Video from Avid to After Effects

[Chris Smith]

I don’t know MC, but in DS, I export video as quicktime (animation codec). But set the setting to ‘graphics’ mode because Animation is an RGB codec. Set it to ‘video’ mode if the codec you render to is YUV.

Same deal with import.

Chris Smith
https://www.sugarfilmproduction.com

[Carolyn Fusinato]

Hey Erik!

AVID recommends that “To use Avid source footage in After Effects, Adobe recommends exporting Avid clips in a movie format because QuickTime and AVI formats allow you to maintain the Avid compression” https://www.avid.com/onlineSupport/supportcontent.asp?contentID=3096

They also recommend capturing the footage at the best quality that you can. For a key that may be necessary, but most of the time I import footage at the settings that our editors edit in which is AVID Meridien 2:1 or AVID DV. If you don’t know if your editing system is lower field or upper field priority, test it. I use Tim Bowman’s handy Field Order Test found at https://netherlogic.com/tv_tools/.

The AVID DV codec is a little hard to get for the Mac. I installed the AVID DV Free ap in order to get it. You can download the Meridien codec off the AVID site. If you edit on the same platform that you’re working in after effects on then you can import the codecs from the editor’s computer.

Export Settings from AVIDs
———————————————–
Exporting from AVID Adrenaline
//Editing DV
Export As: Quicktime Movie
In Format Options:
Video Settings: Avid DV, Best Quality, Options:
(Color Input: ITU-R 601 (16-235), Resolutions:
DV25 NTSC 411), Frames per second: 29.97
Sound: Uncompressed, 48 Khz, 16 sample size, Stereo
Custom:
Video & Audio
Video Format: 720 x 486, Size to Fit
Color Levels: RGB
File Field Order: Lwr Field First
Display Aspect Ratio: Native dimensions (720 x 486)

Exporting from AVID Symphony
//Editing 2:1 Compressed
Export As: Quicktime Movie
In Format Options:
Video Settings: Avid Meridien Compressed, Best Quality, Options:
(Color Input: ITU-R 601 (16-235), Video Format: NTSC, Resolutions:
2:1 Interlaced), Frames per second: 29.97
Sound: Uncompressed, 48 Khz, 16 sample size, Stereo
Custom:
Video & Audio
Video Format: 720 x 486, Size to Fit
Color Levels: RGB
File Field Order: Lwr Field First
Display Aspect Ratio: Native dimensions (720 x 486)

//Editing Uncompressed
Export As: Quicktime Movie
In Format Options:
Video Settings: Avid Meridien Uncompressed, Best Quality, Options:
(Color Input: ITU-R 601 (16-235), Type: Meridien Interlaced, Video Format: NTSC),
Frames per second: 29.97
Sound: Uncompressed, 48 Khz, 16 sample size, Stereo
Custom:
Video & Audio
Video Format: 720 x 486, Size to Fit
Color Levels: RGB
File Field Order: Lwr Field First
Display Aspect Ratio: Native dimensions (720 x 486)

Render Settings from After Effects
———————————————–
For the Avid Symphony or Adrenaline

If comp has Alpha
Render Settings: DV Settings
Output Module: Avid Meridien Comp 2:1 +K Straig

If comp has No Alpha
Render Settings: DV Settings
Output Module: Avid Meridien Compressed 2:1

For the Avid Newscutters

Render Settings: DV Settings
Output Module: Avid DV

For comp with Alpha, render 2nd mov that is alpha only
Render Settings: DV Settings
Output Module: Avid DV Alpha

AE Output Module Settings

AVID Meridien Comp 2:1 +K Straig
———————————————–
Format: Quicktime Movie
Output Info: Avid Meridien Compressed, RGB Levels (0-255), NTSC, Resolution: 2:1 Interlaced, Spatial Quality = Most (100)
Channels: RGB + Alpha
Depth: Millions of Colors+
Color: Straight

AVID DV Alpha
———————————————–
Format: Quicktime Movie
Output Info: Avid DV, RGB Levels (0-255), Resolution: DV25 NTSC 411, Spatial Quality = Most (100)
Channels: Alpha
Depth: Millions of Colors
Color: Premultiplied

You can see I convert from the editing YUV color space to RGB colors for compositing and back to YUV when importing back to the editing platform.

Don’t worry about stuff not looking good on your computer monitor. Your computer monitor is not the best to use for quality control for video. Send the signal out to a Broadcast Monitor from AE using Video Preview to tell if your adjustments are good. Also, AE just isn’t the best keyer out there. Third Party plugins might help.

-Carolyn

Carolyn Fusinato
http://www.fusinatodesign.com

[Erik]

thanks Carolyn….good to hear from you.. still in Dallas?