[Richard Herd]

[Nikos Nik] “I freeze the comp to a current frame for 20” secs”

I find the time remap a bit cumbersome, so if I need a freeze frame, I render out the exact frame I want. Very good results and less cumbersome than the time remap stuff.

Having said that, here is a time remap expression. I can’t remember who posted it, but I did not write it. I have a habit of saving cool expressions in an Expression.txt that I keep updated. I have not tried to use it as a still frame generator. To make it work, you need to create a null layer and two expression slider effects and pick whip to them. (EDIT) Then you can key frame n and m.

//TIME REMAPPING
n = thisComp.layer(“Null 1”).effect(“n”)(“Slider”); // play every n frame
m = thisComp.layer(“Null 1”).effect(“m”)(“Slider”); // play m times
f = timeToFrames();
p = Math.floor(f/m);
framesToTime(p*n);

[Richard Herd]

[Alistair MacDonald] “I would appreciate any advice…for a new use”

The project manager is super important and an easy to use tool.

Your other option is to put everything, even the project file, Project > Settings > Scratch Disks …

Make sure it is all set to Same as Project. Then when you archive, you dump the entire folder wherever you want. When you’re ready to work again, dump the the whole folder back on your media drive.

Are you using the Media Browser to import media?

[Richard Herd]

[Walter Soyka] “the default layout is sub-optimal”

Which default layout? Haha!

Docking panels and saving them is like being the architect (in this hallway construction metaphor). That’s a bit of problem with X. They’re screaming at us in German accents: “You will live in this house!” I’m all: No thanks. I want my room over there, and the bathroom over there, and the kitchen here….

[Richard Herd]

[Scott Witthaus] “doing some basic AE work now and the software is really great, but the interface is just awful…worse than Premiere”

I love the AE interface. I keep my left hand on the keyboard (because there are so many friggin shortcuts) and I keep my right hand on the wacom pen/tablet.

[Richard Herd]

It turns out it is hard to find, so here’s mine:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2S2b7kN6I8iWlhIeVBYUS1jTzQ&authuser=0

[Richard Herd]

Do you use Expressions? This is a prebuilt Adobe expression in their Expression Sampler project called Follow. Let me know if you need additional help. The expression sampler is easy to find via google.

EDIT: Wanted to include the Effects Panel too.

[Richard Herd]

This!

[Daniel Waldron] “editing the footage together in Premiere and then send it over to After Effects via Dynamic Link. “

There are a couple of ways to do this, but in all cases duplicate your PP sequence and rename it PROJECT (DL).

One way: Select the clips in the sequence right click > replace with AE composition.

Another way: Project > Project Manager the selected sequence. Import that into AE.

It’s also easy to overlook a couple of settings preferences to make Dynamic Link faster:

1. You need a drive that is not your system drive and is not your media drive, preferably a thunderbolt SSD, plug that in, and make a folder on it called COMMON

2. In Premiere Pro > preferences > Media > Media cache Files > Browse… to the drive in Step 1. and also browse to the same folder for the Media Cache Database.

3. In After Effects > Preferences > Media & Disk Cache > Check Enable Disk Cache and set the Maximum Disk Cache Size to a big number. Mine’s at 250 GB. Choose folder > navigate to the same Common folder listed above. Same thing with Conformed Media Cache and Cache.

Then as you MoGraph in AE, you can choose Composition > Cache Work Area in Background and when you head over to PP, the files are available to PP to load quickly.

This means AE and PP are sharing files between them and you will gain a noticeable amount of render time when rendering Dynamic Link in Premiere.

[Richard Herd]

[Todd Terry] “images and sound are two completely different things”

I hope the OP is still reading. To recap some but not all the issues required in a proper contract:

— work for hire
— original copyright/original work
— derivative work
— sync rights
— performance rights
— publishing rights

I very much suggest getting a lawyer to (a) wade through this, and (b) write up a proper contract. From there, the OP will be in a very strong business position.

[Richard Herd]

As an example, we cannot pick our favorite Michael Jackson song and make a music video and then claim to own the footage “because I shot it.” A music video and the footage are derivative works of the original song and subject to a license agreement (and other agreements, for example, model releases). In this example, the shooter does not own anything. There is no document anyone can sign to change copyright facts. While this means the shooter needs a license agreement from the copyright holder of the original work (the song) before moving forward on an edit, I do not know if a civil suit could force the shooter to deliver the footage to its rightful owner, the copyright holder of the song. I suggest contacting an attorney, but throwing good money after bad is unwise. And that’s probably the difficult part: this project is done and the footage is shelved. If you see the footage in another venue, then it is up to you to raise a suit.

Surely, this is not the first time ASCAP/BMI/RIAA has seen something like this. Maybe ask them too.

[Richard Herd]

Try using blend modes: overall, add, and so on…