthetics of video editing, I’d suggest Walter Murch’s “In the Blink of an Eye” and the “Technicque of Film Editing” by Karl Reisz.
Best,
Jeff G
Apple Master Trainer | Avid Cert. Instructor DS/MC | Adobe Cert. Instructor
————
You should follow me (filmgeek) on twitter. I promise to be nice.
Come See me speak at NAB!
Compressor Essentials from Lynda.com
(older but still good) Marquee, Media Composer (3.5) and Basic/Advanced Color DVDs (1.0) from Vasst.com
Contact me through my Website
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