Best workflow: keying AVCHD mts files for V8: AE?

ken c wrote on 1/28/2009, 11:21 AM

Hi -

I've been shooting greenscreen footage using my Sony SR11, capturing to .mts files, high res (1440x1080x12), having a tough time figuring out the best workflow to produce alpha-channeled .movs for use in Vegas 8... any ideas?

I tried outputting .avi uncompressed footage from Vegas using the mts clips on the timeline, then importing into Ultra, then exporting keyed footage out, but that's not working right... (mts import into vegas, then output as uncompressed avi, then input into Ultra, key it, then output as movs/avis, not working though)

The other thing I could try is importing mts files into AE CS3 and using keylight (will that work?), then outputting alpha-channeled movs, for ingestion into Vegas...

I'd appreciate any tips, from those who are using mts greenscreen footage, on how to best key it....?

thanks,

-k

reading a creativecow thread, looks like I need to import mts to Vegas timeline, then export it as uncompressed avi, then import that into AE (which apparently doesn't import mts format), then keylight-key it, then output to a format for using in Vegas again, eg .mov+... what a hassle... hopefully AE CS4 will import mts/avchd?

Comments

blink3times wrote on 1/28/2009, 1:41 PM

Only 2 things I can think of off hand (which I learned the hard way)... maybe you already know but.....

1) When you export your timeline as uncompressed avi you will have to upconvert it to 1920x1080. Technically 1440x1080 is 4:3... what makes it 16:9 is the 1.333PAR.

Uncompressed avi does not support 1.333:1 PAR so at 1440 your video will come out squashed. 1920x 1080 is real 16:9 with 1:1 PAR

2) Vegas can't automatically detect a alpha channel avi so when you import your avi you will have to TELL vegas that it is alpha channel. Do this by right clicking the event while in project media.

farss wrote on 1/28/2009, 1:54 PM

AE can read MXF and uncompressed no sweat. I render out of AE as MOV and bring that back into Vegas with no dramas at all. You do need to watch PAR in AE, if you're really getting lost stick to square pixels.
One thing that really threw me for a while in AE is you have to watch what you render as. To get an alpha channel you must select RGB + Alpha, AE always defaults to RGB even for output formats with alpha. You can output Unmuxed or Muxed alpha, so far I've stuck to the former.

Keylight is Very good, good tutorial on using it around.

CF will also work between Vegas and AE, don't think it supports an alpha channel though.

Bob.

ken c wrote on 1/29/2009, 10:07 AM

Thanks - that's good to know re aspect ratios and ingesting those a/AE/Vegas...agree keylight is great, I doubt I'll ever use Ultra again, unless I specifically need a track motion shot or to use one of their sets... it can be a challenge figuring out all this tech video stuff, much appreciated, your tips.

-k

bill-kranz wrote on 1/30/2009, 2:40 PM

Hi:

I was following this discussion and was wondering what the "AE" is referrring to.
Is it "Adobe Elements" or is it a sub program for Vegas like Excalibur, etc?
I looked through the Vegas Pro capabilities on the Sony site but saw no references to "AE."

I know that Canon makes a AE-1 camera also.

Hope you can help me here so I understand a bit more of the jargon.

Thanks,
Bill

dcrandall wrote on 1/30/2009, 3:42 PM

Bill,

The "AE" that's being referenced is short for Adobe "After Effects".

-Dan

ken c wrote on 1/30/2009, 5:30 PM

right re keylight tut, best is by Chris Meyers at:

http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/

(click "After Effects CS3 Professional", then the keylight tutorial).

Light years ahead of any other keying app., and those free tutorials are excellent

-k