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DNxHD: QuickTime or mxf
Hey Guys,
I have been asked to edit my friend’s short film that was shot on RED. I am planning to transcode the R3D files into an intermediate format to work with and then re-link the final edit back to the R3D files to conform it.
I am working with Premier CC on Windows so I’m looking at using Avid DNxHD. From what I have read I can either work with this in QuickTime wrappers or as the native MXF.
As far as I can tell I would be better using the MXF as QuickTime is only 32bit and has gamma issues. Is this correct? Are the any gotchas I might face? Are the MXF files easy enough to work with in other apps, like After Effects?
Thanks,
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5 Replies
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1) Concerning Quicktime’s 32-bit nature – that shouldn’t really be a performance issue for a 1080 sized frame. While ProRes is capable of larger sizes, Avid DNxHD is not.
As far as the gamma issue, I’ve not seen it within files encoded by Premiere or Redcine; color fidelity was maintained throughout the workflow. The only notable exception for me during testing seemed to be exporting the Animation codec from Redcine-X.
2) Avid MXF files will work just as easy in After Effects CC – although if you’re going to online (relink the originals) your edit, then why bother with the smaller MXF files while in visual effects?
If this is just for offline files, unless you’re collaborating with other editors, the MXF files should never really leave your realm.
Avid DNxHD is a SMPTE standard codec, and MXF is SMPTE standard container. Anything Apple is not. That may be another selling point for you if you don’t have to conform with anyone elses workflow
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Angelo LorenzoNeed to encode ProRes on your Windows PC?
Introducing ProRes Helper, an awesome little app that makes it possible
Fallen Empire Digital Production Services – Los Angeles
RED transcoding, on-set DIT, and RED Epic rental services
Fallen Empire – The Blog
A blog dedicated to filmmaking, the RED workflow, and DIT tips and tricks
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Thanks for the advice. I think I will go for the MXF.
You are right about doing the VFX on the higher res files. That was always our plan, but there are a lot of VFX to do so I might have to do some temp ones in AE, just to see how things are working.
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Do you ever intend to take the media into a genuine Avid?
If so, the flavor of MXF used in Premier’s DNX workflow is Op1a not OpAtom. Avid v7 can import or AMA link Op1a MXF but Avid v6 cannot. Just realized this the other day.
That being said, exporting a sequence as Avid DNXHD MXF was twice as fast as the Quicktime version in my tests.
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I don’t think anyone in our project will be using an Avid but it is good to know that there can be issues.
Nice to know that it’s is faster as MXF too.
Thanks!
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https://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Download/en394819 Works in my Avid 6
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Angelo LorenzoNeed to encode ProRes on your Windows PC?
Introducing ProRes Helper, an awesome little app that makes it possible
Fallen Empire Digital Production Services – Los Angeles
RED transcoding, on-set DIT, and RED Epic rental services
Fallen Empire – The Blog
A blog dedicated to filmmaking, the RED workflow, and DIT tips and tricks
Can your post production question fit in a tweet? Follow me on Twitter
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