Importing image sequence: option greyed out

[Julian_Rupp]

I'm trying to import a sequence of numbered images as a video clip into Premiere Pro CS6, but it won't take the files:

I've got 9480 JPEG image files named like BlahXXXX.jpg where XXXX goes from 0000 to 9479.

Now when I go to File > Import... and select all those files, the checkbox in the bottom of the file choosing window (image sequence) gets greyed out. If I just select a single image, I can check it, but when clicking "Import" then, Premiere will only import that single still frame.

What am I doing wrong?

[joe_bloe_premiere]

...when I go to File > Import... and select all those files,

Only select the first file,

Premiere will recognize the rest if you check the box.

If I just select a single image, I can check it, but when clicking "Import" then, Premiere will only import that single still frame.

Be sure all your images are sequential,

and I always start on frame 0001.

[Julian_Rupp]

I tried selecting a single one with the 0000 file as well as the 0001 file - same result, imports a single frame.

[joe_bloe_premiere]

I just tested with an image sequence starting @0000.

No problem.

Be certain all your images are identically named,

and sequentially numbered.

in Premiere:

[Julian_Rupp]

They all are identically named and sequentially numbered, without any breaks. I've generated them with another application.

Could it be possible that Premiere simply can't cope with so many files?

Meanwhile, I found a (lossy) workaround by letting Media Encoder - which strangely enough takes the image sequence without any problems - convert them to a video file.

[joe_bloe_premiere]

I've generated them with another application.

Could it be possible that Premiere simply can't cope with so many files?

How many files in your sequence... 9479?

And, why .jpegs?

I just imported a 9,500 frame sequence (5:16:20 @29.97)... no problem.

[Julian_Rupp]

Now I've exported the image sequence from the other application again and for whatever reason it works now... but thanks anyway.

Why JPEGs? Well they have a fairly good compression/quality ratio compared to the other export alternatives I had in that other application (BMP, PNG) so I took JPEG with the highest quality setting.

[joe_bloe_premiere]

For better quality I would definitely choose .png over .jpg.

[Julian_Rupp]

I had limited disk space, else I'd also choose PNG.

[joe_bloe_premiere]

Disk space is cheap,

compromised quality is forever.

[Julian_Rupp]

As long as I don't see artifacts in the still frames, it's good enough for me... in this case. Was no important project and something I won't ever use for something else, so no need for perfect quality.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Any clue to what tripped up the original image sequence? If there is a problem, I'd love to know more about it.

[danielryden]

I have the same problem. I've tried to export a number of files (1800) from Lightroom (5) and import them into Premiere CC (2014). I pick the first file and then check the "image sequence"-box but it just import the very first images. Nothing else.

In Lightroom I name the files as 000x.jpeg, ex 0001.jpg, 0002.jpg and so on. I use 100% image quality and the resolution is set to 1920x1080. Filesize is about 2-2,5 megabytes as exported jpeg. The wierd thing is, if I pick another folder with images from another Lightroom-export it works like a charm (8-900 files). Same settings, but the size of these files are 1,5 megabytes. Can't Premiere handle bigger files or what?

Someone?

[danielryden]

Wierd #2. I tried to export them again from Lightroom, now with 90% jpeg-quality and now it seems to work.

[Guest]

Same problem with premiere cs6. Can choose first PNG image in sequence  and only the one frame will import with image sequence checked, can not choose more than one image. Image sequence is always greyed out. Will have to use another program to get this job done! HELP

[Ann Bens]

If the images are not consecutive it wont work.

[Guest]

All of my PNG images were consecutively numbered. Like I said before the process worked flawlessly in AE CS6, just not in Premiere Pro CS6. Only a single PNG image was allowed to be sequenced with the Image Sequence Checked. If over one was selected the Image Sequence was grayed out and not selectable. If one was selected and imported only one image was sequenced.

[Kevin-Monahan · Accepted solution]

Hi Digihill1,

This works as expected for me. Try this:

1. Choose File > Import (not the Media Browser)
2. Navigate to the folder with your image sequence in it
3. Click the first image in the image sequence (only select the first image, not all the images in the folder)
4. Click the Image Sequence check box at the bottom of the Import dialog box
5. Click the Import button
6. Your image sequence is imported as a clip

Thanks,

Kevin

[Guest]

Followed your instructions exactly on Premiere Pro CS6:

1. Choose File > Import (not the Media Browser)
2. Navigate to the folder with your image sequence in it
3. Click the first image in the image sequence (only select the first image, not all the images in the folder)
4. Click the Image Sequence check box at the bottom of the Import dialog box
5. Click the Import button
6. Not working in Premiere Pro CS6. Only the first consecutively numbered image is sequenced, after selecting only the first consecutively numbered image & checking the Sequence Box. Works fine in After Effects CS6 without any issues. Are there any problems with PNG images in Premiere Pro CS6 and sequences?

[Ann Bens]

Restart computer, hold down shift + alt while opening Premiere.

See it that will help.

If not

Make a new project and try to import the image sequence.

[LuMags]

Sorry to necropost here but the suggestion above does work. As in the "click the first of the sequence, tick the box then Import". I'll admit it's a bit counter-intuitive in that you'd imagine to click a series of images which itself would be a sequence so I understand the confusion.

[stevip36898320]

That was my problem. My first image was 4546 and the second was 4549...

[AaronMRamsey]

So basically figured it out, and it was my own darn fault really...I did use OS X's batch rename to make the filenames a little easier to deal with...ie project description_sequence0001.png So I do think that helped. But anyways I was too used to using Photoshop/Lightroom etc where importing/opening lots of large files takes a while since it's not a proxy system. But since Premiere Pro is, the opening of files takes a second or two. Also, it looks like PP only imports one file, but scrolling over it shows the whole sequence. This is the first time I have seen this, so that might have been the problem all along.

[dgatesca]

The Media Encoder is what worked for me too.

[Felipe Lodi]

That did it, thanks!