Color Correction Workflow in AE

Tabula Rasa Productions

Tabula Rasa Productions

Well-known member
Hi, I did several searches in the forums but couldn't find the answer to my workflow question. Basically, I cut a video in vegas pro, and want to color correct it in AE. Now, I exported it as a .mov using the animation codec so that it wouldn't lose any quality, but when i get it into AE, my computer slows down a bit, which is a minor annoyance.

Does anyone know how i can maximize efficiency of my color correction workflow so I don't have to sit through rendering for long sparses of time? One problem I have is that I need to color correct each shot differently most of the time, what is the most efficient way to do this? Should I split my clips and then apply different adjustment layers? I can imagine how cluttered my timeline would be. Someone mentioned precomposing, but I don't understand how I would put every shot back together if I did that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Try exporting your movie in quarters or smaller segments, and then load those in individually... I'm assuming you've tried working at half and quarter res?
 
First go buy the book The DV Rebels Guide. You will need the script(s) that come with it.

I export just as you did. When you get it in AE split the layer into layers for each clip. The book will explain the rest. After all that is done you can use Magic Bullet to apply an overall effect to the piece.

You computer will slow down dramatically.

A lot of work I know, but you can send it to me at $80/hr. ;)
 
hmmm

hmmm

If your computer is choking on Animation codec files, then it must be pretty close to retirement age...

Seriously, not a lot of "tricks" can help you get around a slow computer, especially in the color correction phase. Since you need to see the full quality video (using proxies or reduced quality during CC could be disaster) you have no real options but to grin and bear it until you can afford a better rig.
 
triplej96 said:
This certainly won't help your cpu power as other said not to many tricks can get you past your slow computer but this is a handy script that will auto detect edits. Thus hand for color grading.

http://aescripts.com/2008/01/18/magnum-the-edit-detector/#more-26
Click to expand...
DUUUUUUUUUUUDE!
You just gave me back a week of my life, thanks.

If you edit in Premiere, you can bring projects into AE instead of renders. No monkeybusiness necessary. Automatic Duck will do the same from Avid. I've used both on feature films and it saved me a lot of time.

I'm going to go against the grain and say that if you're only doing color, use proxy files. Make the switch to full resolution on your final pass. Unless you're also doing VFX, then you'll probably want the detail.

I'd only use adjustment layers for color scene-to-scene, and apply effects to the layers directly for shot-to-shot correction.
 
Welcome professorU. I mostly use Avid but don't have automatic duck :(.

If your computer can't handle it then I would say go ahead and use proxies too.

Josh
 
oooh

oooh

Getting premier sounds more and more worth it to me, is it much different from Vegas?

Anywho, when you say use proxies, what do you mean by that?

And that script can detect edits? Even if its not an ae or ap project?

Thanks for all the help guys.
 
Premiere is different than Vegas, definitely. But if you want to learn to edit professionally, Premiere is a good place to start. It's very similar to FCP.

Proxies are lower resolution files that look similar to your higher resolution files. You can learn how to use them with the help files included with AE. If your project is 1920x1080, you could render a 640x360 file and just plug the full resolution file back in when you're done changing color on the small version. That way you're only working with 1/9th the pixel data but you can still get a very good idea of what color will look like.
 
that script was all i needed, thanks so much! made everything much easier...

one last question, after the script split the clips, how do I select all of one shot and apply the same CC to it? What I did was color code the timeline so that each shot angle was a different color, then selected all of the same color--but for some reason my cc only applies to one clip...anyone know how to fix this?
 
Let say you have all your "red clips". Create a new adjustment layer and place it on top of all the red clips. Do your color correction in the adjustment layer and it will affect all the clips below it.
 
Or you can copy and paste effects, too.

Select the clip on the timeline
Select all the effects in the effects window
Control+C on a PC
select the clip to apply the effect in the timeline
Control+V on a PC

This will apply the effects with the same values (assuming you're not using keyframes, then it gets tricky).

I would suggest using adjustment layers or precomps as suggested, unless you need shot-to-shot control.
 
Or u can choose to make a preset of you color correction / grade.And just apply that to your clips or Adjustment layers . Good for later use .
 
Another really good way to get your Vegas timeline into After Effects is to export an AAF file from Vegas. Import the AAF in AE and you should have your timeline all in there as it's laid out in your timeline, plus you can extend the heads and tails of each individual shot because it's the actual media getting imported, not a rendered Animation file. You'll have your media all laid out on different layers.

This is not as advanced as Automatic Duck and many of your transitions and fx won't come over but you can just recreate them in AE.

Here's a video I did a while back showing the process:
http://www.triple-e-productions.net/VegasToAEAAF.html

Hope that helps!
 
I really like that script man, its amazing. Thank you so much. Ill try doing the AAF file thing, that sounds good too. But how do I lengthen the clips once they are in AE Daygola?
 
The clips come in as if you were to import an entire clip in AE. It's basically your Vegas Timeline, just each clip is it's own layer.

Think of it like this... in your NLE, you can extend the beginning and end of each clip if there is more footage, right? The AAF references the media on your hard drive, it doesn't render out a new video clip so you have the handles just like you do in your NLE. Just simply click and drag the heads or tails of the clips like you would in your NLE.

I like doing the AAF thing better because you have the option of "re-editing" a cut if you want because you have the handles available to you. If you export a brand new Animation movie of your timeline, you don't have that option because it's no longer referencing the media -- it has created a NEW FILE or NEW MOVIE of your timeline.

I hope that wasn't too confusing. Did I explain that clearly?

I hope that helps!
 
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