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Exporting DPX Sequences to PC-based After Effects
Working on an indie feature shot HDV, transcoded to ProRes, that has scenes that need After Effects compositing and special effects.
Working with a PC-based AE fellow who requested footage in DPX Cineon files. He was not interested in Quicktimes, as much as I tried to sell them (apparently a QT install messed up his system recently).
So, we’ve been trying image sequences, but we’ve had trouble with the DPX sequences. I exported via Compressor, which has the option to export DPX as an image sequence, but his AE has trouble recognizing them. Is there a trick to exporting them, perhaps a suffix?
I’ve read that Glue Tools has a DPX plugin, but if Compressor has the option, shouldn’t it be possible to export that way (and not invest in the plugin that likely wouldn’t be used again).
If not, what’s the best format for exporting image sequences for a PC-based After Effects system? He’s using AE CS3, and I’m exporting off Final Cut Studio 3, latest FCP version (7.02) on a 2008 Mac Pro. We’ve tried a targa sequence, which seemed to work in tests, but wondering if there’s better. Thanks for any thoughts!
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6 Replies
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color can export DPX and AJA makes a qt to dpx translator. the AJA converter expects 10 bit RGB or dual link quicktime to convert, it may argue with you but will export. Targa sequence should also work. The way we usually do this is via automatic duck export out of the FCP timeline then import that to AE again via the duck, then send the AE project and media (QT) to the PC based house. Also use NTFS for mac from paragon to write to a NTFS formatted FW/Esata Graid for the AE house
Doug Beal
Editor / Engineer
Rock Creative Images
Nashville TN -
You should be able to give him a TIFF or Targa sequence.
Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/ -
Thanks guys–is there any real quality difference between a tif or targa sequence? There’s a major file size difference in the test exports I’ve done (16MB for a single tif out of compressor, only 6.5 MB for a tga).
I’ll try exporting out of Color. Unfortunately, no AJA cards here, working with a Matrox Mini.
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Targa is 8-bit codec. TIFF can be 16-bit.
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[Michael Aranyshev] “Targa is 8-bit codec. TIFF can be 16-bit.”
Not my experience.
the .tga format can carry up to 32bits, I have found it to only be 8bit when using more than one alpha channel.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD & Film Consultation
Post and Production Workflows for the Digitally Inclined
Chicago, ILhttps://blogs.creativecow.net/24640
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Yes, looks like the Targa files are natively set to export from Compressor at 32-bit.
Have tried the Color approach as well, will see if those files work on the PC AE system. I rarely work in Color, but looks like it can ‘Render’ out both dpx AND cin files. So that’s a possibility.
However, if that works on the PC side, that would seem to be a rather inelegant workaround, and there’d be something odd there–if a PC AE system can read dpx files out of Color, but not Compressor. Is that just me, or is that odd?
I guess I’m just looking for the cleanest files exported, with the simplest workflow–maybe straight TGA exports out of Compressor is it.
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