Exporting large files in AE

Report · Mar 01, 2019

Hello

I'm having trouble exporting large files 18288 x 56px, 30824 x 72px into avi files using AE.

These files will be used for LED banners in stadiums.

I know AVI isn't supported in the latest versions of AE ( i have a Mac). So I'm using Wondershare to convert .MOV to .AVI but it becomes glitchy when converted. Has anyone else had this problem?

I've also read the the maximum canvas size is 30000 x 30000px. Is there a way around this?

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Report · Mar 01, 2019

I can't image that anything on this world when being printed and or being a display, has 18288 pixels in width and is one piece. No display is that wide. If it fails, you would have to replace the entire piece, not just a part. So the banners most likely will be split in many pieces, so can the exports.

Alternative: use the AME, it may have different specs. AVI is furthermore only a container, where the codec also matters, but didn't mention which one you tried. So the question is, does the AVI container have a problem with that size or the codec?

Report · Mar 01, 2019

You're right Doc, it surely would be in panels.

But these were the dimensions given to me by the client, along with 30fps, 72dpi and .AVI requirements.

I have tried AME and that doesn't help either- it reduces the dimensions smaller.

The Wondershare codec I've tried DivX and Xvid.

Report · Mar 01, 2019

First as Doc Maik mentioned - it is hard to believe that they are using one clip/one signal - prepared as you describing - and feed that to stadium banner. I worked with those kinds of screens and setups as a technician and I also delivered footage for them several times and I never seen delivery method like that. So first thing I would do if I would be you - I would contact tech that is responsible for that banner or company that put that system there and ask for exact specs that they use. In post cases they use pixelmaps that fit into standard resolutions (full HD/4K) so you prepare final product as that pixel map and then delivery system that they use split and deliver exact sections to exact parts of that banner.
Bellow example of a pixelmap of gate like screen setup that I worked on several weeks ago:
- animation was one large projection around and inside of that cube

but what I was delivering to client was this (2 full HD movie clips):

But let say that you have to export file with specs that you mentionned so AE can and will make that lower res for you without any issues, but as for larger one AE is restricted to - as you said - 30K px. But even if that would be possible then you have to find codec that can handle that kind of resolution in avi container (because you said that it have to be avi) and that will be hard.

Report · Mar 01, 2019

Thanks Imeilfx, that makes a lot of sense.

You've just introduced me to a world of pixel mappings.

I'll try and speak to the tech guy.

Report · Mar 01, 2019

Yes do that. That way you will save bunch of time preparing your comps correctoy from the start and you will make technician that works with that led baner hapier by giving him exactly what he need

Report · Mar 01, 2019

When producing projects like this it is imperative that you communicate directly with the folks that are providing the equipment for the job. The first red flag I see in your post is when you said "You're right Doc, it surely would be in panels.

But these were the dimensions given to me by the client, along with 30fps, 72dpi and .AVI requirements." Why is that a red flag? Because there are no inches in video. There is no such thing as a 72dpi video because video is pixels and there are no inches in video. This tells me that the client is passing assumptions to your, not specifications.

Find out who is running the system and talk to them directly about the specifications for the job. Then figure out how to organize your AE projects in the most efficient manner. The last time I worked on a project like this I created an Illustrator artboard the include the entire display and just large enough for AE to easily handle, then added additional artboards for each segment the system required lined up with the original, then saved the AI file with each artboard as a separate file.

All of the AI files were added to the project. The master was imported as a composition. The rest as footage.

The main comp was opened up. It was about 6K wide and 700 pixels high. All of the smaller footage files from the smaller artboards were placed in the main comp and lined up, then set to guide layers, then turned off. The animation was completed and a low rez copy sent to the client for approval. When the animation was approved I created a new comp for each of the final renders at the final size, imported each of the smaller footage items so they were centered, added the main comp to the render comp, lined up the main comp with the placeholder using the difference mode to make sure it was accurate, parented the main comp to the placeholder footage, scaled the placeholder footage to fill the comp, turned off the placeholder layer, turned on collapse transformations on the main comp and sent the final to render an image sequence. The image sequences created from all the render comps were then compressed to the video standards from the display provider.

This workflow allowed me to work efficiently with a reasonably sized comp, then prepare for the final render in about 15 minutes. I don't know of any other workflow that makes much sense. If you need pixel-based artwork or video in your final product then you just have to make sure that that artwork or video is big enough so that it is not scaled above 100% in the final render.

I hope these suggestions help.

Report · Mar 08, 2019

Hi doublespud1,

All the information given above is extremely helpful.
Try these suggestions and get back if you have more questions.

Thanks, Doc Maik, imeilfx and Rick for chiming in.

Best,

Rameez

Report · Apr 22, 2019

I just received a request for an uncompressed AVI video 1776p H x 96p W for animated graphics to display in a stadium. The client was very specific about this, so I assume that is what they need.

I am working on a Mac with OS High Sierra. I need to know how to encode to AVI from whatever I render from After Effects/Media Encoder. What tools are people using these days?