Apple ProRes MXF OP1a - what is it for?

[lori_petersen_waite]

Does anyone know what Apple Prores MXF OP1a is used for? I have mxf footage and am transcoding it to Prores.  Should I transcode it to Apple Prores MXF OP1a since the footage is aready in this wrapper, then make Prores proxies to edit with?  Or not, just do the safe thing and transcode to Prores 422 in the Quicktime wrapper as the new master clip, and then continue my workflow of making low res proxies to edit with?

[R Neil Haugen]

@Warren Heaton could easily help with this. My recollection is the Op1a is more of a professional deliverables file, specified in certain organizational workflows, perhaps network type ones. I could be wrong of course, but ...I think that's it.

For editing, transcoding to ProRes422 would normally be considered a very good choice. And could then easily go back on export if needed for your deliverables.

[lori_petersen_waite]

Yes, I believe you are right, Neil. Your reply jogged my memory on a project a few years ago where I delivered, as requested, in 'Op1a' and it was for a PBS broadcast.  Thank you.

[Warren Heaton]

Material Exchange Format (MXF) is the default format for Avid Media Composer.  The CODEC is likely to be Avid DNx instead of Apple ProRes, but ProRes has been supported on the Avid side for awhile now.

[lori_petersen_waite]

Yes, that jogs my memory even more - it was DNxHD MXF OP1a - thanks to both of you - I will not lose track of my mental note about OP1a, why its in the Media Encoder format list, again :). 

[Warren Heaton · Accepted solution]

It's ProRes in an MXF wrapper instead of a MOV wrapper.

As far as Premiere Pro goes, you could stay with MXF or switch to MOV and get the same benefit of using the mezzanine CODEC.   

ProRes is very efficient for full resolution or proxy.   Depending on drive storage capacity and speed, I would consoder skipping proxies.

Whichever flavor of ProRes that you choose, set the Sequence Video Previews to match.  ProRes clips are one of the formats that can be their own preview file (no initial yellow bar in the Time Ruler).

[lori_petersen_waite]

Thankyou Warren for the explanation and the advice.  And it's good to know that there's no yellow bar when Previews are set to Prores.  (I've been wondering what was the best setting for that parameter for a while :).

[neil wilkes]

Personally, I am not at all sure what it's for - as pointed out above, it's a prores in an mxf wrapper, and a lot of folks don't accept them. I tend to use Quicktime prores myself.

[R Neil Haugen]

There are some b-cast and/or streaming organizations that require them. So ... it's the old thing if you need them, you need them. If you don't, why bother?