Mysterious black frame added to end of mp4 outputs from premiere pro

Report · Aug 21, 2023

Version: 23.5.0

Mac OS Monterey version 12.5

When I export an h264 (.mp4) file from Premiere Pro or media encoder, a black frame is added to the end of my output. The strange thing is that if you play the file in quicktime, the file plays through to the end and stops on the last frame of video that you would expect to see. Howerver, if you scroll to the end of the video inside of quicktime player, you will see the black frame. You will also see the black frame in your export window of premiere pro if you scroll to the end of the clip as well. If I import the mp4 file into Avid and a few other encoders, you see the black frame, you also see that the duration of the clip is 1 frame longer. If I bring the file back into Premiere, or DaVinci you don't see the black frame.

Adobe has recreated the problem on their end, but they are still looking for a solution. The workaround for now has been to export anything else from Premiere pro and then make the h264 with a different program.

Report · Aug 21, 2023

No, there's a good chance the problem is in how you're setting your export selection. What you are describing will happen if you set an "out" point the way most people do ... either the down-arrow to get to the end of a clip, or the keyboard short to go to the end edit point.

What happens, is that sets the CTI ... current time indicator or playhead ... not on the last frame of the clip, but on the next frame of the sequence. Which, if there isn't a clip there, will show as "black".

You need to change the way you select your export section. Either just select the sequence itself in either the bin or the Timeline panel, then Export ... or if setting in/out points, make sure to use the keyboard short for the "go to clip end" ... which is Shift/Home on my PC ... you can set this to the keys you want ... and if you're on the last clip, it goes to the last frame of the 'current' clip.

Or just hit Down arrow to get to the end followed by Left arrow to move back one frame, then set the Out point.

And yes, this is confusing. But actually ... makes sense once you understand the reasoning. There is no "in between" frame ... place ... on a timeline, only frames.

Report · Aug 21, 2023

It doesn't matter where the out point is set. Even if I put it in the middle of a sequence, it still generates that black frame. Thank you though!

Report · Aug 21, 2023

That ... would be odd!

Report · Nov 12, 2024

I could not get rid of the black single frame at the end of H264 exports no matter what, until.. (pasue for dramatic effect)

I use export media (control M) and i switch OFF in the export window all three: captions, effects & metadata
Then it renders out the video file without a black frame at the end.

Hope this helps others.