What About After Effects

[Steve Kalle]

One of my main reasons for wanting the Nanoflash is for green screen work but that video would need to be imported into AE CS4. I have an EX1 and plan on setting up a studio w/ green screen within the next two months. I am still rather new to video(I'm coming from still photography) and I am trying to figure out whats best for GS work - record uncompressed, use Cineform or other intermediate or Nanoflash?

Thanks

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Steve Kalle

One of my main reasons for wanting the Nanoflash is for green screen work but that video would need to be imported into AE CS4. I have an EX1 and plan on setting up a studio w/ green screen within the next two months. I am still rather new to video(I'm coming from still photography) and I am trying to figure out whats best for GS work - record uncompressed, use Cineform or other intermediate or Nanoflash?

Thanks

....Within After Effects CS4 you have the proper codec support for the codec in the Flash XDR/nanoFlash. I just completed a test 5 minutes ago with a file I recorded on the Flash XDR @ a data rate of 140 Mbps, but AE will list it as only 50, but it's not actually 50 Mbps, it is the full 140 Mbps. AE will report the files as XDCAM EX with a data rate of 50 Mbps. I added some film grain and a few other test effects to the clip. The end result was absoloutely beautiful.

[Steve Kalle]

I just downloaded their Buffalo clip which is 100Mbit Long-GOP and AE CS4 says it is an unsupported file.

[John Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Steve Kalle

I just downloaded their Buffalo clip which is 100Mbit Long-GOP and AE CS4 says it is an unsupported file.

Which one Steve? I tried to dowload the Buffalo2.mxf file and only got a 35KB file - it's broke! I wouldn't bother with those clips anyway , Buffalo1 looks like it was shot with the lens stopped right down and I'm seeing a lot of softness from diffraction errors. Download the greenscreen clip instead if you want to check out the keying. PS Not the MXF's for AE you'll need the QT's. I tried importing the .mov into CS3 but I get a white screen because I don't have a codec for it. You could try this software - it seems to work and there is a demo version all be it that it greys out much of the screen.

Calibrated{Q} XD Decode

John

[Steve Kalle]

I also downloaded the Nature clip and it didn't work. However, both clips were MXF. I'm using AE CS4 on a PC so should I try their Quicktime clips in AE?

If AE needs QT, will they also play in Premiere CS4(using the new Mainconcept Plugin) or will Premiere need MXF?

[Steve Kalle]

Now I have tried the Garden QT file and AE imports it but only shows a white screen.

[John Richard]

I would think that you need the ability of the Adobe programs to read the various XDCAM codecs that the C-D recorders output. Currently believe that the Adobe programs only handle 35mbps 4:2:0.

There is a MainConcept plug-in due out shortly that will enable the Adobe programs to work with the various XDCAM data rates put out by C-D.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by John Richard

I would think that you need the ability of the Adobe programs to read the various XDCAM codecs that the C-D recorders output. Currently believe that the Adobe programs only handle 35mbps 4:2:0.

There is a MainConcept plug-in due out shortly that will enable the Adobe programs to work with the various XDCAM data rates put out by C-D.

...I have After Effects CS4 running on on my iMAC with Snow Leopard and Flash XDR files shot at 140 Mbps import without issue. Please be advised there is an important After Effects upgrade patch, which will upgrade your version 9.0 to 9.0.2. Please check to see if you have this patch downloaded and installed on your system. My After Effects lists all the XDCAM codecs. I hope this helps.

ADDENDUM:This download and update was over 322 MB, so it's a fairly significant patch.

[Steve Kalle]

My AE is 9.0.2.42 and no updates available. I downloaded the green screen clip and AE says "No compression" for its file properties.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Steve Kalle

My AE is 9.0.2.42 and no updates available. I downloaded the green screen clip and AE says "No compression" for its file properties.

....Steve, perhaps that clip is now broken, or in downloading it, something gets left behind or changed in that video file. I know there was another couple of files I had downloaded and tried to get to play a few weeks back and they were just plain broke. Someone with a Flash XDR or a Nano needs to send you a fresh clip.

[Tim Polster]

I tried to open an MXF file on Windows XP and AE CS4 said unsupported file.

One would think the industry standard compositing program would be able to read these files without a $350 or so update.

[John Richard]

Wierd - sounds like the Mac side of the Adobe suite might work, but the PC side doesn't

[Steve Kalle]

Good news - that CalibratedXD software works for MOV files. I am using Vista x64, QT Pro(latest version) and AE CS4, and QT and AE both can play the clips.

Thanks guys.