Help with multiple resolutions

[allanf89411242]

Hi all,

I'm new to premiere pro so please bare with me! I am trying to make a video in which 90% of my footage is 4k, the others are 5% 1080 and 5% 2.7k.

I initially set me sequence settings to 4k as this was the majority of my footage. So my sequence settings are 4k and my plan was to export to 1080p when finished. I choose to do it this way instead of putting my sequence settings at 1080p as a lot of my 4k footage will require warp stabilizer (and i read if I had sequence settings at 1080 and then used warp stabilizer I would loose quality).

My question is now how to add in the 2.7k and 1080p footage to the timeline. When I add it I get black borders as expected. If i set scale to frame I realize I am then upscaling the 1080p to 4k and loosing quality. When I eventually export out to 1080p will i re-gain that quality or will I have lost some?

If im going about this the wrong way does anyone have a better suggestion?

Thanks in adavance!

[R Neil Haugen · Accepted solution]

You've got  a few different things here. If you've got a lot of clips needing Warp I would stabilize those first then export in an intermediate codec like Cineform 10-bit YUV, re-imported into the project for use on the timeline.

This will save potentially hours of hassle later on. Especially if you need color correction, time-remapping or other extensive effects.

If you're going to export at 1080, then use a 1080 sequence and drop all other clips on with your preferences option set to add clips by set-to-frame-size so they all come in showing full image, but can easily be scaled to show part if you wish.

Neil

[allanf89411242]

Hi, many thanks for the response.

Just to clarify - change all my sequence settings to 1080p if i'm exporting to 1080p. Will this give me the same rich downscaled 4k to 1080p footage that i've read about. I was under the impression I needed to have the sequence settings at 4k and export at the final step to 1080p to achieve this?

Secondly - for the footage that needs to be stabilized. I start a new project, then stabilize then export using Cineform 10-bit YUV. When I export do I export at 4k and then let the main project downsize to 1080p or should I export initially to 1080p and just drop the now 1080p footage into the main project. Does either way make a difference?

Thank you again!

EDIT - One last question - when I drop my 4k footage and allow it the automatically generate the sequence settings, it selects RED. Footage is from a sony a6500 camera. Is this correct and does it even make a difference as long as the resolution/frame rate is correct?

[R Neil Haugen]

First ... make a sequence probably by dropping a 1080 clip into the blank timeline area, easiest way. Even if you then cut that clip and start adding other clips. If you get a pop-up saying change sequence resolution, don't ... leave it at 1080.

Using 'Set to frame-size' rather than "scale to frame size" as the default means the footage is still considered 4k by PrPro, just showing it as down-scaled to fit the sequence. NO actual change of media is made. "Scale to frame-size" is the opposite: it makes PrPro now scale that media to frame-size in the first processing step, so any changes you make up or down in scaling manually are from that 1080 resolution. Normally, NOT what you want.

Next ... warp stabilize your clips, then select them in a bin and right-click/export via Media Encoder (queue to Me) with "Import into Project" checked. This will export them all as clips with the same names as the originals and import them into PrPro as made.

When working that Export dialog box, use a Format such as QuickTime with Cineform 10-bit YUV as the preset/codec or Format as DNxHR/DNxHD and then use the codec DNxHR HQX in either 8 or 10 bit form.

Then your exported files appear right back in PrPro in very good quality still as 4k, and use those files in your sequence. This will be a huge improvement both for editing ease and exporting the final product.

Why did it pick RED? The way that works ... it looks at the clip you've dropped in, checks the properties of the media for frames-size/rate, number/type of audio channels, progressive/interlaced ... and selects the first preset where the preset's settings match the media's properties. So don't worry what the "name" of the preset is.

Neil

[allanf89411242]

Hi again,

I've just attempted to follow your advice but run into my first problem. I set the sequence to 1080p, dropped in my 4k footage and set to frame size. All good so far but then when I tried to run warp stabilizer I got an error about cannot stabilize unless dimensions match sequence (fix by nesting).

I don't really know much about nesting but the little reading I had done previously suggested that using nesting will loose the 4k quality I had?

[R Neil Haugen]

That goes back to my first post ... I seriously suggest applying Warp to the 4k clips in a timeline, stabilizing, then from the project panel select those clips and export them via MediaEncoder, with the "reimport into project" checkbox checked. They can be processed as individual clips, all stabilization already done, then use those clips in your project.

This will as noted save a ton of processing/exporting woes down the road.

Neil

[allanf89411242]

Apologies! I understand what you meant now. I was following post #3 literally and trying to do it all in one step. Paragraph 3 starts 'Next" i assumed it was a continuation of what do to - I now see you were answering a different question.

Last question (I promise!). I don't have MediaEncoder installed. Is there any difference doing what you say but just doing a straight export then loading the new file back into the master project. What would be the benefit of ticking reimport into project if that would not be my master project anyway?

I'm sorry again for all the questions, and thanks so much for your help.

[R Neil Haugen]

MediaEncoder is part of the CC Suite, and if you're running PrPro, you really need it.

Among other things, the only way you can export direct from a bin is queued to Me. And that is the only process where you can take multiple clips and in one go export them as multiple clips. Exporting from the timeline, you would need to select each clip individually with in/out points, and it would try to name it the sequence name, which unless you've changed it, is the name of the first clip you put on that sequence.

Whereas, from a bin, you select a group of clips, right-click and Export Media. Choose the preset/settings, I'd suggest Cineform 10-bit YUV or DNxHR/HQ and make sure re-import is checked. You'll have all the clips as clips, then use them in place of the original media for further post work.

As you can recreate them at any time, you don't even have to save them once you archive the project unless you wish to.

Neil

[allanf89411242]

Thank you so much.

A lot of what you have mentioned is a little beyond me at this point (bins? Importing back into the project? Etc) but I'm going to play about with it later and hopefully I'll get a better grasp when i actually see it in action.

Thanks for the clarification on set and scale to frame size - I didn't even know this was an option.

[R Neil Haugen]

There's nothing to re-importing, it's just a checkbox near the bottom of the Export dialog.

Bins ... those are the "folders" you make in the Project panel to organize your different assets like video clips, audio, whatever.

I'd suggest looking at some of the tutorials in the PrPro help resources on setting up and organizing projects. I think it would save you a lot of time.

Neil