Choosing rendering settings for AE

[mabok]

Hi all gurus & avid video makers.

I've a question,
I'm working a short trailer, focusing on the intro and outro.

Using Adobe After Effects with my Macbook Pro.

The thing is i'm planning to using my intro & outdo cutscene as a footage/templates storing for the near future.
Or let say my colleague (friend) request for it to reuse.

What settings should i render it? format type? compress settings? etc... without the loss of quality.
I was thinking saving it as .mp4 but my friend is using different video editing software from windows, and the software doesn't support importing .mp4 formats.
So there's a clash in different type of formats. How about using conversion software? Will it drop in quality?



Any professional able to solve for me? Thanks.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

What format and codec is the source footage, if their is such footage?
What video editing application does your friend have?
Is the project in HD or SD (Standard Definition)?

Anyway, the last project I used AE for was a five minute short where I colour corrected the footage coming from Avid Media Composer, which was 1080p video. I exported it as 1080p .mov (QuickTime) file using the Avid DNxHD codec, which is an editing codec and does not lose any information, as exporting to an .mp4 using the H.264 codec would.
What editing applications do you have installed?

You could export it as .mov using the Apple Intermediate Codec, which can't be read by Windows, though there is this workaround.

 

[mabok]

What format and codec is the source footage, if their is such....

Thanks for your reply though, appreciate much.

I'm working on the intro/outro on Adobe After Effects.
So mainly, all the sources i'm working is completely on effects & pictures.
( But how about if there is a cutscene i took? avi? dslr cutscene? Will it affect?)


So, the composition setting is 1080p. Viewing for the audiences on internet video-streaming/Youtube.

So as you said just now, i can simply export it to .mov which compress codec should i choose ? what is Apple ProRes? i have zero knowledge in codecs.

Will quality be the same if i export it for footage purpose? Means, after exporting i'll use that video and import again for the next project.

 

[mBox]

none...

If your working with images imported into AE and/or masks, solids, shapes, effects within then archive with either QT None (Uncompressed) size permitting or just hang on to the AE project with external resources intact.
Any other compression format is just that...compressed.

For my workflow, I tend to flatten (ahem PSD talk here) intro and outro or anything that doesnt change during each use to a QT movie specifically QT None.
One particular project is 40 seconds long. Its an advertisement for lounge acts at an Casino.
I render out parts that I know kills render time and since Im constantly changing the acts performing, its best to just re-use what I can.
I basically take a 20min render down to 3 minutes.
The AE project consists of a ton of vectors and Trapcode plug-ins.
There isnt much I can do with the edited parts but I try to avoid any crazy effects on that section.
If you have to just compose over it with rendered parts.
Use and Re-use I say

 

[mabok]

I just followed your instruction on exporting it,
Format: Quicktime
Video Codec: None

The results was bad,
when playing it i notice that there's lag going around or low fps.
when i tried to include a short .mp3 with the video. The sound cut in the middle. Something isn't right.


Note, i'm exporting it for footage purposes. To be re-use in the near future. And also to give to my friend but he's using different video editing software on Windows OS, so there's definitely a certain filetype problem if he wanting to import the video on his software.

Do help me. Thanks~~

 

[mBox]

Sorry what do you mean by lag?
Are you trying to play an Uncompressed QT 1080p clip on your MacBook Pro?
I cant even do that on my MacPro with 32GB RAM and Quadro 4000
The purpose of QT None is to keep the images pristine and not compressed.
Graphics tend to get crunched when your compressing and re-using.
Now of course the same happens when you bring into AE as resources.
If you dont have the RAM, you wont be able to playback your imported QT clip in its entirety using RAM Preview unless its less than 10 sec each time you preview.
From my experience with MacBook Pros.

Also I work across both PC and Mac every minute here so QT None tends to work better than odd codecs coming from Mac to PC.

 

[mabok]

Okay, thanks for that useful information.
So basically, i'll just QT uncompress. And import it to my new project.

What about those QT uncompress that i'm about to give to my friend? On his part, importing .mov is impossible because he's using different video editing software.

Will handbrake do the job? without the loss of quality?
Or i need to change the format from QT to different format?

 

[mBox]

Download QT for Windows and your good.

 

[Kevin Monahan]

For further details about your problem, see this FAQ: http://forums.adobe.com/message/3165988#3165988

 

[mBox]

Thanks Kevin for that.
Now of course some of the issues using QT other than None is still a problem e.g. Gamma issues.
So far at my workplace and my experience, QT Uncompressed has been smooth working since prior to CS anything.

Now wouldnt it be nice if the QT size option over AFP/SMB was fixed

 

[WRP]

Render Animation. It won't play on your computer though. You will have to change the settings in Quicktime later. But always render out of AE best quality video.

 

[mabok]

Render Animation. It won't play on your computer though. You will have to change the settings in Quicktime later. But always render out of AE best quality video.

Render with Animation is compressed as well.
And playback will play the video properly.

Thanks mBox for helping me out.
So for keeping my video for footage or for further post-production (is that a correct term?) i'l just use a QT format with uncompressed.

And also a thank you for Kevin Monahan for that useful link. Will try to check it out later.

Is there a way to render out using different format with uncompressed as well? .avi for example? If not, is it okay for me to use convertor software?

 

[mBox]

I think there is an AVI thats set to None.
Let me check on the Mac and PC first.

 

[WRP]

Render with Animation is compressed as well.
And playback will play the video properly.

Thanks mBox for helping me out.
So for keeping my video for footage or for further post-production (is that a correct term?) i'l just use a QT format with uncompressed.

And also a thank you for Kevin Monahan for that useful link. Will try to check it out later.

Is there a way to render out using different format with uncompressed as well? .avi for example? If not, is it okay for me to use convertor software?

Thanks slick I do this for a living. Animation is a lossless codec.

 

[mBox]

Oops I can only AVI from the PC side.
If your in the professional world, you have to get used to other codecs.
Having QT on your PC is a normal thing these days.

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Thanks slick I do this for a living. Animation is a lossless codec.

We avoid it due to the gamma issues. We dont see this issue with Avid MC 5.5 and FCPX due to ProRes use.

 

[Kevin Monahan]

FAQ: What is the best format for rendering and exporting from After Effects?
http://forums.adobe.com/message/3165988#3165988

 

[mabok]

Oops I can only AVI from the PC side.
If your in the professional world, you have to get used to other codecs.
Having QT on your PC is a normal thing these days.

yeah, but some video editing software doesn't support import .mov .
is there any solution to this? for importing uncompressed videos.

thanks guys. getting to know more. :3 still an amateur.

 

[mBox]

yeah, but some video editing software doesn't support import .mov .
is there any solution to this? for importing uncompressed videos.

thanks guys. getting to know more. :3 still an amateur.

Some? Maybe Consumer ones but all pro apps do as long as you install Quicktime for Windows.
Sorry I thought your question was to stay within After Effects.
For sending out to other platforms go with MPG2 or H264.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

yeah, but some video editing software doesn't support import .mov .

What is "some"? Can't you ask your friend, what software s/he uses and tell us too?

 

[WRP]

Oops I can only AVI from the PC side.
If your in the professional world, you have to get used to other codecs.
Having QT on your PC is a normal thing these days.

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We avoid it due to the gamma issues. We dont see this issue with Avid MC 5.5 and FCPX due to ProRes use.

Aren't you doing a color pass afterwards? Do you never need to render with alpha?