Flickering footage in Premiere Pro CC 2014 but not in Premiere Pro CC 2013

[cwood123]

Hi guys,

I've been having repeated issues with Premiere Pro CC 2014 on Windows. Basically my footage has a weird strobe/flicker when in the suite and when rendered off even although the footage looks fine, unaltered out of the camera. I rendered off the same footage in the 2013 edition of the software and there is no flicker/strobing going on. I've included one of the worst effected shots in CC 2014 and CC 2013 for comparison.I also experience graphical glitches occasionally when rendering. Please watch below:

Premiere Pro CC 2014 - strobing (300% speed, cropped 15%, RGB curve adjustment, software rendered)

YouTube

Premiere Pro CC 2013 - strobing (300% speed, cropped 15%, RGB curve adjustment, software rendered)

Premiere Pro CC 2013 - no flickering - YouTube

The footage was shot on a Nikon D3200 at 1080p 25fps, aperture 3.5, shutter 1/50, ISO 400.

Editing on a

Dell Optiplex 9020

Intel i5-4570 3.2 Ghz

4 gb Ram

Intel HD Graphics 4600

Windows 7

Has anyone else experienced this issue? My suspicion is an issue with either my graphics card or insufficient RAM.

[Jack Banatoni]

I am seeing flicker, as well.  I use a combo of RGB Color Corrector, RGB Curves, Fast Color Corrector, and Three-Way Color Corrector within adjustment layers throughout projects.  The current project I see this on is H.264 from a DSLR.

I tried to move a project from CC to CC 2014, but the color flicker was so apparent that I stuck with CC.  This is definitely a high-priority fix for my workflow.

[Jack Banatoni]

It may be worth noting that the flicker is similar to the shadow/highlight bug I first noted four years ago (CS5) in a thread that is still active:

Shadow/Highlight flickering

[cmfree]

I also find that it seems to be tied to fast color corrector at times, but it's not isolated to that effect.

Adobe has been flickering and crashing pretty consistently for me (approaching 30 times in the last 3 days). Today I had a new issue pop up as well, blue vertical lines popping up on saturated colors after rendering (no effects on the clip at all). Sequence settings and the main clip settings are the same. There is mixed resolution media, but it's used sparsely.

I've deleted cache, deleted Preview files, changed the rendering engine, restarted the computer, restarted Premiere, tried using Previews on export and not using them: nothing seems to give me consistent or hopeful success.

Here are some specs:
Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2014.2

Processor: Intel Xeon CPU E5-2620 0 @ 2.00GHz 2.00GHz (2 processors)
Installed Memory (RAM): 32 GB
System type: 64-bit Operating System
Windows 7 Professional

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi CWood,

I see that your videos are deleted. Can you upload them once more?

Thanks,

Kevin

[matthewd35]

I am also experiencing the same issue!  I am using the the new adobe cc 2014 update and did not fix it.

Here is an example video of what I am experiencing

Adobe Flicker on Vimeo

the flicker only shows up after rendering.  I am using the RGB curves to adujust shadows and higlights.

[Jack Banatoni]

The video matthewd35 posted demonstrates the same flicker I'm seeing in Premiere Pro CC 2014.  Seems to happen most with color correction effects.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Matthew,

matthewd35 wrote:

I am also experiencing the same issue!  I am using the the new adobe cc 2014 update and did not fix it.

Here is an example video of what I am experiencing

Adobe Flicker on Vimeo

the flicker only shows up after rendering.  I am using the RGB curves to adujust shadows and higlights.

What happens if you remove the RGB Curves effect?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Jack Banatoni]

I just tried this.  It worked on one clip, but made another flicker even more.

Using latest PPro14 update

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Jack,

Did you check this issue on today's update (8.2)?

Thanks,
Kevin

[Jack Banatoni]

Hi Kevin,

Yes, just did the update earlier today and still seeing flicker issues.

Thanks,

JB

[Jack Banatoni]

Still seeing the footage flicker with the new update, unfortunately.  Even with a re-render.  This bug makes Premiere Pro CC 2014 completely unusable for me.

I'm close to wrapping a documentary that's been over a year in the making.  I hope the issue is resolved by then so I can finish the project without flickering.

[Daniel D]

For me the FLICKER occurs when... (or just observations of mine that might help anyone reading)

- I encode from Canon DSLR footage (.Mov) to H.264 (.MP4)

- Flicker more pronounced on .MOV footage when I use 'RGB Curves', 'Three-Way Color Corrector', 'Levels'.  I can't confirm whether 'sharpen' creates any flicker by itself because it's usually added in concert with other effects, but it's typically added as well to some footage, very faintly though (value=2-4).

- My system's RAM (16gb, 13 Gb dedicated to Media Encoder) usage exceeds 60-70% during encoding.

- I stretch the RGB Curves up to brighten.  The further I pull up the levels usually the more pronounced the flicker is after encoding.

- .MOV files seem to flicker more easily than my Canon C100 .MTS video files.

***Upon retesting with the latest Media Encoder and Premiere Pro CC 2014 updates (Build 8.2) the flicker has been moderately REDUCED (but not completely gone).  That seems to be unique to me though.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help, Adobe seems to be dragging on this issue and it's costing all of us precious time.

Dan Deschenes

[matthewd35]

Thanks Dan

Yes I have the exact same issue, I use RGB and three way a lot.

I am on the GH3 shooting in MOV also.  Perhaps it is the MOV codec

I have found that sometimes rendering the project in the timeline first and then sending it to media encoder helps the issue.  But does not completely fix it

[Jack Banatoni]

Thanks for posting that info.  This mirrors the issues I'm seeing with DSLR footage.

It's so hit or miss if it's going to flicker.  I'll delete renders and re-render and certain clips will be fine, others are now flickering.  I tried to make a test project that demonstrated this issue, but couldn't reproduce the effect.  RGB Curves and Three Way CC are in my list of effects, as well, where I see the issue.

Just curious, is anyone else working on projects started in other versions/computers?  I've seen it on project started in PPro CC and finished in CC'14.  Saw it again on a project started on Mac in FCP7, converted to CC'14 Win7.  Quite honestly, I haven't been starting projects myself in CC'14 because of the flicker issues.

As a workaround, I was hoping to import the CC'14 project back into CC or Media Encoder CC, but no luck there.

Another issue I've had with CC'14 includes converting a CC project to CC'14, giving it to a CC'14 Mac user and the A/V sync is lost.  We abandoned that collaboration all together because of the issues.  CC'14 has been incredibly unproductive to my workflow, despite the great interface update and various other features added.  I haven't had mystery issues like this since CS4.  I'm keeping our post team in CC as much as possible until the issues are resolved.

-JB

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Jack,

Sorry you're having this issue. Have you filed a bug report? http://adobe.ly/ReportBug

Please do so if you have time. We need repeatable cases to fix this issue.

Jack Banatoni wrote:

nother issue I've had with CC'14 includes converting a CC project to CC'14, giving it to a CC'14 Mac user and the A/V sync is lost.

Feel free to create a separate post for this issue.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Jack Banatoni]

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the response.  I filed a bug report.  Is there any thing else I could do to help resolve this bug?

I had started a thread for the other issue a few weeks ago:

Sync lost from PC to Mac

Thanks,

jb

[djmattyz]

i have the same problem !!

please update me when the problem is fixed

[Jesseboy1234]

I switched to CC 2015 on my:

Macbook Pro (mid-2014)

2.5 GHz Intel Core i7

NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M

I can confirm that I am still suffering from flickering footage when exporting H.264 with OpenCL rendering on. The clips which are most likely to cause flickering upon export are ones where I have created a mask in RGB curves. I'm using the same workaround as before by switching to software only before exporting. I thought Adobe was going to fix this issue in 2015? Any word Kevin? As for CUDA. I it's a complete no-go for me - I understand that this is most likely an Apple issue not an Adobe one. I had to completely uninstall it as it was leaving strange rendering artifacts all over my screen.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi Jesse,

I thought Adobe was going to fix this issue in 2015? Any word Kevin? As for CUDA. I it's a complete no-go for me - I understand that this is most likely an Apple issue not an Adobe one. I had to completely uninstall it as it was leaving strange rendering artifacts all over my screen.

I'm not seeing this on my Macbook Pro, NVIDIA 650M, in OpenCL with RGB Curves applied. I tired a few different ways of exporting and still could not reproduce. If you aren't testing with a new CC 2015 project, please do so. Anomalies can exist in updated projects.

Can you get on the horn with support on Monday morning and open a case? Take note of the case number and who the agent is so I can track it. They will work with you. Ask for the video queue here: http://bit.ly/adobe-support

They are open M-F 7A-7P PST. If they fail to help, please send me a PM so I can escalate the case.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Jesseboy1234]

Thanks so much for responding Kevin. The problem occurred when exporting an updated CC14 project. I'll try again with an original CC15 project and let you know!

[Jad Rahi]

hi,

i have a problem i make my movie with nikon d4 and the format is 1920x1080p 25f

also with my second cam nikon d500 format 1920x1080i 50f

and sony pxw160 format 1920x1080i 50f 420

so when i open my project i choose this sequense settings

Editing mode: Sony XDCAM EX 1080i (HQ)

Timebase: 25.00 fps

Video Settings

Frame size: 1920h 1080v (1.0000)

Frame rate: 25.00  frames/second

Pixel Aspect Ratio: Square Pixels (1.0)

Fields: Upper Field First

Audio Settings

Sample rate: 48000 samples/second

Default Sequence

Total video tracks: 3

Master track type: Stereo

Audio Tracks:

Audio 1: Standard

Audio 2: Standard

Audio 3: Standard

my first question: is it correct settings

my second question: why i have a fliker on my d4 camera when i do speed 50%

tks

[Jad Rahi]

and sorry i use the premiere cc2015 the latest update

tks

[Aleksey Makeev]

Hi! This setting is correct only for D500 and pxw160. Both cameras write interlaced with a frequency of 50 frames. But Nikon D4 records in progressive! Use "Interpret Footage..." and option "Field Order" for identical installation parameters on clips from different cameras.

For second question. You D4 record only 25/30 frame per second. 50% = only 12.5/15 f/s. Use this speed if camera record 50 or more frames per second.

[Jad Rahi]

tks aleksey

one more question

you prefer interlaced or progressive format and why

in lebanon the system is pal

tks

[Aleksey Makeev]

For older broadcast television systems must use a PAL Interlaced Standard. However, modern methods of digital signal transmission (for network service YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram and others) should be used with progressive scan. It gives the entire frame and not line by line, which increases detail and overall quality of the image.