Need professional media encoder

Report · Jul 05, 2018

I need to export sub clips into visual effects program using the native codec from the source footage (MFX 1920x1080). Adobe media encoder is designed to create YouTube and Vimeo quality media so it's not equipped to output pro HD and 4K formats. Can anyone recommend a professional grade encoder?

FYI, I'm on PP 2015

Report · Jul 05, 2018

A professional Encoder is in Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve.

Resolve use the complete CPU and GPU performance from big workstations,

so the encoding is very good and very very fast.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

Thanks,

Just last night I was looking into the Resolve 15 platform. It looks very promising to do pro work on. I have to upgrade my RAM and then give it a try.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

While I am definitely a fan of Resolve and believe it's moving much faster than Adobe towards fulfilling the needs of professionals, it has to be said that Adobe Media Encoder (AME) is actually more capable than Resolve on this front. With formats like DNx, Cineform, OpenEXR, DPX, QuickTime Animation and Uncompressed, there is no shortage of Hollywood-level export options from Adobe software.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

Adobe Media Encoder does not always support these formats when editing in and exporting from PP. For example, it won't export sequences or sub-clips in the native source format / codec. I'm doing digital cinema based film work and Premiere Pro / Media Encoder isn't really a pro platform in this regard. It's ok for video work but you really can't do a high end film projects on it. Maybe some day.....

Report · Jul 06, 2018

It will do this depending on what format you put in and your settings. You have said it's "MFX 1920x1080" - I assume you mean MXF and you haven't noted what the codec is...these will determine whether you can export same as source. Under the hood, AME will not require a re-encode if you are exporting same as source.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

it won't export sequences or sub-clips in the native source format / codec.

Sure it can, assuming the original codec is also on the list of available export options.

Some formats, like DNx, even offer the option to export without reencoding the media.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

you really can't do a high end film projects on it. Maybe some day.....

“Deadpool” Edited with Adobe Premiere | Larry Jordan

“Gone Girl” marks yet another milestone for Adobe Premiere Pro CC | Creative Cloud blog by Adobe

Report · Jul 06, 2018

both of these films were desaturated and didn't use color higher than rec. 709 as the gamut was greyish and rather small. you can send xml for larger colorspaces to resolve though. if you'd like to see if premiere's small rec. 709 will work for you, photoshop has a gamut warning feature that will turn a warning color for things you may want to keep when you bump up saturation. premiere will just clip it entirely without warning.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

this should be in the lounge area, and is wasting my time reading it in PPro forum

Report · Jul 06, 2018

to elaborate:

nobody in their right mind would do any commercial ( client based) stuff without first making sure the entire work flow WORKS for the product they want. From source to export. Having Opinions, AND questions about the relative quality of various individual programs ( resolve, PPro, FCP, AVID) and other stuff that only pro post people have access to (that they invented … like Lucas and Speilberg ? ))

You are dealing with programs used to LOOK at stuff, and do rough cuts and make dailies fast, and just run stuff through a work flow to make a big industry WORK on a day by day basis.

Everything else is just opinion and pushing the envelope for making things POSSIBLE for those who don't have the money to do the real professional movie making we see on the big screen. I mean, really, who can buy 5 alexa cameras to shoot a 30 min ( 22 min) TV movie?

Stuff is rented, crews are hired, post production houses ( editors) are hired, and it is based on a known work flow. They don't talk about " how do I do this or that". They don't COME HERE to get info. And they don't have time to COME HERE to give advice on this level.

This stuff belongs in lounge.

The GOOD thing about this place ( and the future of shooting and editing for final product) is that for the first time in history it is getting really CLOSE to being possible for those without millions of dollars to do it.

How cool is THAT ! ??

Report · Jul 06, 2018

Hi Jim,

I'm wondering what version of PP these films were done on? I'm also betting that they had engineers on call and used PP to do the offline but conformed and graded on a higher end platform. My experience is that PP has been very unstable and that has bitten me quite a few times, especially when I'm trying to cut anything over 60 minutes in length. Hence, my source of skepticism as to how pro Premiere Pro really is. That said, I finally found that version 2015.3 works best for me and so I'm hesitant to update to a newer version, including 2018. It was a nightmare the last time I updated so I'm not sure how much longer I will keep using this platform.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

I know from sitting in on the presentations at NAB that Adobe has staff available for advising "major long form projects", but don't know the connections or details of course. If you go through the entire "About Prpro" scroll of sections & staffers, you will see the section and their names listed. How much different they may have for a working app, no idea. Most everything I've seen long-form editors talk about is within 'normal' latest release. Though a couple things for meta-tracking and an odd other thing here & there had been custom patched into their version. So perhaps some differences but not a completely different app by any means.

I'd guess full grades were mostly done on Resolve, Avid, or Baselight, something like that. Though one film production crew demoing their process this last NAB noted they'd had one editor that is slick with Lumetri go through and do 'rough' grades, used that as the baseline for the colorists ... who mostly worked just to match the output from Lumetri, then did a few masked/special-effects things for a few (relatively) clips of the project.

They did a final comparison showing half-screens of the project as exported for demo with Lumetri for the colorists, and the final frames. 90% as they put it could have just been done in Lumetri. Though this was a documentary or similar, not a Major Action Flick.

2015.3 was a sweet release for my memories, granted.

But 2018 is awful nice, and I love the improvements to Lumetri. Getting a split-screen and shot-matching button have been huge up-ticks for me. That said, it's kinda split-acting: for me and many, it's fast and stable. For others it's not working at. all.

Wish they could get that sorted.

Neil

Report · Jul 06, 2018

I have internet on my laptop only. Some people are using laptops to edit now with PPro etc.

If I tilt my screen back a little bit the look of the screen changes. It gets darker. If I tilt the screen forward a little bit, it gets lighter and washed out looking. This is what you are using for a 'standard' for editing ?? I don't think so.

hehe.

Desktop stuff is the same, as no monitors ( except the very best ) can even get close to any standard that is backed up with scopes and the basic PROFESSIONAL POST HOUSE EDITING PLATFORMS. Do you think they get a gazillion dollars an hour just for fun on Hudson Street ?

Geez.

And you want a professional what ??

Report · Jul 06, 2018

The reason this belongs in the lounge, is because nobody CARES about opinions.

If you have a camera or rent stuff and shoot stuff, and edit it, and it captures an audience, maybe telling a good story, or maybe showing someone jumping off a cliff with a parachute, who cares ? The point is to MAKE STUFF and that people LIKE TO WATCH.

NOBODY CARES ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.

So, use the tools you HAVE and do the best you can to communicate with the 'audience', and be happy !

If, by some miracle, you get into working on stuff that goes to the big screen, trust me, you'll have all the info you need to use THOSE TOOLS, because there are literally THOUSANDS of people who did that before you, will help you learn the tools, and get you into the position you want to make a paycheck and do the work required. Probably just naming files and organizing source material to start with.

: )

This belongs in the lounge, this is NO PLACE for stupid fantasy land.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

Seems a weird response. First of course, I'm not the OP of this thread. So the last comment ... ? Huh.

No clue whatever why you included the comment about the laptop screen ... yea, laptops are being used by a lot of folks for editing, which doesn't require a totally pro-standard screen. Unless you're doing final color work on it, of course, as in finishing for final deliverables. I doubt very few users try to submit anything for b-cast QC from a laptop without external monitors attached.

But everyone's entitled to their opinions. Even for those many threads here that have been over production thoughts, relative workflows, all sorts of "opinion" type things. As weirdly as it would seem to you, over the years there's been a lot of people on this forum wanting opinions on how to do things. It's what this forum is for, and the general Lounge isn't really suited for discussions of video post.

In my experience.

Report · Jul 06, 2018

well, the title is 'need a professional media encoder ' so right off the bat there's lots of room for opinions.

The laptop screen is an illustration of how unreliable products may be when viewed on a laptop, and then to some extent I tried to extend that thought to desktop screens ( which generally are NOT super calibrated for final work depending on how you define " FINAL").

I do agree that many posts are about trying to get the best quality product or ( even more often) how to DO SOMETHING specific with the tools available. Like, how do I make my graphic move from right to left as if I am panning the camera.

Or, how can I use the color tools to give me a REC 709 look on a computer screen that is set to 0-255 sRGB.

Know what I mean ?

Some things are related to just learning how to do specific things.

I'm really glad you are here to provide your help and information, and am glad everyone else is here also doing the same thing. How cool is that ?? !!!

: )

Report · Jul 07, 2018

I'm thinking of upgrading to PP 2018 only because the dynamic link to Aftereffects does not work on my 2015 version. If I upgrade, will 2018 read project files from 2015? I ask this because I have been unable to to open projects from previous versions of PP. (I'm assuming Abode has now added this feature on 2018)

Report · Jul 07, 2018

Newer versions read older versions but not vice versa...

Report · Jul 07, 2018

Thanks, I just upgraded to 2018 and it opened my 2015 project file just fine. The dynamic link to Aftereffects still doesn't work on the 2018 versions of both PP and AE. This is one of my frustrations with Adobe, touting features that are effectively vaporware. On that note, I'll go down a version and hope that works

Report · Jul 07, 2018

If you have the correct versions of PrPro & Ae, the CC App recognizes this, the Dynamic Link process works. I do stuff with PrPro & Ae weekly (do NOT make the mistake to assume I'm "good!" in Ae ... yowza, that's a dense app!) and that link just works for me.

But I know it can be cranky. It would be nice if they numbered the two app's versions identical so you could easily tell .... but checking build 12.1.1 against 15.1.2 ... or whatever! ... isn't exactly obvious, is it?

Neil

Report · Jul 07, 2018

Hi Neil,

I don't understand the AE 2018 interface so I that is a drag. Ironically, my PP 2015.3 version is solid but the AE version for 2015 doesn't like video and it constantly crashes. Can you recommend versions for both PP and AE that work together?

Report · Jul 07, 2018

I'm away from my computer right now, but I know on my desktop I've got 2015.3, 2017, and 2018 pairings working. But I can't give you the specific build.

Actually, check on the AfterEffects forum about this as there'd be someone there who'd know the numbers real quick ...

Neil

After Effects

Report · Jul 07, 2018

Thanks. I think I know what the problem is. Fusion also doesn't work on my PC. I screwed up and updated Windows when I should have just left it alone. I'm going to upgrade to a new HP Workstation, install the Creative Cloud apps, take if offline and never update Windows. Microsoft, in my experience, has never been able to code reliable software!

On that note, does CC work on Linux?

Report · Jul 07, 2018

Nope, don't think it does.

I'm running Win10, a fairly recent update, and doing ok. When they released "Creator" or whatever that was a couple months ago, their first named update, wow ... that knocked me out for a day or two.

Even worse than the PC OS issues of late have been several Mac OS releases. Oh ... my.

Yea, OS updates can be a terrifying thing!

Neil