Discuss: Would you like to export graphics to a file?

[AnnikaKoenig]

The Motion Graphics team is looking into adding a feature where you could export all the text from graphics in a sequence as a file. This includes text from After Effects Mogrts, Premiere Mogrts or just titles. Basically, anything you see in the Text Panel. The design of the feature would be very similar to how Captions does it already through the overflow menu in the Captions tab in the Text panel (Captions allows .txt, .srt and .csv)

Captions example:

 

It would help us greatly if you answered these questions:

Would graphics export to file be useful to you?

For what kind of workflow would you use this feature?

What kind of file format would you like to export to? (Also name any specifics, conventions)

[R Neil Haugen]

Annika,

While this may be of use to some, who need to reuse text in other applications/forms, it isn't much of use to most of us.

Still disappointed that we can't save mogrts to a bin in a project. We can save them to a "local folder", so they can be stored in regular folders like any other media. But for some weird reason, we can't save them into the project file that they are an inherent part of.

This seems to be a total dis-connect. They're media on disc, but cannot be in a bin.

No logic there whatever.

So seeing this small-user option come up when we still can't save graphics to their project file is well ... to be polite, a bit past annoying.

Neil

[ah.photo]

Would graphics export to file be useful to you? + For what kind of workflow would you use this feature?

I suppose it could be useful - but I'd be lying if I said it'd be a gamechanger, at least for me personally. On occasion though, I have had to type out text I've used in graphics (both from AE-made MOGRTs or in-Premiere graphics) that I need to send out in email for review from stakeholders (ie. are names/titles as you'd like them? are you ok with the phrasing for this? anything else you'd like to include? etc.)

Even though we provide the full video drafts for review, some folks still digest that information better in a summary report. I suppose whenever that scenario comes up, an "export to" option could expedite that process.

As I alluded to though - it's not something I've been wishing for endlessly or anything. I don't find my current process significantly hindering my work: I see that collaboration and review as just part of the process.

What kind of file format would you like to export to? (Also name any specifics, conventions)

PDF honestly sounds the most prevelant to me, when it comes to the utility of what I mentioned before: review and approval from stakeholders. Something like:

• Index number (ie. GFX 1) on the left
• A decent size thumbnail also in the left column
• Start timecode underneath the thumb
• The associated text from that graphic in a column to the right

...in a report-style sheet. This way a stakeholder could skim the text-specific information relatively quickly, and send back any edit requests.

Closing Thoughts

To be honest, if adding this would be a huge task, I could see the time being better utilized in other areas of Premiere. For example, looking at the Text Panel exclusively, I'd see a more significant benefit in a feature such as being able to mark selection ranges in Transcripts (ie. pulling sound bites) and then press a button to drop all of those selections down to a timeline. That could be a great help for producers, editors, or MMJs who are trying to form their story.

If anything, I could also see value on holding off on this "Export Graphics" idea (which is not inherently a bad one) until Adobe's Frame.io acquisition could be fully leveraged. For example, a "Send Graphics Report to Frame.io" which then kicks out an interactive form which can be sent to others and allow them to type in suggested changes. In the same vein: an option to generate this graphics report alongside making a Frame.io video upload.

I may not be advocating for other types of work or workflows, but that's how I at least personally see it all!

[AnnikaKoenig]

Thanks for your input, ah.photo! You mentioned PDF - but based on your requirements, would a csv also work?

[ah.photo]

Hi Annika,

Thanks for your response - my pleasure!

Since, to my best knowledge, CSV doesn't support embedded images and text formatting, I don't see it being as useful as something which offers a rich visual presentation.

When I thought about what you and your team have suggested, I posed the question: "what would be the practical application of exporting a graphics report?", and what came to my mind was the scenario I mentioned of a stakeholder reviewing graphics / titles and being able to review and make suggestions to the editor.

In that particular scenario, I don't see a CSV, which I assume come with formatting and image embedding limitations, being user-friendly or easily readable for the stakeholder who might be in that position.

To be transparent here, I'm sure there are other editing workflows and needs that are contingent on genetating CSVs (like data-driven MOGRTs), so I don't want to speak on behalf of others who may feel differently, but I personally struggle to find the practical use of taking video graphics and reducing them down to essentially spreadsheet tables - which might be harder for someone to intepret when dealing with graphics other than just raw data.

[Stan Jones]

Annika,

You are obviously not hearing from the users who are most invested in this feature option. Which is fine; there are stake holders of many types, and decisions about development distribute finite resources.

I assume you are responding to the many uservoice requests for such things as a) speech to text transcripts to use for multiple production and editing purposes, and b) exporting various text elements in a project/sequence/sequences while retaining marker/timecode/comments/metadata information, again for multiple purposes.

Some of these purposes are very high priority for those requesting them.

I understand ah.photo's statements, and I think the absence of a review tool has been an issue for some time. But your current focus is on TEXT export from the "graphics" workflows including not only regular graphics, but the various text elements of the Essential Graphics Panel and Text Panel. So, no, pdf is not as desirable as a format that will be flexible for using the text in a variety of external applications.

I would not have thought of csv as a high priority option, but this proved very useful when the Captions tab "export text file" suddenly acquired time code. That change was in response to many users who urgently wanted speaker and timecode included. And then the other users who just wanted the plain text were bummed. The csv allowed users to manipulate the information pretty much any way they wanted. It is a great option.

I would emphasize that it is desirable for users to be able to both export AND import text. There are currently many posts in the regular forum for workflows such as round tripping transcripts/caption exports for purposes of editing. Using a timecode and precisely formatted srt for a proofreader to edit is asking for trouble! Another major workflow need is simply importing a text only transcript, with PR providing the timecodes etc. In any event, I think it would be useful to EXPORT text in multiple forms and from any PR text source and to IMPORT text information in multiple forms and for at least the most used purposes. Subtitle import is the most obvious, but users have often turned to AE to use a text file to access regular title text in for use in PR.

The uservoice system should be very useful here. A user requests text export for whatever purpose. Other users chime in. Once you get to the stage of considering the option, you post in the uservoice and ask for input.

The problem is (pet peeve) that uservoice is good for posting something, but VERY difficult for users to track, or search, and the VERY LARGE number of suggestions have no staff comment and no stage. And there's no way to sort (particularly in the search view) current suggestions from ones years ago that are irrelevant. And, like the regular forums, you cannot conduct a power search: you just can't overcome the forum strategy of using "its" own decisions about relevance.

Stan