Been a long time since I posted to this forum. Glad to see it's still around. We've been using our EX3 camera and FCP for the last 3 years without a hitch. Never lost any footage or really had any problems. (hope I didn't just jinx myself by saying that)

But now we're slowly switching from FCP to Premiere on our Apple editing systems and that has created some problems.

Adobe doesn't seem to see the advantage of rewrapping XDCAM EX footage into MOV files like FCP did. They like to promote the fact that you can simply start editing. No converting necessary. This "feature" works great in Premiere because there is a built in Media Browser you can use to view your XDCAM EX footage without seeing all the crazy subfolders that make native XDCAM EX footage. But if you try and view the same footage in After Effects, if only gives you the option to import "clips". So for example if you want to import 30 clips into an AE project, you have to go into each BPAV sub folder and select them. This is a tedious and unnecessary process.

We don't want to transcode all the footage as this would talk many hours compared to simply re-wrapping it. We liked the rewrap feature built into FCP 7.0 where you'd end up with a bunch of MOV files. Is there a way to do this with Adobe CS 6 projects? Maybe with the Adobe Media Encoder?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Why not use Sony's "XDCAM Browser" or the newer "Content Browser" utilities to rewrap the clips to MOV? I've also just moved over to Premiere CS6 from FCP7 and that's what I do. It's the same exact workflow I used with FCP since I never liked the "Log & Transfer" function within FCP anyway. Very easy.

Hey Doug, where is the option in Content Browser to "send to Premiere" or whatever they call it? I see the FCP option but I too have moved to Premiere.

You use the same workflow for Premiere that you use for FCP. Just because Sony calls it "Import for Final Cut Pro" doesn't mean the re-wrapped file can't be used with Premiere. Just ignore how they have the function labeled.

BTW, there's a 16 minute excerpt from my PMW-200/160/150/100 training DVD on Vortex Media's website that explains the XDCAM workflow. It costs 5 bucks to view, but it might save you a lot of frustration if you're having trouble with the workflow. http://www.vortexmedia.com/STREAM1.html#TH9

Doug, is there a similar way to rewrap footage from my FS100 and bring it into Premiere? Or, if Content Browser won't do it, what would you suggest using?

Thanks Doug. (great to hear from you!)

I guess I'm a little embarrassed. I didn't think the new Content Browser would let you rewrap clips like XDCAM Transfer used to do. I thought all you could do was transcode to another format. I guess I need to read the directions for the application.

Oh yeah....where are the Content Browser directions? lol!

(thanks Doug....hopefully we'll figure out it some how)

Okay, I found the "Import to Final Cut Pro" command. (weird place for them to put it)

But the app gives me numerous error messages:

- Final Cut Pro doesn't seem to be found on your system (shown immediately after I choose the command)
- Choose what app you'd like to open with (shown after it's done re-wrapping the clips)

I guess I need to dig into the preferences a bit to see if I can stop some of the error messages.

Thanks again Doug. :)

Just rewrap to mxf (file - export - mxf for NLE's) and don't scratch your head too much.

Regrettably, you still need FCP7 and Quicktime 7 installed to use the import to Final Cut Pro since it relies on those libraries.

No guarantees that after the pro codecs are uninstalled, that the video would still work with CS6. If it's pointing to the Apple Pro codecs, it's likely you can't use it with CS6 if those are not installed.

You're going to have to keep both on the same system to guarantee success with this method.

On top of what Jack mentioned, Premiere now has to use a creaky, aging, QuickTime engine to decode XDCAM Ex when it's re-wrapped to .MOV, so that may impact your editing performance somewhat.

Zoran: Hmmmm..... I assume that's under File>Export? I thought all of those options transcoded the files? If it rewraps, that would be a great solution.

Jack: Forgot to communicate this part to you all... We did purchase Apple Compressor so that installed the "pro codecs", just not Final Cut Pro.

Thanks for all the great advice so far! :-)

Gary: So you're saying that Premiere may perform better when using the native MP4 files verses using the rewrapped MOV's? Interesting.... I guess I'll have to do some tests.

Just to clarify, since Mitchell said he already had FCP it is safe to assume he already has the necessary codecs installed on his machine. But if someone does not have FCP, then, as Jack points out, rewrapping to MOV may not even be possible.

My experience so far with using XDCAM MXF and MP4 files as rewrapped MOV files inside Premiere CS6 has been nothing but ideal. I have no complaints. In fact, I'm not an expert on Speed Grade yet (probably never will be), but it appears MXF files cannot even be used, so rewrapping to MOV is pretty much mandatory for those files.

As a long time Premiere user and EX3 shooter, you'll get better performance from editing the native files. I wouldn't re-wrap them into .mov files.

No question that After Effects needs a Media Browser as well, but here's a possible work around: Import all your clips into Premiere. Open After Effects, and create a new comp. Go back into Premiere and highlight all the clips in the bin you want in After Effects. Select Copy, then back in AE, select Paste and all the clips should come over.

So long as you don't plan on moving the files around, this should work and AE will find the clips everytime you open it up.

Been a long time since I posted to this forum. Glad to see it's still around. We've been using our EX3 camera and FCP for the last 3 years without a hitch. Never lost any footage or really had any problems. (hope I didn't just jinx myself by saying that)

But now we're slowly switching from FCP to Premiere on our Apple editing systems and that has created some problems.

Adobe doesn't seem to see the advantage of rewrapping XDCAM EX footage into MOV files like FCP did. They like to promote the fact that you can simply start editing. No converting necessary. This "feature" works great in Premiere because there is a built in Media Browser you can use to view your XDCAM EX footage without seeing all the crazy subfolders that make native XDCAM EX footage. But if you try and view the same footage in After Effects, if only gives you the option to import "clips". So for example if you want to import 30 clips into an AE project, you have to go into each BPAV sub folder and select them. This is a tedious and unnecessary process.

We don't want to transcode all the footage as this would talk many hours compared to simply re-wrapping it. We liked the rewrap feature built into FCP 7.0 where you'd end up with a bunch of MOV files. Is there a way to do this with Adobe CS 6 projects? Maybe with the Adobe Media Encoder?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Here's how I do it. Open Finder in MAC, or Explorer in PC, and conduct a search for the files by name prefix or even file extension. You can keep your search within BPAV so that the results are specific to the files from that shoot.

Once your search is completed (takes a few seconds) just highlight/select all the clips you like and simply drop them into your project area in AE, or Premiere.

Works like a charm.

;)

Okay, here is our "solution". Thanks to Eric Addison for explaining this work flow.

1) Using the Content Browser copy all your footage from the SxS card to hard drive used for archiving footage in it's original form.
2) Use Adobe Prelude to ingest all the files and move them to our RAID
3) Then, while still in Prelude, rename, organize, trim, etc...all the clips
4) Then select all the clips, right click and choose Send To Premiere
5) Edit in Premiere as normal
6) To transfer files to After Effects, just select the files you want in Premiere and copy/paste them into After Effects. You can create a folder to put them in to be further organized.

Honestly, I've now learned there are many ways to do this. If I was to only edit in After Effects, then I would probably choose Doug Jensen's way and use the Content Browser to re-wrap them as MOV's.

I also kinda like Dennis's suggestion to search out all the clips and pull them out of their cryptic folder hierarchy and put them together in a new folder.

We're choosing to use Adobe's workflow with the hopes that over time, they will further massage it so it gets better and better.

My solution doesn't require the moving of any files and therefore any time needed to copy + paste + move. Sorry if that was not clear.

You are simply streamlining the way all files are displayed in one window so you can drop them onto your Adobe project box. This also preserves the original folder structure since again, they are not modified.

Also if you don't care for the BPAV hierarchy then what you can do is when you copy the file clips over from your media, again just do a quick search them copy/move the files over to your new folder.

Dennis, I htink your workflow could be simplified by just using the Media Browser within Premiere, thus eliminating using Finder and filtering. Premiere automatically detects the video clips within the BPAV folder without making you do anything special. Just navigate to the folder and you'll see thumbnails. Once you see the files, you can then selectively choose any or all of files to import into the project.

Mitchell, I see you're renaming your clips with Prelude. I would never rename my clips because I want all my BPAV archives to match the files names I'm using in editing. It makes organization so much easier if a clip always has the same name no matter which copy I'm looking at or where it is located. Just food for thought.

Doug: Prelude/Premiere doesn't actually rename the clip, it just makes it look like the clip is renamed using meta data. It's the exact same way with the Content Browser. If you rename a clip in the Content Browser and then go and look at the actual file, the file name hasn't changed. It only looks like it's been changed in the application.

Thanks again for everyone's help. I wish I could communicate with Adobe, because there are some easy additions that could be made to solve a lot of issues.

My understanding is Mitchell is looking for an efficient work flow to import files in to both Adobe Premiere and After Effects, not just Premiere so I question what the point of even using Media Browser?

There is no point to rewrap files in Adobe CS6 and waste time, just edit the files natively.

After you import all your clips you can just as well preview them in either Premiere or After Effects and remove the clips or "takes" you are not interested in.

I generally color the clips I feel I won't use, or move them to a folder to keep things nice and organized.

There are 100 ways to do the same thing, however with the method I suggested you drag your movie clip files onto the Adobe application project box and its done. Not sure what could be easier than that to be honest.

Dennis: I think the difference is that some people like to spend the additional time up front to organize all their clips. Renaming them, trimming them, etc... While other people just import all their clips and just use thumbnails (Media Browser) to find the clips they need.

I have a friend who mostly produces commercials and he never renames his clips because he's normally only working with 10-20 clips. But our company does a far amount of long format projects where you're wrangling 100's of clips. Think about if you were editing a reality television show where there were 1000's of clips. Organizing them in advance becomes a necessity.

We've learned a TON over the last 24 hours and I appreciate everyone sharing their workflows with us. I don't think there's a "wrong workflow" out there. :)

Ah well your first post didn't say you wanted to trim and rename clips, I was specifically writing a solution in reference to your post.

Me myself, I use the **Sony** media browser to review takes or clips I know I want to drop in my NLE or effects software and do my pre-selection there. Also its handy for when sitting in front of clients without having to open up Adobe or FCP...

Anyway glad to see you got some great ideas from folks.

Cheers,

Dennis: Thanks! But are you confusing the Sony Content Browser app with the Adobe Media Browser window built into Premiere?

Mitchell: I don't think it's transcoding anything that way as it's bloody fast in doing so. I think it just rewraps, try it yourself.

Mitchell - I noticed you're using Content Browser to ingest your footage from the cards, then going into Prelude...are you aware that Prelude can ingest from the cards, save to where ever you need to, and even do a verify to make sure it all copied over correctly?

Just seems like that would save you a step.

Zoran & Eric: Thanks for the replies. Okay, I'll admit, when I saw the words "transcode" in Prelude, I assumed it wouldn't rewrap the footage. (embarrassed) I'm going to give it a try on Monday.

Thank you!

Mitchell - Prelude can both ingest from the card to where ever you want, and it can send the clips to AME to transcode to whatever codecs you have installed on your system. Also, you can also choose which clips to ingest from the card so you can weed out any bad takes.

Prelude's a pretty nice little program. Not many folks know all that it can do. I just presented on it at a local Premiere Pro user group, and was surprised how many people had no idea all it could do.