UWOL Encoding, help please
 

I use CS5 Production Premium and would greatly appreciate some help on settings to use Adobe Media Encoder. I see that Sorenson Squeeze is the preferred method but just can't spend the $799 at this time.

In Media Encoder what format/preset should I use? I can't seem to get anywhere close to what is required for the UWOL upload. I shot this in HDV if that matters. Thanks in advance.

Howdy, David. Welcome to UWOL. Compressing the final contest file is a step many of us have struggled with. I always find it the hardest part. I find I now get better results with AME CS5 than I did with Squeeze. Here are some settings to get you started.

Render your PP or AE sequence directly out of Media Encoder (under the File menu choose add PP or AE project and after dynamic link select your sequence to add it to the render queue). Before it renders hit the settings button. Set Format to H.264 and Preset to Custom. Name your output file. On the Video tab set your Frame Width to 428 and Frame Height to 240, Frame Rate to whatever you used in editing. Profile Main, Level 3.1, check the Render at Max Depth. Under Bitrate Settings set Bitrate Encoding to VBR 2 pass. Adjust your Target Bitrate while watching the Estimated File Size at the bottom until the estimate is 59MB. (I’m guessing it will be somewhere around 3.2 ) Set your Max bitrate slightly higher. Check the Use Max Render Quality. Click OK and then render out a test file. This should get you in the ballpark and then you can experiment with changing settings as desired.

I hope this helps. Good-luck! I’m looking forward to watching your first entry.

Mike,

Thanks for the detailed instructions and the welcome, they worked!

Maybe that information in a sticky could help the next new guy/gal from the frantic panic I was working myself into......

I don't know what I was thinking when signing up for my first challenge in Feb. I about froze to death. I've never taken so much unusable footage. I would go inside when I couldn't tell who was shaking what.

Has anyone's first challenge also been their last?

Mike,

Thanks again, I just uploaded to the UWOL site and all went well. Look forward to seeing what everyone else came up with!

Hi David,
I see CS5 is slightly different from my older CS3, but Mike gave you some good tips there.
As Mike says, use as high bitrate as you can, to get as close as possible to the 60MB limit.

Nice job David!

THIS is the best part of this forum: asking advice, tips, feedback and just about anything film-related and you get a wealth of advice from these guys. Thanks Mike and Trond, for stepping up and getting things worked out with David.

Hopefully, with lots of good feedback on your film and plenty of R & R now that you are done you will forget about the frigid outdoor work you did on this round and be ready to go for UWOL 20... which isn't until April!

Congrats on your first UWOL film!

Cat

David, now when you have joined the UWOL family, you will very soon find out that UWOL is a lifestyle and easy to get addicted to.
Hopefully it won't be so cold for you during the next round.

Which camera do you have? PortaBrace (and probably others also) make excellent heat covers for the cameras. I use one myself, and it even keeps my hands warm and happy too.

I shoot with the Canon A1s and I do need a proper camera cover, especially if this UWOL challenge is addictive as you say. I will look into that Porta-Brace one. But hopefully I will be upgrading to the new "I really hope they come out with" Canon interchangable lens rendition. That's the one I want to get a cover for......

Twice after getting set up, snow completely shut down shooting and a proper cover may have helped. But the wind was the killer. Some days I couldn't stop the camera from being buffeted by the constant blowing.

And to be honest I was questioning my sanity. Funny thoughts run through your head when standing in single digit temperatures (not sure how much that is in celcius) holding a makeshift windbreak, in honest to goodness 30-40 miles an hour winds, hoping foucus and settings are optimum.

So far so fun and no animals were hurt during the filming.....

When I just went to upload the uploader says it is limited to 160mb. Am I missing something? What is the max file size? I have squeezed mine down to 59.4 but if I get another 100mbs I'll take it!

The size limit is 60MB.

For Canon XH-A1, this is the heat cover (called "Polar Mitten") you would need:
PortaBrace - Product Detail:POL-MVX200/XH
For the bigger cameras like the Canon XL-H1A, it is the "Polar Bear" covers you would use.

Hi Dave:

Remember, the 60 mb limit is strictly for the judging. Once the deadline for submission is over and all of the entries are available for review, you can then link to whatever file size you wish to post on Vimeo, You Tube or off your own personal server in your feedback thread. But wait to do this until after the deadline and all the films are up for review.

Looking forward to your entries guys!

Cat