Multitrack Mixing Automation in Adobe Audition CS5.5

We're using Automation in one of our jobs here at Hotbed, and so this little video is a good reference on how to get to all of the basic tools you need while working. We're working out of CS6, but the 5.5 controls are just about the same :)

DPX Files

The complicated world of color management and VFX!

Trying to figure out how to export a DPX sequence from Premiere Pro CS6 for a VFX artist.
Surprisingly, there's a lot more about IMPORTING DPX files than there are EXPORTING them....but here's information on  DPXs that I've found so far.

Digital Picture Exchange (DPX) via Wiki

The Cineon System via Wiki

Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE)

According to Juan Salvo from the Lift: Gamma Gain Forums:
"Are you doing a dpx for dcp or is the DPX intended to still be 709 color for broadcast? It's perfectly standard to do 64-940 within a dpx. This would be a limited range dpx, and is what would be expected as delivery for broadcast. Full range is generally used in situations when dealing with systems that don't have the ability to properly manage limited space, or maybe on a low budget grade for dcp or film out, but not for most workflows."

Where's the old Youtube Embed Code

We are working with Sinema, an independent theater in Singapore who will be screening our feature film Valley of the Sun. Sinema wanted to imbed the Valley of the Sun Trailer in their website, but there website only works with youtube's old embed code, not the new iframe embed code. It doesn't appear that youtube offers an option to copy the old embed code.

After searching around on the web, we were able to find the old embed code and swap out the targeted youtube video. Here's the old code:

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Hu1EzfIsEYA?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Hu1EzfIsEYA?version=3&amp;hl=
en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>


Here are some insructions:

The bits highlighted in blue are the width and height which you can adjust as you wish. The bits in red are the 11-character video ID: simply replace that part with the video ID of the video you want to embed.

The video ID can be found in the URL, which you can get from your browser's address bar when you're looking at the video on its own page:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUjbKaUcxeA&feature=plcp

It's the 11-character code that comes after v=...

Here is the trailer embedded on this blog using the old embed code:

Using Multi-Cam in Premiere CS6

Multi-cam is good for any project that uses more than one camera, but especially for live events! The option allows for easy back and forth between multiple cameras angles. This is how it can be used in Adobe Premiere CS6:

Basics from Lynda.com:




Julio Cesar explains the use of Multi-cam through 4 simple steps:
1) Marking & Naming of Clips
2) Creating a Multi-Camera Source Sequence
3) Enabling Sound in ALL Clips
4) Enabling Multi-Camera Monitor for the Recording of the Sequence



Notes:
Remember to double-check your sync points before you begin cutting.
It is important to roll your edit points so that you can fine-tune your camera changes.

Adobe Dynamic Link

Use Adobe Dynamic Link to link sequences between various adobe products (for easier editing). We use it mainly for moving between Adobe Premiere and Adobe After Effects. Here's a quick tutorial on how to import a sequence from Premiere into After Effects using Adobe Dynamic Link:




Here's one from Adobe.com. Adobe Beginner's Classes Episode 41: Dynamic Link Workflows in Premiere Pro CS6

Motion Tracking in Apple Motion

A useful tutorial on how to do motion tracking in Apple Motion. I used this in the VOS Outtakes Reel and will also being using it for a billboard scene in another project.

Digital Juice: Motion Tracking in Apple Motion by David Wakeling

Applying Camera Shake

Looking to apply subtle camera shake to talking heads to give a more documentary feeling. We looked into whether or not there was a filter to do this in After Effects. Via Video Copilot, we stumbled upon "The Wiggler"

Camera Shake with Wiggler

There also exist a few presets that can be downloaded and used in After Effects for this motion:

Real Camera Shake for After Effects
FxFactory Pro Camera Shake filter for FCP, Motion and After Effects

Here's an AdobeTV video - Adobe Beginners Classes: Episode 19 - "Bootleg 4" - Camera Shake

Video Copilot

Video Copilot provides in-depth training and software solutions for artists working on Film & Television productions. It includes MANY, various video tutorials that span many softwares and a blog with regular updates.

Video Copilot Website

SurCode

SurCode, by Minnetonka Audio Software, has quickly become the "goto" brand for ready-to-use surround sound technology. SurCode is provided as plug-ins for popular workstations such as Pro Tools, Nuendo, Pyramix, Fairlight, Avid and Final Cut Pro in addition to stand-alone software, or licensable OEM software for most all workstation platforms and operating environments.

We have bought and downloaded the SurCode for Adobe Products and use it via Premiere to export 5.1 Surround Sound to take into Encore for Blu Ray DVD authoring.

Note: Our Adobe Premiere Pro came with a trial version of SurCode that was good for 3 exports before we had to invest. So far, SurCode is the only (and easiest) way to export 5.1 sound from Premiere that we have found.

PluralEyes

PluralEyes works with your favorite video editing tool to instantly sync all of your multi-camera video and audio tracks – eliminating complicated camera set-ups, timecode, and hours of tedious manual syncing. Save time and money, reduce frustration, and free yourself to focus on the creative editing process.

PluralEyes Video Tutorials (Includes tutorials for DualEyes and CloudEyes as well.)

Using PluralEyes with Premiere Pro (Includes information on different sync options.)

Vimeo Group: PluralEyes (A group dedicated to any video which uses the PluralEyes plugin to cleverly improve on the workflow of an otherwise complicated edit.)

Blog 25 Hour Day is all about producing video using multi-camera and dual-system audio techniques. It is maintained by Bruce Sharpe, founder and CEO of Singular Software and is a mix of posts about their products, video post-production techniques and recordings of live events.

Note: You can try out PluralEyes via their free 30-day trail before you decide to purchase.

Syncing Sound in Premiere Pro CS6

What is the best way to sync audio to your video tracks in Adobe Premiere Pro CS6?

Ingest & Sound Sync Using Premiere Pro CS6:  This instructional video combines, in part, the role of a Digital Asset Manager (DAM) and an Assistant Editor into one workflow for use with Adobe Premiere Pro CS6. UCF Film graduate student Zachary Beckler illustrates how to ingest data, work with native or transcoded footage, and prepare single and double-system media for assembly. (Note: this tutorial does not use RED footage.)



According to CreativeCOW.net there is no automatic audio/video synching function in Premiere Pro CS6. However, you can sync audio and video together in a plug-in available for Premiere Pro CS6 called, Plural Eyes

Adobe Creative Cloud

This may be a favorable alternate to buying new software from Adobe. The creative cloud is a membership service that allows the member to download all Adobe Apps and stay constantly (and immediately) updated at all times for a monthly fee.

For more info: Adobe Creative Cloud Overview

Mapping Audio Channels in Premiere

We ran into the problem of a file having 10 mono channels of audio that we wanted to export as 5.1 surround. While we didn't find a definitive answer to our questions about how to do this, we DID find some useful information on Mapping Audio in general:

From Adobe TV:



I also found a couple of forum threads from CreativeCOW.net pertaining to 5.1audio:

5.1 AC3 output in CS3 using surcode
maintaining 5.1 audio from Premiere to Encore

Wikia also had a section about Surround Sound using Adobe Premiere Pro:
Category: Surround Sound

Blu-Ray Authoring in Adobe Encore

A 3 part tutorial by Dave Helmly about how to take files from Premiere to Encore, and then burning to Blu-Ray DVDs. Dave recommends using BD-RE discs in order to save time and money (should testing have to be done). This method was used over Toast 11 Titanium because Toast kept giving the error of "Connection unstable" - we could not find a fast solution, and so decided to try Encore instead. It worked.

The R3D Epic and Working With 5K Footage

Information regarding the R3D Epic camera while using it's 5K abilities.

Note: 5K is NOT compatible with Final Cut Pro 7. FCP can only work at 2K (it recognizes 4K as 2K). Because FCP is not longer being updated by Apple, it will be unable to keep up with the advancing R3Ds. In order to use FCP with R3D footage, it must first be somehow transcoded.

We are using REDCINE-X Pro for transcoding. It is a free download available here: https://www.red.com/downloads Note that the time it takes to transcode files can be rather lengthy. Installing more RAM may help this. It is recommended to use a Red Rocket Graphics Card whenever possible, as it may increase speed up to 12x.

Once transcoded, the clips can be imported into FCP and edited normally. You can aslo import them into FCP, export your sequence as an XML, import the XML to Adobe Premiere, and replace the footage with the original R3D files. (note that Premiere can handle raw R3D files without transcoding).

Overall: When working with 5K, it is easier to work directly from Premiere if possible.

From 5K Insight, a 42min speech/presentation from December 2011: Using Final Cut Pro 7 with Epic and Scarlet



A PDF file from LMU's School of Film and Television: Post-production Workflow: RED This PDF also includes information on taking your footage into Apple Color.

Here's a video tutorial showing the Basic Red Workflow for FCP using REDCINE-X (the demo uses 4K footage, but we've used it for 5K without negative results):

RAM

Does RAM speed up a computer? What is it for, what are it's uses, and how do we change it if we feel the need?

From wiseGEEK: Does Adding RAM Improve Computer Speed?