FR: Background Rendering

Report · Jan 01, 2014

Let's face it, no matter how much work Adobe does with hardware acceleration, it will be some time before we will never have to render again, no matter how complex the timeline. Given the need for some degree of rendering into the foreseeable future, it'd be great to be able to do this kind of thing in the background, allowing work to continue. We can export while we work, we can whistle while we work, it's definitely past time we could also render while we work.

I imagine this to be user initiated, just as it is now. The only difference would be that PP doesn't lock us out while we wait, but instead allows us to continue working. I imagine a new panel along with the Project, Effects, Info, Media Browser, etc. This Render panel would show current progress of all initiated renders, allow us to rearrange their order, cancel and pause them, etc.

Premiere Pro would use whatever resources were available for the task, freeing them up as needed for continuing work.

Whatcha think?

Edit:

Here's the request I ended up with, if anyone wants to copy/paste:

https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

*******Enhancement / FMR*********

BACKGROUND RENDERING

I'd like to add the ability to continue working while sequences get rendered within Premiere Pro. Rendering would remain user initiated, and never occur automatically. However, once a user initiates a render, we would be able to continue working. I imagine a new Render window along with the Project, Media Browser, Info, etc., where we could see the status of all initiated renders; pause, resume and cancel them; rearrange their order, etc.

Why is this feature important to you?

My thumbs are worn to the nub as I twiddle away waiting for PP to render. I just can't do it any more!

Report · Sep 14, 2016

I am guessing it doesn't exist yet!

Unfortunately, no.

Report · Sep 30, 2016

Final Cut Pro X handles this beautifully!! If I'm idle a few seconds, I see the background render process start or continue - It renders timeline previews in small little chunks, you don't have to start or stop it, you don't loose any previews because you stopped a render task mid-way. I absolutely love it! Premiere could take a lesson from FCPX on that one. I just continue working on my project and suddenly I notice that the entire timeline previews are rendered.

Report · Sep 30, 2016

Final Cut Pro X handles this beautifully!! If I'm idle a few seconds, I see the background render process start or continue

No, no, no. That is automatic rendering. That is most definitely NOT what is needed and wanted here.

A proper background rendering feature should always be user initiated. It should never happen on it's own.

Report · Sep 30, 2016

Jim_Simon wrote:
No, no, no. That is automatic rendering. That is most definitely NOT what is needed and wanted here.
A proper background rendering feature should always be user initiated. It should never happen on it's own.

Well, to each his own... I could see some times when I would prefer it off. Actually, good app design would include a little check box in the preferences for "Check to turn on automatic rendering". Or even better have an automatic rendering setting per sequence. That way I can have it on when I want it, and you can keep it off. Everyone's happy.

The solution you propose is very similar to the way FCPX's automatic rendering happens. You don't get as much control over reordering, prioritizing, canceling render jobs, but it just sits there and efficiently chugs away and then it's done. The best would be to have preference settings for all of the above: a simple mode where you turn on "automatic smart rendering" or "manual smart rendering" and then maybe expand the panel where you could choose all sorts of granular settings like render priority settings, processor allocation. How about even a multistage render where 1st stage is EXTREMELY fast and produces a lower quality preview so you can use it within seconds, then it could go back on 2nd and 3rd passes to fill in more resolution until the previews are full res. Sounds exciting!

As it is now, sometimes I want to pull my hair out!! Adobe's current implementation of rendering seems extremely clunky after using Final Cut for a little while.

Anyway, I put in a request for a background render feature. I copied and pasted yours, and then added my "improvements" ...

Report · Oct 01, 2016

Actually, good app design would include a little check box in the preferences for "Check to turn on automatic rendering".

Initiating a render manually would accomplish the same goal, but in a much better way. Opt-in the always the preferable design over Opt-out.

Report · Nov 15, 2016

I'm just starting with Premiere Pro CC, and I'm honestly quite shocked that it supports neither background rendering nor automatic rendering. This is 2016 - why do we need to worry about manually rendering AND being blocked while it's doing so? Adobe, come on.

Report · Nov 15, 2016

Did you file a feature request to add your opinion?

Feature Request/Bug Report Form

Report · Nov 27, 2016

Just filed one.

Report · Oct 22, 2017

Even though time has gone by since the OP...

One thing I miss about FCP7 is being able to go home, leaving the computer on and knowing all my open timelines will have all their previews rendered by the morning.

Right now, I have to come in early, render an edit, maybe then my client can view it, maybe I'll have time to render another... maybe my client will come in and ask what he can see, it's truly not my preference to have to say "gee whiz, in only another twenty-three minutes you can see this one"

And after that?

"I'll have another ready in just a half-hour after that."

Automatic, background, I'd settle for either.

Report · Oct 22, 2017

johnhollands wrote
One thing I miss about FCP7 is being able to go home, leaving the computer on and knowing all my open timelines will have all their previews rendered by the morning.

While you are waiting for background rendering to be instituted, why not add all your open timelines to a Media Encoder Export Queue? You could do that, and start the Queue when you leave in the evening, and in the morning you'll have exported/fully rendered movies to show the client.

MtD