Offlining MTS files in Premiere pro CS5

[Ninetto Makavejev]

You are ticking “create a new trimmed project” in the project manager?
And determine how large your “handles” should be?

I don’t know which type of mts files you are dealing with, but I have never had problems creating trimmed projects with the project manager.

[Adam Bromley]

Hi Ninetto, Thanks for your response to my post. Yes, I am checking the create new trimmed project box and specifying handles. I watched a tutorial online and I am doing everything they say. I can’t understand it. I did read on an adobe forum that Premiere Pro is a non-destructive editing tool which means it will never change your source files. It doesn’t make sense though because why have the project manager then? Even if I import 1 clip into Premiere pro, mark in and out points on a small portion of the clip the project size is the same as the output size and it just exports a copy of the entire clip. I am using mts files shot from a Sony NX5u and Sony HVR Z5P.
Thanks for any help,
Adam

[Adam Bromley]

Ok I figured out that I have to transcode the files into another format for the project manager to work. I am transcoding to Apple Pro Res 422 HQ. The file sizes are huge though. Is there a better codec with smaller file sizes without significant quality loss?
Thanks for any help. I’m just trying to figure out the most efficient work flow.
Adam

[Alex Udell]

As MTS is like a GOP based format, PPro may not be able to create trimmed copies in project manager.

So your transcoding to a frame based format DNXHD or Cineform or similar will be what enables that.

[Adam Bromley]

Hi Alex,
Thanks for your response. Yes that’s exactly it. I have to transcode the files in order to offline clips with the project manager. Makes for a long offline process but it works. Wow, I thought going tapeless would speed up my workflow but it really makes it longer.
Thanks again, problem solved,
Adam