ok what kind of things do you need to know, if i need to be more specific about the problem i can be, after i get a couple .mov files in it it starts to show some of them as being only audio or having a single colored screen, other things it has done is not allow me to import clips, start freezing randomly(even though I have it set to "realtime" priority), and crashing while trying to load the project( which is less than 1 minute long)

I am getting the video out of after effect via the rendering feature

You are not exporting properly from AE. When you exchange files from one editing/processing app to another you must use an intermediate codec, otherwise you're losing quality, and you're asking an app to edit formats that are for viewing only, not editing (aka delivery formats).

So, follow this: http://eugenia.queru.com/2009/07/22/exporting-to-an-intermediate-codec/ Make sure your AE project properties reflect your source footage, and your exporting properties also do that too. E.g. field order, exact frame rate, resolution etc.

When you're done with all the handshaking between apps, you can then export in h.264/AAC in MP4 or MOV. That will be your "delivery" format, meant only for viewing.

im kind of new to all of this so what exactly does it mean to have "AE project properties reflect your source footage". Also I have a Panasonic HDC-TM700 and the footage I am editing is shot with it in standard definition, I was trying to find out the frame rate but the internet tells me it is 24, AE tells me it is 23.97, and vegas tells me it is 29, how can I find out which one is right. by the way i appreciate your time and this info

Load a clip in AE, right click on it, and somewhere in a properties dialog (somewhere among the options) you will be able to read its resolution, frame rate, and aspect ratio. So, set up After Effects (AE) project properties accordingly. If it's 24p then it's 23.976. If it's 30p or 60i, then it's 29.97. These small fractions matter. Then you export the same way to an intermediate codec, using the same properties as the source footage, then you setup Vegas' own project properties as such too, and only then you edit in Vegas.

These are basic things about working with video btw. If you are not able to understand or follow through all that, then you will have to upload on a server somewhere a 5 second video from that camera (with the SAME settings/frame rate as you shot the other footage), so we can load it in our tools and tell you how to proceed more precise.

following the tutorial i get how to do it (I think) coming out of vegas but if what your telling me is true then i need to be doing this with AE instead. So would i be doing the right thing if I took the video clips i wanted to edit in Vegas and did the following.
1. select clip from AE and click "add to render Queue"
2. once at the render options click "Output Module"
3. select "quick time" from the "output module" options
4. Then hit "format options" and select "Avid DNxHD Codec" (so that it is a quick time Avid DNxHD)
5. Leave the audio uncompressed

would following these steps allow me to edit said footage in Sony Vegas without problem or quality loss?

Further more, once again excuse my ignorance, but is there a specific website i could upload said raw footage or what is it I have to do to get the footage on said server?

One more thing, lets say I add the special effects in AE but set the composition to the wrong frame rate, 23.97 instead of 29.97, how would this effect the export. (btw i think the footage is shot at 29.97 because i left clicked the footage in AE and clicked "interpret footage" and it said
Frame Rate-
(check yes or no) Use frame rate from file: (29.970 fps)

>would following these steps allow me to edit said footage in Sony Vegas without problem or quality loss?

No. Your project properties need to be correct to mirror the source footage in both AE and Vegas, and when you export you must tell the exporting dialog what kind of footage this is, so it exports using the right attributes.

>the wrong frame rate, 23.97 instead of 29.97, how would this effect the export.

Ghosting. Fewer frames, jerkiness. Always use the correct properties to whatever you're doing.

ok kinda confused.
btw when i rendered the footage that i edited with the wrong frame rate, as a regular no strings attached .mov, it looked pretty good no ghosting. Though what you are telling me is that if I export said footage in this new way the quality is going to be savaged, right? once again srry for my confusion

What Eugenia is trying to explain is that you need to know the parameters of your source footage.

MediaInfo is your friend in case you don't know what you are shooting.

Your Project Properties in AE must be set to exactly match the parameters of your source footage.
Then your Render Properties in AE must ALSO be set to exactly match the Project Properties.

Finally, your Vegas Project Properties must be set to exactly match the parameters of the intermediate file you rendered in AE.

Hope that is clear, and good luck.

I get the gist of what is being said and from a clearly verbal standpoint it makes since, It is in the process of putting these instructions into actions that i am getting confused. so set the project properties to the same as the footage being edited ok i THINK i get that not sure though. now lets say that it is too late for this batch of footage to be completely right because it was edited at 23.97 instead of 29.97, and this is for a school thing so i don't have time to go back through and do the hours of special effects again at the right frame rate. if i set the export to the same as the source footage but changed it to say the source footage was 23.97 ( although it is not) what would that do ( once again i rendered this wrongly edited batch of footage as regular .mov and it looked fine, no ghosting or skipping, but Sony Vegas could not handle it)

Im sorry if my lack of understanding is frustrating but I am trying to learn and i do appreciate all of this.

Download MEDIAINFO and all of your questions will be answered, including the frame rate of your source video! (I generally try not to repeat myself).

srry did not understand the first time you said that, that it was actually a download. My bad

My computer told me that MediaInfo could harm my computer. After reading reviews im hearing alot of people saying it is malware

Don't know where you found that nonsense, but MediaInfo is on SOURCEFORGE, the most trusted open-source download service in the world. But suit yourself.

Sorry, I've got work to do tonight, but good luck.

MediaInfo is not malware.

Download from here: http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en

Open your file with it, change the View to Text and post results here.

I downloaded it now how do i use it

Open the program. Go to File: Open and navigate to the video file that you want information on.

Not being an expert (far from it) ... the OP complained of not being able to use SD files in .mov format. Would this have anything to do with our "famous" Quicktime problems with Vegas?

might be but i cant render it as .avi because it messes up

MediaInfo says this:
container and general info:
BDAV: 6.74 MiB, 4s 485ms
1 video stream: AVC
1 audio stream: AC-3
1 text stream: PGS
Maximum Overall bit rate: 18.0 Mbps

First video stream:
11.7 Mbps, 1920*1080, at 29.970 fps, AVC (High@L4.0) (CABAC / 4 Ref Frames)

also i clicked the "go to website of this video codec" and it gave me the codec X264, is that a intermediate codec? will it keep me from losing quality? and does this mean I have to go back through and add the special effects all over again at 29.970 instead of 23.970?

further more if i rendered the file out of AE as an .AVI with the format option "uncompressed UYVY 422 8bit" will it not lose quality when i take it over to Sony Vegas?

>X264, is that a intermediate codec?

No, it's a delivery codec. That's the one you use to edit the first time, or how you export at the very end. But between editing apps, you must use a real intermediate codec, like the ones I linked for you.

>and does this mean I have to go back through and add the special effects all over again at 29.970 instead of 23.970?

Yes. Your project properties must be in 29.97, all the effects, all the exporting parameters, and then the Vegas project properties and final exporting too.

uncompressed UYVY 422 8bit is that intermediate code

also is there a tutorial i can check out or something because i have no idea where to fix these setting in AE or how setting stuff on sony vegas effects the render of the AE footage

>uncompressed UYVY 422 8bit is that intermediate code

Yes, but the files will be huge and slow, Avid DNxHD is a better idea.

>i have no idea where to fix these setting in AE or how setting stuff on sony vegas

Not for AE. You just need to find the right dialog somewhere. For Vegas, to set the project properties follow STEP 2 only: http://eugenia.queru.com/2007/11/09/exporting-with-vegas-for-vimeo-hd/