-
Workflow question re. differing frame rates in AE and Premiere
The workflow:
- Editor is editing at 24fps in Premiere
- I receive 24fps video clips which I drop into a 30fps AE timeline containing my graphics animated at 30fps (not pre-comped, video and graphic layers all siblings in the same comp)
- I render out at 30fps
- Editor drops 30fps animation into his 24fps Premiere timeline
- Everyone complains that the video clips appear to stutter. But the graphics before and after the video clips look great.
All of this needed to happen far too fast for me to troubleshoot as I was working.
I understand that the primary issue is that my editor and I should be working at the same frame rate. I didn’t try switching the frame rate on my comp, because, well, it just didn’t seem like a good idea because of audio sync issues (I was animating to VO). Would this have helped?
I’m also aware of how to resample/interpret footage from 24fps to 30fps, which I tried. No dice. People still aren’t happy. I’m also aware of how to time-remap footage. That seemed like the worst solution, so I avoided it.I’m also aware that I could have rendered my final animation at 24fps. Again, because no one was complaining about the quality of the graphics-only sections, I figured that this wasn’t necessarily the best solution either.
The solution that seemed to ruffle the fewest feathers was for the editor to export the video clips at 30fps. Then I used those clips to incorporate into my animation, and render at 30fps. Then he dropped the animation into his 24fps timeline. No one thinks it’s perfect, but they all agree that it’s noticeably better. Is that the best solution?
I’m sure it’s got to be some simple aspect of frame rate conversion that I’ve just forgotten over the past 15 years. So, I wouldn’t mind if someone could help me understand what it might be. Thanks.
-
2 Replies
-
[Demian Krentz] “I didn’t try switching the frame rate on my comp, because, well, it just didn’t seem like a good idea because of audio sync issues (I was animating to VO). Would this have helped?”
Yes, this would have been the best solution.
After Effects doesn’t actually think in frames; it thinks in time, measured in seconds. Changing the frame rate of a comp will not alter its duration at all. You will change the timebase (how frames are counted), not the timing (when things occur).
If you are working in a 30 fps comp, and you have keyframes at 30 frames and at 45 frames in, After Effects really internally counts that as 1 second and 1.5 seconds in. When you change your comp settings to 24 frames per second, your keyframes will remain at 1 second in and 1.5 seconds in (though this is now 24 and 36 frames, respectively, when counted in the new timebase).
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
Ok. That makes sense, Walter. Thanks for helping me figure it out so that it all goes more smoothly next time.
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up