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Premiere Pro CC to Resolve workflow
Just got notice today that I need to send my project back to a client for color correction via DaVinci Resolve. This project has speed ramps, effects, After Effects Dynamically linked clips, etc… I was unaware I would have to send this off to someone else so I didn’t shy away from making it complicated.
I have never done a round trip from PPro to DR so I’m not sure what the best approach would be, especially with a complicated timeline. If you have any experience with this and have a workflow or know what not to do I would really appreciated the help.
I’m off to do some tests, will let you know what works.
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10 Replies
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Dustin,
I am afraid there is no simple solution here!
Your best bet is to export a FCP XML file from your PrP edited sequence.
One of the issue is that not all effects created in PrP are supported in Resolve. You should look at the DaVinci Resolve user guide to find out what is supported or not. This changes from one version of the software to another.
Speed ramps for example is not supported. So you have to decide how to deal with it depending of your workflow and quality requirement. One option is to send the shots with effects that are not compatible in a different timeline, and then recreate the effects when you get the shot back color corrected. Another option is to bake down your effects before exporting to Resolve.Also what kind of file format/codec are you working with in PrP? Make sure they are recognized by Resolve!
I hope this help a little!
David Baud
Post & VFX
KOSMOS PRODUCTIONS
Denver – Paris
http://www.kosmos-productions.com -
Super simple way is to do what we do and have been doing for two years now.
Make a flattened Quicktime Movie of your timeline. Either ProRes or DNxHD.
Create an EDL of your timeline.
Send both to the Resolve colorist.
They will be able to cut your entire timeline up in no time to do the color. Any wonkiness in your EDL will be handled by simply Scene Cut Detection.
They grade and send the timeline back to you.
Super easy. Been delivering the PBS series “This American Land” that way for two years.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative MediaCraft and Career Advice & Training from real Working Creative Professionals
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Awesome! Thanks Walter. That does sound like it would be the easiest solution by far.
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To me it all depends what you need to achieve in your round trip workflow and what kind of program you are working on. If you have some compositing, transitions, etc… it might be more difficult for your colorist to work with, you might loose some of the original quality of your footage, and if you need to be able to make some changes after color correction, then flattening the file before hand might not be the best way to handle this workflow.
It sounds like in the case of Walter this is a non-issue and this is certainly the fastest way to deal with sending a project to Resolve. All what I am saying is I don’t think it will work for any type of projects. I guess horses for courses!
David Baud
Post & VFX
KOSMOS PRODUCTIONS
Denver – Paris
http://www.kosmos-productions.com -
[David Baud] ” If you have some compositing, transitions, etc… it might be more difficult for your colorist to work with”
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Any compositing though should be fine since it will be flattened but transitions might pose an issue. I’m crossing my fingers they don’t come back with changes after the grade, most thing I work on aren’t “Final” the first time I deliver the Final anymore.
Hmmm… makes me wonder about getting LUTs from the colorist, Direct Linking to Speedgrade and just using those if changes are necessary. Eh, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.
Thanks for your help!
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Transitions are easy in Resolve, no problem there.
As far as composites, generally when you send something to Color that is all done so the colorist is compositing the final scene.
Don’t see an issue with either of these things.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative MediaCraft and Career Advice & Training from real Working Creative Professionals
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How does this workflow handle dissolves? If the effect is rendered how can you grade the overlap between two clips?
Regards,
Malcolm
Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com -
HA it doesn’t. And the Timecode BS that Premier makes in an XML and EDL is ridiculous.
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I am trying to get my colorist a sequence edited in Premiere CS6 that links to the original RED files for color.
I understand it might be an option in some cases, but in this case rendering out a flattened QT is not viable. I’ve removed all the transitions…but I’m wondering about REPOSITIONS.
Footage was shot in 5K, while the edited sequence is HD (1080). If SOME of the clips have been ‘automatically scaled to frame size’ will that screw up those have been re-sized?
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Hi Walter,
The EDL and FCP files I exported from Premiere are greyed-out and unable to be imported to Resolve. Any idea what I might be doing wrong?
Thanks,
Mike
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