Premiere CS6 Exporting Options

[Jason Ano]

Hi guys,

I've been editing my first two RED projects in Adobe Premiere CS6 (Windows). I do not have Resolve, so I plan to do slight correction with RCX. I do everything within the program and my workflow is as follows:

• Create New Project in R3D 1080p 23.976 timeline
• Import R3D files
• Cut up in timeline.
• Do slight color correction by using the built-in RCX source settings in Premiere (I right-click on each individual clips for this.)
• Do a secondary color grade with Magic Bullet Colorista in Premiere (video effect preset)

So first off, is this a good workflow? I don't want to miss out on something that will optimize my image and finding this out later.

Second, when it comes time to exporting, I usually do the H.264 HDTV 1080p option and the video looks fine. I understand that this is meant for the web, so what should I be exporting my project as if I wanted a master file? Uncompressed AVI?

[Cory Petkovsek]

Workflow has two aspects:
1. You maintain high image quality throughout the pipeline without unnecessarily baking in changes.
2. The process of your pipeline is efficient.
3. The process makes sense for the personnel and business aspects of the project.

This workflow is fine, look (and post) in the adobe forum for more. It meets #1 and for #2 it does not duplicate effort. You'll have to judge #3.


Second:
Uncompressed AVI is too big. For a finished 1080p master, I would use DNxHD with the highest bit rate at 10-bit (something like 10-bit 175mb/s).

[Sami Sinervä]

I usually do all pre-grade in RedCine-X because the tools are better there than in the source settings. Otherwise, it works fine.

I also recommend to not do too much scaling. That slows the render process insane amounts of time. Compare putting your 5K footage on 5K or 4K timeline scaled down, to 5K footage on a 2K timeline scaled down.

[Johnny Friday]

I usually do all pre-grade in RedCine-X because the tools are better there than in the source settings. Otherwise, it works fine.

I also recommend to not do too much scaling. That slows the render process insane amounts of time. Compare putting your 5K footage on 5K or 4K timeline scaled down, to 5K footage on a 2K timeline scaled down.

Sami...if i hear you...you are saying if you shoot 5k or 4k...to keep it on a 5k or 4k timeline INSTEAD of a 1920x1080 timeline?....EVEN if your end result is to go out Prores 1920x1080p - 16:9 ?
...Then begs the question, if you are using MIXED footage: say 720p; 1080p and 4k or 5k footage.....i don't see how you can get away from NOT setting your timeline to same as your output (in thise case 1920x1080).

....would like to hear what you have to say about it...since i did a 60minute doc with mixed footage from 720p, 1080p and 4k & 5k and had 20 to 1 transcode times even with rocket card and quadro 4000 + 32gb of ram...so had SERIOUS issues and problems --and plenty of effects added, but i still believe there was something else at play...I've also heard there could be issues with RR card not working in Premier if your output size is going to be 16:9 - but i've only heard this on a post...

[Petri Teittinen]

I've also heard there could be issues with RR card not working in Premier if your output size is going to be 16:9 - but i've only heard this on a post...

No no no. The playback/export issue happens when the footage you're editing has a 16:9 frame aspect ratio.

[Johnny Friday]

No no no. The playback/export issue happens when the footage you're editing has a 16:9 frame aspect ratio.

....I stand corrected...yes.

you mean your SOURCE footage? so if you shot 4k 16:9...and then you try to work with that?

[Jason Ano]

Uncompressed AVI is too big. For a finished 1080p master, I would use DNxHD with the highest bit rate at 10-bit (something like 10-bit 175mb/s).

So after exporting to a 10-bit DNxHD file, should I then drag that movie clip into another timeline, apply a unsharp mask effect to the entire clip, then export to H.264 for the web, as best practice?

[Cory Petkovsek]

So after exporting to a 10-bit DNxHD file, should I then drag that movie clip into another timeline, apply a unsharp mask effect to the entire clip, then export to H.264 for the web, as best practice?

You could do that, but why not sharpen your master? You might get better results sharpening your 4k, then scaling to 1080p rather than scaling to 1080p then sharpening. Just be careful of making your files too "unsharpened mask" which definitely has a look to it if over done.

[Petri Teittinen]

you mean your SOURCE footage? so if you shot 4k 16:9...and then you try to work with that?

Yes. Any RED footage which has a frame aspect ratio of 16:9 is currently a problem for Premiere v6.0.1 if you want to use RED Rocket.

[Johnny Friday]

Well, that happens to be everything i shoot....No wonder i get sluggish results with Rocket and Premier.