Project Manager Consolidate & Transcode a trimmed down project

[Jbrox]

Hi there,

Im tryin gto use Project Manager to consolidate & transcode a trimmed down project. 

I have a 4K Pro Res 4444 rushes and want to use the project manager to create new clips from my edit with 2 second handles.

I believe I have everythin gset up correctly in the settings:

consolidate & transcode

Individual clips

Quicktime

Match source - Pro res 4444

include handles 50 frames

I select an output destination path 

but on OK Premier immediately copies the original full length clips to the new folder resulting in a huge project not the cutdown I need.

Can anyone advise how I can work this out?

Thanks

Jon

[Mike Dziennik]

The project manager is buggy to say the least.

Sounds like you're trying the right settings. Can you do a 'MediaInfo' output of the file specs?

[Jbrox]

Hi Mike

Thanks for rsponding. How do i get the mediainfo? 

Cheers

Jon

[Michael Grenadier]

media info is a third party app that's very handy for easily determining source properties. 

https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo/Download/Mac_OS

[Nicolas from Autokroma]

Hello,

Some Codecs can't be transcoded with the Project Manager and files are copied instead (it's a limitation). It is the case for all "Source Settings" plugin, such as BRAW, R3DRAW, ProRes RAW, ARRI RAW, Canon RAW, .. 

Which kind of files do you have ? The codec I mean. 

If you have high quality footages, you could be interested to the third party plugin "PlumePack", which is free for the "Collect&Copy", and need a premium license for trimming without re-encoding (you remove unused frames and keep the same codec, quality, metadata). More infos : https://www.autokroma.com/PlumePack

Best,

Nicolas from Autokroma

[Jbrox]

Hi there,

I edit adverts for broadcast so usually get either Pro Res 4444 or Red files. 

Ill have a look into the plugin but itsa shame Premier doesnt support this.

Best

Jonathan

[Michael Grenadier]

This is a shot in the dark, but gotta say I've nailed a number of issues here with an educated guess.  What's the audio configuration of your camera original?  Premiere has had issues with certain formats where the configuration of the source audio which had 8 channels of audio if I remember correctly and was unable to create proxies that would remain linked to the original files.  In my case everything but the first 2 tracks of audio were unnecessary...   If you have more than 2 channels of audio and you only need 2 of the channels if, on your source clips, you use clips: modify: audio channels and remove all but the first 2 channels and then attempt the project manager...  note:  I think you'll have to re-edit the clips in the sequence for the clips in the sequence to reflect the modify change...      If you think this might be the source of problem, I'd suggest you first do a test with a short clip to see if it works...  I did a quick test and the project manager output did reflect the change I made to the source audio...

[Baffy19]

I have a question for Adobe employees. Are any of the developers aware of this problem with the inability to consolidate and crop RAW/LOG formats? For a moment, this gap has been there for several years. What's going on here? Why should we have difficulty in reducing our material and saving the workspace on the hard drive. What the hell is going on? When will it be fixed ?

[Mike Dziennik]

The project manager has had issues for quite a long time, Adobe are no doubt aware. Rest assured, you're not the only one frustrated by this feature; we can only hope it is on their roadmap.

[Baffy19]

Thank you for responding. This is a really important issue for the proper organization of the project and saving the right material to save workspace. We need to resolve this issue.

[Michael Grenadier]

Just want to make sure we're getting the complete picture.  So you're trying to consolidate a sequence?  What are your sequence settings and how many audio channels do your sources and sequence have?  Have you tried creating a sequence from a single clip by right clicking on the clip and making sequence from clip so that your sequence settings match your source properties.  Then trim the clip down to a few seconds and try consolidating that.  Same problem?  Just trying to remove any possible variables.    

[Baffy19]

Nah, you don't have to do that. We need a working panel from which we select a sequence and go to the settings to save the number of frames that need to be left, in case of further adjustments (for example, for a better transition). The clips that we edited on the timeline have a finite duration option that we need to save when consolidating and copying to a new location on the hard disk. All that the trim function to clear the media from unnecessary frames will allow you to store the project with significant saving of hard disk space. Right now, the trim function when consolidating and copying is not working properly. Take the example of Da Vinci. Everything is like a clock there, as much as I cut on the timeline, so much will remain, the rest will be cut off and will not enter the new assembly of the material.

[Michael Grenadier]

just trying to figure out what's going on and perhaps figure out a workaround.  Gotta say I use Resolve for difficult color correction problems but find the editing interface sorely deficient when compared to Premiere...    And fixing/changing stuff in a program with the complexity of Premiere is not simple and can often create new issues.  Just read the screams here when a major update is released.  And here's an idea.  If Resolve has a rocksolid "consolidate" feature, why not output an xml file of your sequence from Premiere and bring that into resolve and do the consolidate there and then bring the consolidated material back in to Premiere.   Maybe not as simple as you wish, but might solve the problem in the short term.

[Baffy19]

Yes, integration is good with Resolve. But, Premiere should also have such an opportunity. Not just have to, as it is now, but work.

This is a long-standing question, which for some reason is forgotten here and only sometimes comes up, because not all users use this precious function. Personally, I would use it every time I complete a project or when I need to reduce the amount of material to transfer it to a colorist at DaVinci. This is a significant issue for everyone. Therefore, this function is needed as soon as possible.

[Nicolas from Autokroma]

You should try PlumePack, basic features are free, and Premium features could be what you are looking for. Not native and free, but still there.  

[Baffy19]

Yes, I know. I once worked with Plume Pack full version, but even with it, not all files were imported. There, almost always, at the end of the consolidation process, a message is displayed with a notification that you need to add some media to the consolidated project yourself. I was honestly surprised. As a result, I trust only the native functionality. This working function should be in Premiere. It is both import and export by value. I don't understand how you can trim Premiere for third-party developers. This function does not require anything fancy to give it into the wrong hands. It's stupid. A professional-level product, without a tail. Funny

[Jbrox]

Yeah I agree it should be a pretty basic function for pro software realy.

[Michael Grenadier]

Gotta say fcp7 had a pretty robust consolidate function but you still had
to test the consolidation cause there were still possible problems

[Michael Grenadier]

I doubt this is the issue with premiere but worth a test. In fcp All clips
had to have a reel name associated with them or the whole file was copied.
If I remember correctly...

[Baffy19]

That's just not the whole file should be copied when cropping frames, but what is left on the timeline. That's exactly what I'm trying to get through to. It's simple, if the developers want it.

[Baffy19]

Earlier, in the distant times, it worked perfectly at Premiere. Then they spat on her and abandoned her. Are the developers so negligent about the product? I will repeat once again, this function is the most important. Just the most important. I use it every week several times and I experience this gap in her behavior. I send projects to clients weekly with the full version of the frames, which is not very convenient in terms of the economy of working space and large capacity of projects. I hope you understand what I'm talking about here. If the developers do not see this as a problem, then let them pay attention to it. And in Da Vinci I say again that this function works perfectly there.

[Nicolas from Autokroma]

I once worked with Plume Pack full version, but even with it, not all files were imported. There, almost always, at the end of the consolidation process, a message is displayed with a notification that you need to add some media to the consolidated project yourself. I was honestly surprised.

By @Baffy19

I'm surprised too. We didn't see this problem in PlumePack. Or maybe you are referring to an old version when Merged Clips were not relinked automatically. They are now. Same for AE Graphics (mogrt)  they are now well relinked. It took some times but PlumePack becomes now pretty stable. 

The only elements which are not relinked in Premiere Pro are the AE comp files dependencies (media imported in your AE composition, used with Dynamic Link into your Premiere Timeline). Those media are detected and are copied next to the copied AE comp file, but not relinked into that comp. 

I don't understand how you can trim Premiere for third-party developers. This function does not require anything fancy to give it into the wrong hands.

By @Baffy19

Why wrong hands ? I understand that you would want a better Project Manager. But even with more features, there would always be something to improve for specific workflows. Also having a good Project Manager is not as simple as you think. Other "Project Manager" tool like the one in Resolve or FCP, even if better than the current native Premiere Project Manager, suffer from their own problems. 

[Baffy19]

I'm surprised too. We didn't see this problem in PlumePack. Or maybe you are referring to an old version when Merged Clips were not relinked automatically. They are now. Same for AE Graphics (mogrt)  they are now well relinked. It took some times but PlumePack becomes now pretty stable. 

By @Nicolas from Autokroma

I have no doubt that we need to improve. I'm talking about something else now, about why this function works so crookedly and incompletely in Premiere. As for your Plugin Pack, I used it in the autumn period and now I am glad to hear from you that it has been partially fixed.

[Baffy19]

The only elements which are not relinked in Premiere Pro are the AE comp files dependencies (media imported in your AE composition, used with Dynamic Link into your Premiere Timeline). Those media are detected and are copied next to the copied AE comp file, but not relinked into that comp. 

By @Nicolas from Autokroma

What about connected compositions in this case?

I forgot to say, some of the sound effects were not copied during consolidation. When I opened the project on the timeline to check the integrity of the consolidation, I was surprised by the work of the Plume Pack, which did not save my audio file in some places. Fortunately, I was able to find the sound effect myself later on my hard drive and eliminate this gap, spending time, because it needed to be adjusted to the overall mix and properly docked. That's the way things are. That's why I refused it, because it's inconvenient for me to check every time whether everything was transferred there. And imagine a big project and how much time you will spend to check it all out. God forbid that something has not been transferred and you will send it to the client. Booom. There has never been such a problem with the native Premiere function. The only thing I need is the trimming of extra frames, which does not work in Premiere right now.

[Nicolas from Autokroma]

I have no doubt that we need to improve. I'm talking about something else now, about why this function works so crookedly and incompletely in Premiere. 

By @Baffy19

I completely agree with you on that point. The native Project Manager should be improved. Some important features are missing and there are far too many "unknown error" happening. 

As for your Plugin Pack, I used it in the autumn period and now I am glad to hear from you that it has been partially fixed.

By @Baffy19

Yes and the new major version to come (1.5.0) will bring a lot of new features waiting by users as well !

What about connected compositions in this case?

By @Baffy19

Do you mean the Project Item and clip in timeline representing the AE composition inside Premiere Pro ? 

The AE project file (.aep) is copied and relinked in Premiere Pro (so the clip in timeline refers to the new copied AE project file), the media dependencies in this AE comp, are copied but not replaced in the AE comp. 

I forgot to say, some of the sound effects were not copied during consolidation. When I opened the project on the timeline to check the integrity of the consolidation, I was surprised by the work of the Plume Pack, which did not save my audio file in some places. Fortunately, I was able to find the sound effect myself later on my hard drive and eliminate this gap, spending time, because it needed to be adjusted to the overall mix and properly docked. That's the way things are. That's why I refused it, because it's inconvenient for me to check every time whether everything was transferred there. And imagine a big project and how much time you will spend to check it all out. God forbid that something has not been transferred and you will send it to the client. Booom. There has never been such a problem with the native Premiere function. The only thing I need is the trimming of extra frames, which does not work in Premiere right now.

By @Baffy19

Do you mean the audio clip was not copied and so offline in the new PlumePacked project ? Or the clip was not even in the timeline anymore ? I don't remember such bug. Please contact us with bug report in that case, we quickly help PlumePack users and fix bugs if one comes. We have also improved the reporting and even if something went wrong (like a copy failed, a clip in timeline disappeared or whatever), it is now generally well detected and reported in the final report, which is not long to check.