[AE Render Output + Process] Best Format & Video Codec?

[kevinh23223536]

Hi,

This is a 3 part question I have in regards to my specific needs. I'll keep this as clear as possible:

Please let me know if there are better ways of accomplishing this goal (as I'm still a beginner)

-  Goal: To create motion graphics animation videos (+5 min) by using AE to create a Composition with 5-10 sec scenes (Windows PC btw).

- Take this Composition, and render them using Render Queue into a LOSSLESS format, since my goal is to take these video clips and create transitions for them through AE or PR and render out the FINAL video clip (which will be +5 min long).

Q: What is the best Format and Video Codec I can choose under Render Queue > Output Module settings? (for my situation)

- Then, I'll go back into AE, in order to create more scenes / compositions to complete the rest of my final video.

- After rendering out these separate scenes, I need to add transitions between these individual rendered video clips. I've heard a good method is working through PR in order to create the transitions within the PR Timeline and rendering out the whole video through there, but what if I need to create AE-based transitions?

Q: What's the best workflow you could recommend to compile/combine all of these video clips together into a final video? (in my case)

- After I have completed editing the entire video and need to upload it to YouTube, I need to choose a Video Format and Codec.

Q. What is the best Format and Video Codec for rendering out the FINAL video clip for YouTube settings?

Thank you,

Kevin.

[imeilfx]

Short:
a) use ProRes or Mov/animation
b) you can render each scene in AE then import your scenes into PPro and put them together. If you wish to make everything in AE - better would be to make your scenes in AE, put them together in AE (make transitions) and then render. That way if during editing (making transitions betwen scenes)you will want to change something in one of the scenes you will have access to them and will not need to make another rendered version of that scene
c) as for best settings for YT just chose from one of the YT pressets in AME

[kevinh23223536]

Hi imeilfx and thanks for your prompt reply.

a)  I'm not sure where I can find ProRes, is this Mac exclusive? I'm on PC. And, by Mov/Animation, are you referring to Format: QuickTime & Video Codec: Animation?

b) If I want to make transitions through AE, wouldn't opening multiple compositions that are 5-10 seconds long be too much for my PC to handle? The most I've edited on an AE Timeline is a 34 second clip with multiple comps... And previewing the scene took literally FOREVER, and that's with a pretty beefy computer. Could you explain this process to me? I think it'll be easy to make transitions for the first few scenes of my video but I don't know what I'll do the further I am in my video timeline.. I'm just not sure what to do at all in terms of workflow in creating AE transitions for all my scenes while not overloading my computer's capabilities.

c) I heard people use Video Format: MP4 & Video codec: H.264. Wondering if this is a universal concept most YouTubers share.

[imeilfx · Accepted solution]

a) yes on mov/animation. As for ProRes on PC you have to have newest (december release) version of AE/PPro/AME to have access to them. You will find them as a codec in mov format

b) Most suitable soft for editing is PPro but if you are sure that you need to use some specific transitions avaliable only in AE do that there. As how everything depends on your workflow but 5 min clip should not be to hard for "beefy computer" Just heep each scene as a separate coposition/precomposition and for checking transitions just payback those 10-20-30 frames that your transition happen. You can also do the intermediate rendering as you suggested - there  is nothing wrong with that.
c) yes h264 in mp4 wrapper is standard for YT as for specifics of bitrate and other settings as I said - just use any of YT pressets avaliable in Media Encoder.

[kevinh23223536]

Thank you brother, you've made my day.