Error Compiling Movie: GPU Render Error

[WitchingSeasonFilms]

Hi there,

I am trying to export a feature film project from Premiere Pro CC 2018. 12.1 build. My problem: No matter what I do, I cannot get the project to export in full resolution 4k. I always get the dreaded "GPU Render Error" due to Lumetri.  This is a feature-length film project with a full timeline of Lumetri color-corrected footage (all done on adjustment layers). It will, however, export in 1080p. As long as "export maximum render quality" is disabled, strangely enough. 

Computer specs:
CPU: AMD Threadripper 2950x - 16 core

RAM: 64GB

GPU: Geforce GTX 1070ti 8 GB

I've tried all of the usual suggestions that I have found from the various posts in the community:

-Updated NVidia drivers.
-Deleted all of the cache/preview files.

-Created a new sequence and dragged the old one into it.

-Tried saving the project into a new location. 

-Created a new project and imported the old project into it. 

-Tried exporting with Media Encoder.

-Tried exporting in DNXHD (still failed).
-Tried altering or even DELETING the Lumetri effect at the time stamp given in the error notes. It only seems to find a new timecode and is often never the same.

I've also tried disabling CUDA and exporting using Software Only, which does seem to push the export through (after about 4 days of waiting). But the problem is, for some unexplainable reason, doing so slightly alters the look of my color correction. See below:

CUDA:

Software Only:

Switching to Software Only as the renderer would be an acceptable solution if it weren't for the color shift that is happening. 

The only options I can think of at this point are updating Premiere, which I am scared to do because I can't risk losing all of my work up to this point. Or buying a beefier graphics card. But I am not convinced that would help. 

I know this has been posted a bunch of different times in the community and I've searched through every applicable thread I could find. I have tried literally everything and nothing fixes the error. Adobe support chat also got me nowhere, unfortunately. 

SO, is there anything else worth trying? Or do I just need to cut my losses and accept the weird color-shifted footage? Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[R Neil Haugen]

The ONLY thing the Render Max Q option does is use more tightly computed math for frame-size changes. And is only worth checking even for frame-size changes if you're getting jaggies on diagonals. In other words, if you're doing significant down- or up-scaling and getting jaggies.

It sounds like this is a project with 4k media on a 4k timeline, if so ... that MRQ option doesn't do anything positive for your export. Leave it unchecked.

It's similar for the Max Bit Depth option ... which is useful IF you have color correction going on with no discrete/dedicated GPU. If you've got a full working GPU set for anything other than Software Only in the Project Settings Mercury Acceleration option, then ... MBD isn't doing anything for you either. As for any color/tonal work using the color effects with 32-bit/GPU-accelerated lego blocks (which of course includes Lumetri) ... the processing chain goes from each clip's original bit-depth through the effects processing at 32-bit float depth, and from that directly into the bit-depth of the chosen format/codec.

If you don't have a full GPU,  you do need the MBD option to force the CPU to use GPU-style computations.

Neil

[WitchingSeasonFilms]

Hey Neil,

Thanks for the quick reply.

So, just to be clear, your suggestion is to disable Max Render Quality and Max Bit Depth for the export?

I'll try this and report back. 

[WitchingSeasonFilms]

Neil, 

I attempted to export with MRQ and MBD disabled but still received the same error. This time at a totally new, random time code. 



Any other ideas? 

[R Neil Haugen]

There actually isn't any issue with trying a project in a new version if you do the correct update process. As it doesn't change the original project file nor affect the version of Premiere you were working that file in.

Download/install the newest version of Premiere from the CC Desktop app. It should not remove your prior version of Premiere. That should still be there in the Programs/Adobe/ folder.

• From the new version, create a new project file.
• From the MediaBrowser in Premiere, navigate to and select the old project file.
• Right-click/Import the assets of the old project file.

At this point, you should have the old project in a new project file in the new version, and normally this process gets all the metadata from the old project properly installed in the new version ... which the simple open the project in the newer version (then Premiere "updates" the older project file) doesn't always do.

Try an export of a section of this, and see if it works, and if so, export more. If not ... well ... huh.

Neil

[WitchingSeasonFilms]

I'll save this option as my last resort, but I do appreciate your expertise and information. Thanks, Neil. 

[Kevin-Monahan]

WSF,

Sorry for the trouble. What's going on? To be honest, there is something in your sequence that seems to be taking an inordinate amount of GPU bandwidth, and after it is oversaturated, you experience the hang. Is the timeline very long in duration? Do you have a lot of GPU accelerated effects applied? Scaling from 4K to HD? Many Lumetri Color effects? If so, that would add to my suspicion.

What to do? When I am in this situation, I use smart rendering. In Sequence Settings, change the Editing Mode to > Custom (it's at the top, scroll up). Then, set your Video Previews > Video Preview Format to QuickTime > ProRes 422. Render the Timeline in sections, not all in one go or you'll get the same warning. Then, export to ProRes 422 and click the Use Previews checkbox. You should now be able to use the preview files (Timeline renders) to assist the export.

If this works, you probably just need a new GPU with more VRAM for any similar projects in the future. Let me know if this advice helped you get an output.

Thanks,
Kevin

[WitchingSeasonFilms]

Thanks for the reply, Kevin. Yes, the timeline features many, many effects. Warp Stabilizer is used frequently, Neat Video on about 75% of the clips, and Lumetri on every single shot. The timeline itself is about 1 hr. 45 minutes in length. I can imagine this is quite a hefty load for the GPU. 

I'm trying your suggestion now. However, I am working on Windows, so Cineform 10-bit should do just as well, right? Or is the "Use Previews" option only available for ProRes? This may be a silly question, but I've never done this before. 

If this theoretically works, I would then need to convert the file into an h.264 mp4, right?

[Kevin-Monahan]

WSF,

You can TOTALLY use ProRes on Windows now. It's the best intermediate codec, in my opinion. If you feel cool with GoPro Cineform, then yes, that will work too. DNxHD/HR will also work as an intermediate codec choice. Any of these are fine. Please render previews in small sections. If you render the entire Timeline at once, you will get the same Error Compiling Movie error. Go with, like, 15 minute sections to start.

Yes, you must "USE PREVIEWS" for any smart rendering exports or smart rendering will not work.

Yes, you use the high quality master to create any copies, like H.264. Keep in mind, you can upload these raw files to YouTube for even higher quality, it is not necessary to transcode them to H.264. It will take longer to upload, but the quality will be a lot higher.

You will make a couple of observations with the smart rendering workflow, I hope:

• Smart rendering is the best method for exporting long sequences with GPU intensive effects as the effects rendering process and encoding proccess are done in separate passes.
• Smart rendering is extremely reliable. I have never seen a failed export using this process, whereas, those attempting exporting a straight H.264 with a "too heavy" dose of GPU accelerated effects fail all too often, as they don't have a powerful enough system to tackle the task at hand.
• Smart rendering may be your only option for exporting these kinds of sequences with computer systems that are too underpowered to provide a H.264 export, which includes both effects processing and encoding at the same time.
• Smart rendering is really only "copying" your render files into a new container, therefore, it is very, very fast. It's like lightning in comparison with an hours long or more H.264 export.
• The time smart rendering takes is mainly via rendering previews, which most people do as they edit. That said, you can render previews any time you walk away from your computer (lunch, breaks, overnight).
• Smart rendering takes up a lot of space for rendering preview files since they are created from an intermediate codec.
• Fixing errors after watchdown are easier to fix and take much less time to rerender with smart rendering. All you do is fix the small section, re-render a preview file, the export the sequence once more, which I remind you is very, very fast.
• You can save even more time if you decide on a smart rendering workflow when beginning projects as you can transcode original camera masters into ProRes or Cineform and simply edit with those files, saving you time in rendering preview files on the back end. Keep in mind you can transcode your originals with a LUT attached on ingest.

Hope this info helps.

Thanks,
Kevin

[WitchingSeasonFilms]

Kevin, thank you for the information and suggestions.

Strange, this doesn't seem to be an option on Premiere 2018. Maybe this was added to later releases? Or maybe I need to do something in order for it to appear?

[R Neil Haugen]

Kevin's suggestion is a most excellent one, to render/replace sections of the sequence at a time, then export using previews. ProRes is fully supported on Windows rigs these days, has been for a couple versions. It's in the QuickTime format listings.

That said, Cineform is another excellent output format/codec. Also intraframe, and with 10-bit or better by choice. As is DNxHD/R.

Set the Sequence Preview format/codec options to the format/codec you want to export for a full-quality file. ProRess 422 or "higher", Cineform, or a hefty form of DNxHD/R will all work.

Pick the one that seems best for your use and rig. Render/replace by sections. Then export with "use previews" checked on into the same format/codec of your previews.

And for projects that are long and have as many effects as yours, a frequent option is to apply some of the effects ... then render/replace clips as that section of work is done with a full intermediate (as above). Continue on adding other effects, and the load on the machine is vastly lessened.

Especially when you have say Warp and a bunch of Lumetri on a clip/s. Do the Warp work, render/replace, then continue on with Lumetri and other effects.

You can actually go a couple generations with proper intermediate formats without issue.

Neil

[Trent Happel]

Talking with our Devs, they mentioned there have been GPU improvements since Premiere Pro 2018 and suggested updating to the latest Premiere Pro 2020 (to see if Export now works. If you are still working on this Project, please continue to edit in Premiere Pro 2018, as 2020 Projects cannot be opened in 2018).

[Kevin-Monahan]

Thanks dude. Nice catch.

Kevin

[R Neil Haugen]

ProRes might have been added in the 2019 version.

Neil

[Kevin-Monahan]

How did smart rendering work? Let us know.

Thanks,
Kevin

[R Neil Haugen]

"Witching ... " messaged me ... he's had trouble trying to get the forum to allow his posts, but ... the smart rendering failed.

So he's looking a 1) updating to 2020, probably needing to move his LUTs to the proper listed locations for user LUTs and re-link on every clip using same (most of the timeline it seems) ... or try the change to a 2080TI.

Neil