Backwards

[Walter Soyka]

[Joshua Quincey] “I created a file that I have to go back and edit but I can’t find the project file. I don’t remember what I called it. Is there a way to find it through the MP4? Help…”

By default, Premiere Pro does preserve the filename and path of the creating project as metadata, which is embedded in the output MP4.

The easiest way to get at this metadata is to make a new project in Premiere, import your MP4 into the project, then right-click the MP4 in the project panel and choose “Edit Original.” If the project metadata was preserved, and if the project still exists in its original location, Premiere will close this new project and reopen the old one from which you made the MP4.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Steve Brame]

You could also search your computer in Windows Explorer for “*.prprj”. This will show all Premiere project files on your computer.

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Steve Brame
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[Chris Harlan]

[Walter Soyka] “The easiest way to get at this metadata is to make a new project in Premiere, import your MP4 into the project, then right-click the MP4 in the project panel and choose “Edit Original.””

Seriously? I’ve got to try that out. If so, that rocks!

[Walter Soyka]

[Chris Harlan] “Seriously? I’ve got to try that out. If so, that rocks!”

Seriously.

And it’s even cooler than that. Source metadata travels through, too — information about the underlying assets and production history. All kinds of good stuff. (You can view [and strip, if you like] all this in Bridge, and you can control what metadata goes through to output via Premiere or Encoder in the first place via the metadata controls.)

Here’s a C&P from a recent post of mine to Bill D. over in the Debate forum on Adobe metadata workflows [link]:

[Walter Soyka] “They actually store a link to the project file that created them as metadata. In Premiere, if I right-click a media asset and choose “Edit Original,” it will open that After Effects project or the Premiere Pro project that created it.

In other words, I can use the exported, compressed file to open the original project from which it was exported.

Also, source metadata actually flows through the production.

I can work on something in Photoshop, bring it into After Effects for motion, render it out, import it into Premiere, and export a compressed H.264 MP4 from Pr. The path and filenames of that PSD and AEP can be preserved all the way through to the final MP4’s embedded XMP metadata. It’s not just Adobe stuff, either — I can also keep any embedded or associated source metadata from any asset (keywords, track numbers, etc.). Of course, all this can be controlled via Premiere’s Metadata button in the export window, or via Adobe Bridge.

While smart bins in Premiere would be a very welcome addition, Adobe’s metadata system is already a lot more powerful than I think most people realize.”

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events