PRO TIP: Convert Your Footage

[Bill Lattanzi]

oh, ps: 24 mbs of RAM, so that’s not the issue (is it?)

[Alex Udell]

Hi Bill….

What’s the Data Rate of a single stream of your Arri C?

If it bogs when you layer or multi cam interview….I’d suspect your drive(set) isn’t fast enough to keep up.

Also….you indicate that rendering resolves it…but I’d ask…where do you renders get stored? and what codec are they being rendered in? It’s likely a pretty lightweight format compared to the raw material, which likely explain the difference in performance.

How much Ram do you have….if it can be boosted, that might help as well.

Alex Udell
Editing, Motion Graphics, and Visual FX
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[Bill Lattanzi]

Hi -Thanks, Alex for the quick response. It’s an Intel Core i7 machine, running 24 gb of RAM at 3.4 ghz. And the OWC thunderbolt holding the Arri C 4444 media claims 442 mb/s read speed, spinning at 7200 rpm. So I think it’s pretty fast… but maybe not for the SSD 2K / 4K era?

Project is on the internal hard drive
Media is on the Raid 0 drive set.
Previews (so renders) are on a second external hard drive.

How would I measure the data rate?

thanks,
Bill

[Alex Udell]

Well…

it may be fast enough for one stream…..

but maybe not multiple….

see what I mean?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blackmagic-disk-speed-test/id425264550?mt=12

that might help ya….

Alex Udell
Editing, Motion Graphics, and Visual FX
Let’s Connect on Linkedin
Examples: Retail Automotive Motion Graphics Spots
Example: Customer Facing Explainer Video
Example: Infotainment & Package editorial

[Bill Lattanzi]

Excellent, thanks, a new tool! My machine is in the shop, but on very-nearly-the-same loaner that has the same lag problem on non-rendered footage, I tested out at between 300-340 mbs write speed, and 300-380 mbs read speed from the Raid 0 thunderbolt drive with the media on it. So if the thunderbolt drive isn’t fast enough, and SSDs are prohibitive, then it seems like low-res proxy ‘off-line’ versions might be the way to go… so I guess I’m saying goodbye to that instant gratification of working with the native files, and back to the misery, delay and extra steps of transcoding. (though it does seem simpler with the new premiere conversion process at the end).

To be clear, your guess is that the limiting factor is the data rate between media drive and program?

And that if I did get SSD external drives (with Raid 0?) then everything would run real time? What kind of speed do we need to make that happen?

Would it matter at all if I added an internal SSD drive for the program? (I’m thinking of swapping out the DVD/CD drive)?

Bill

[Alex Udell]

Hi Bill…

well…I haven’t used the new Proxy workflow yet…but it’s promising because you can start work with the native files and they will be “hot swapped” as the proxies are calculated.

So while it might be rough going at first….performance should gradually improve while you work…. at least that’s my understanding.

an internal SSD should give you some nice throughput, I’m assuming the internal connectivity is SATA?

Maybe Arri has a guide that should give you an indication of data rate per stream. That would help validate that my guess of your bottleneck is correct prior to spending any additional money on your part.

If anyone else wants to chime in on this….I’d welcome a second opinion.

Alex Udell
Editing, Motion Graphics, and Visual FX
Let’s Connect on Linkedin
Examples: Retail Automotive Motion Graphics Spots
Example: Customer Facing Explainer Video
Example: Infotainment & Package editorial

[Dan Destefano]

Convert! It’s like using a brand new Program. Suddenly, I can scrub through footage, locate my b-roll and stop pulling my hair out. Convert, convert, convert! 🙂

[Bill Lattanzi]

Ha! Thanks, Dan, I like a clear opinion. I think you’re right. Following Alex’s advice I found an Amira data rate chart (couldn’t find Alexa) and the data rate for 2K is 313 mbs. so with 3 layers…. sheesh… I don’t think I can ask that of even a thunderbolt drive. So… proxies it is.. now to figure that workflow! Thanks, Editors!
Bill

[Nihal Amin]

I am from Egypt. and just downloaded unedited raw clips with different that were shot with specifications and settings than the settings that are used in Egypt. like frame rate and other information
now i want to use them in Premiere .. what settings should i convert these material to, in order to start editing it?

I don’t know and i need help!
I only know that we use the 25fps .. WHAT ELSE SHOULD I PAY ATTENTION TO ?

which program to use for converting?? Hand Brake , is it ok?

what sequence settings in premiere should be chosen after that?

thanks for help!