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Media Composer to AfterEffects HD workflow
I’m currently shooting a documentary in Panasonic DVC Pro HD 1080/60i-24p. This is my first time shooting in this format and I’m really not sure about the workflow in post. I have no problem transferring footage into my Media Composer 3.0 system but I really need some suggestions regarding exporting clips into AfterEffects for compositing. This show will be heavy on the compositing and I need to know the best methods for getting my clips out of MC and into AE and back. in SD I usually export a QT reference clip into AE, do the compositing, render the final clip and import it back into a bin in MC. However, when I do that with my HD timelines, I’m noticing what appears to be a field dominance mismatch on my final distribution DVD. Can someone share their work flow with me?
Thanks!
The only woman I’m pimping is sweet lady propane! And I’m tricking her out all over this town.
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4 Replies
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I’ve done few of these now so I’ll offer a few observations in hopes it will help.
1- For some reason my AE (CS2) never interprets the fielding of Avid QT ref movies correctly. So number one I’d check the interpretation of video clips after you import them into AE.
2- Because of the time it takes to render HD I try to export my files as PNG sequences when possible. I import them into Avid as progressive with no problems.
3- Before you export your QT ref for DVD encoding, make sure you perform a video mixdown leaving no filler on the exported sequence. Also, I encode video and audio separately as elementary streams.
The above has cured DVD fielding issues for me when working with SD and HD Avid/Sorenson/Adobe Encore workflow.
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“I’m noticing what appears to be a field dominance mismatch on my final distribution DVD”
Keep in mind that most flavors of HD are upper-field first, whereas SD was lower-field first. Make sure to check the “Interpret” dialog box for each clip in AE. Also, if you are all Mac based your DVCProHD will be fine, but PC’s don’t like this codec.
Hopefully you are shooting one flavor of HD, 24P or 60i. Mixing many different flavors can be a real headache. 24P doesn’t play nice with other frame rates.
Ed
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Anything worth doing at all, is worth doing well.
– Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield -
Thanks David! I’ll keep all that in mind. Glad to see I’m not the only person who’s copy of AE doesn’t interpret Ref files correctly.
The only woman I’m pimping is sweet lady propane! And I’m tricking her out all over this town.
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Ahhhhh. Actually I didn’t know that most HD was an upper field first format. I’ve been setting the clips to lower field first just like I’ve been doing for years with my SD footage. I bet that’s why I’m seeing little field lines in clips with movement. THANKS!
The only woman I’m pimping is sweet lady propane! And I’m tricking her out all over this town.
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