Transcoding on Ingest?

[Justin Molush]

So, at work I have been editing with FCP7 for a while time, and have learned to LOVE Log and Transfer into ProRes LT for editing and its always part of the process.

Now, with the advent of FCPX, and the fact that I just got CS5 installed (Hello Pr <-> Ae round trip), I am looking to migrate the majority of my work flow over to premiere... but one problem remains... There are a variety of things we shoot with (DSLR H264, AVCHD and P2 from some panasonics, among the occasional JVC HM700).

That being said, are there any viable options to transcode to prores on ingest in adobe suite? I have dug around in Bridge looking for an option to create a transcode batch script or something of the like and found nothing... I know AVCHD edits natively in premiere, but I share footage between departments (some of which have FCP7 ONLY) and sending an AVCHD folder over is NOT acceptable.

Any options here that will work at the same pace/speed as Log and Transfer in Final Cut?

[Bart Walczak]

Create Watch Folder in Adobe Media Encoder. It will transcode all media that is copied over there to the preset of your choosing.

[Nigel Barker]

I wish that there were some equivalent of Log & Transfer in PP & two features in particular. Firstly being quickly able to skim through footage to review it & secondly being able to mark in & out points & thus only transcode the portions of the clips that will actually be used.

[Justin Molush]

Watch folders in Media Encoder huh? Looks like I need to make a folder for every format I shoot in! What Ive been doing as of late is Log and Transfering in FCP7, and then just starting the project again in premiere. Kind of repetitive, but when I need Ae round trip for promo graphics its kind of necessary.

Sounds like a good starting point though, thanks.

[Bart Walczak]

If you need to exchange the media with FCP, use FCP's log and transfer, if you miss it so much :) The whole point of working in Adobe is to avoid transcoding, and working with the source files.

You can also do the following:

Import all media, drop them all in a single timeline or each into the timeline of your choosing, skim, delete all media in the timeline that you don't plan to use, use project manager to export a new project with media used on the timeline, and then transcode it using AME.

I'm not sure if trimming option of project manager would work - I think not for MPEG and H.264 - but you can try it as well, you would end up with trimmed footage then.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Bart Walczak

If you need to exchange the media with FCP, use FCP's log and transfer, if you miss it so much :) The whole point of working in Adobe is to avoid transcoding, and working with the source files.

You can also do the following:

Import all media, drop them all in a single timeline or each into the timeline of your choosing, skim, delete all media in the timeline that you don't plan to use, use project manager to export a new project with media used on the timeline, and then transcode it using AME.

I'm not sure if trimming option of project manager would work - I think not for MPEG and H.264 - but you can try it as well, you would end up with trimmed footage then.

Log & transfer isn't just used to transcode. It is used to view & sort through the clips then mark the in & out points for what actually needs to be imported either native or transcoded to ProRes.

Sadly using Project Manager & specifying 'trimmed' does nothing of the sort (not for H.264 MPEG4 from Canon DSLR nor MXF MPEG files from Canon XF) despite the fact that you can even specify the length of handled beyond the actual footage used from the clip (default 1 second). Media Manager in FCP does create a trimmed project with just the actual portions of the clips used. Project manager does not so if you used 1 second out of a 12 minute 5DII clip then the whole 4GB gets copied. I saw something in the Adobe documentation that trimming a project doesn't work for HDV so I guess that long ago it did work for DV but sadly not for any modern format.

[Bart Walczak]

Yes, I was afraid the trimming would not work with inter-frame compressed material (MPEG-2, H.264), because a recompression, or at least partial recompression would be needed, but could not check, because I'm on vacation.

That's certainly a valid feature request for Adobe.

[Kevin Monahan]

You can set in and outs in Adobe Media Encoder just as you do with Log and Transfer. Have you tried that?

[Bart Walczak]

Kevin - yes, but the process is much more cumbersome than log & transfer, since you don't get real-time playback, and quick clip access in AME.

[Justin Molush]

Yeah, I know you can set ins and outs but its not as streamlined as Log and Transfer.

No FCP vs Premiere debates haha, love em both... it's just when making promos, being able to round trip with AE for custom lower 1/3s, side bar GFX, and animations is worth it at the moment since I dont have the time to learn motion as well as I know Ae, and it might not be worth it given its EOL'd.

Thanks for the recommendations guys, it looks like I am going to be making folders for the variety of formats I shoot in, and making presets and trying the turnaround time with that and seeing if its worth it.

I would love for Bridge to make the "Get Photos from Camera" function more robust, adding more of a video function to it, but CS5 is getting no more updates. And as mentioned before, I know premiere edits all formats natively (which is GREAT for some of the quick turnaround time stuff I have to do), but given I share footage with many departments, most of which use FCP7 exclusively, handing over an AVCHD folder structure is not acceptable, and conforming everything to prores helps turnaround time in the other building. Its called being a team player!!

[Kevin Monahan]

Feel free to make a feature request if this is important to you: http://www.adobe.com/go/wish

[Justin Molush]

Request submitted... and responded to!

You guys are good... If there is a feature like this coming with Media Encoder/Bridge/Premiere (preferably within premiere) I would definitely be a fan.