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UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | SCHOOL OF ART | GRAPHIC DESIGN Spring 2018

ADOBE MEDIA ENCODER

WORKING WITH DIGITAL formats are different than other types of digital files you are used to working with. They are stored in what are called container formats. These are files with a variety of file extensions, Extra Reading like .mov .mpg .mkv, and features in order to combine different types of data into a single file. Rodrigues, Ana. 2016. “H.264 vs H.265 — A Technical Comparison. When Will H.265 Dominate the Market?” Inside that file, audio and video data types are encoded—packed up and compressed—withcodecs , Medium. June 9, 2016. https://medium.com/advanced- like H.264 or MPEG-2 for video and MP3 or AAC for audio. There are many types of , but H.264 is computer-vision/h-264-vs-h-265-a-technical- comparison-when-will-h-265-dominate-the-market- the current reigning standard—and the one we will be using—with HEVC (H.265) expected to replace 26659303171a. it in the coming years as 4k devices and 4k media streaming become more common. Digital video editing requires a lot of hard drive space—enough space to store your video multiple times! That’s for the source media, “scratch space” which is used to store on-the-fly previews, and finally enough room to output the final video. You can prepare for this by moving large files off your computer. It is not preferable to actively edit video from an external harddrive, due to their slower throughput, though you may find it workable.

ENCODING SETTINGS General purpose Use the H.264 with one of the “Match Source” presets which will give you consistent and predictable results. These will match the and resolution of source media, while relying on changes to the Target Bitrate to adjust quality and file size. Select through the Match Source presets while watching the “Estimated File Size” that Media Encoder shows at the bottom of the panel to target an acceptable file size. To further target a file size, adjust the “Target Bitrate” setting and make sure to output to the correct, specified resolution. Vimeo upload For uploading to Vimeo you can technically encode with as high a setting as your internet connection can support, but for practical purposes use Media Encoder’s Vimeo presets or the Match Source presets. The Vimeo presets make high-bitrate files at a set resolution, matching the name of the preset. Use the Match Source presets or adjust the Target Bitrate if you need a smaller file size. Bitrate Control CBR - Constant bitrate encoding: data at the same rate all the way through a video no matter whether a video needs the same rate or not. For example, sections of a video with a lot of need more compression than sections with low motion. VBR - encoding: compresses data at variable rates depending on the amount of motion in a video. This optimizes quality, but takes longer to encode. 1-Pass or 2-Pass Variable Bitrate Encoding For previewing or critiquing purposes, 1-Pass Bitrate encoding will be sufficient. However, when you are encoding a final copy of your video, you will want to use 2-Pass Bitrate encoding because it will provide the highest image quality. But, as the name implies, 2-Pass encoding will extend the rendering time.

Encoding Video Tips and Advice • Video compression follows a familiar rule. Pick two: small file size, high quality, or fast encoding. • Most of you will find that encoding will go faster on a desktop computer versus a laptop, especially those with a graphics card. Laptops will be slower on battery power than when plugged-in. • Changing the framerate of a video will greatly increase encoding time. • “Render and Replace” allows you to pre-render sections of your video. If you use multiple effects/ graphics, you’ll find it preferable to pre-render those for faster encoding. When pre-rendering or video while editing, use a post-production codec like Apple ProRes. • Check “Use Previews” when exporting from Premiere Pro to have Media Encoder check for already- rendered portions cached from previewing the video.

01.11.2018 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | SCHOOL OF ART | GRAPHIC DESIGN Spring 2018

ADOBE MEDIA ENCODER

16:9 HD/UHD resolutions I. Render: from After Effects (AE) to Media Encoder (ME) 4k: 3840×2160 A1. After Effects 1440p: 2560×1440 1. Open the composition you want to render (So open an AE project first) 1080p: 1920×1080 2. With the composition as the active tab in your timeline 720p: 1280×720 a. Go to the Menu > Composition > Add to Adobe Media Encoder Queue b. Media Encoder launches POST-PRODUCTION CODECS – APPLE PRORES A2. Premeire Pro Apple ProRes (Applies to E) 1. Open the sequence you want to render (So open an Pr project first) Apple Pro Res codecs video less than H.264. Use 2. With the sequence as the active tab in your timeline this codec when a clip or video will be imported into AE or edited and compressed again in a final render. Note, file a. Go to the Menu > File > Export > Media sizes using Apple ProRes codecs will be larger than H.264. b. Media Encoder launches Apple ProRes 4444 XQ B. Media Encoder: Export Settings for 1280 x 720 / 29.97 video The highest-quality version of Apple ProRes for 4:4:4:4 1. Your selected composition appears in the Queue Panel image sources (including alpha channels). This format has a very high data rate to preserve the detail in high- Under each of the following select the appropriate choice dynamic-range imagery generated by today’s highest- a. Quicktime (format) - select H.264 [extension will be .mp4] quality digital image sensors. b. Match Source (preset) - HD 720p 29.97 Target data rate of ~500 Mbps at 1920x1080 and 29.97 fps. c. Output File - chose “save-to” location and name file Apple ProRes 422 HQ A higher-data-rate version of Apple ProRes 422 that 2. To customize Preset settings preserves visual quality at the same high level as Apple a. Click on HD 720p 29.97 in the Preset column ProRes 4444 but for 4:2:2 image sources. b. Video Tab Target data rate of ~220 Mbps at 1920x1080 and 29.97 fps. i. Width x Height - keep chain icon linked; change one dimension if necessary *Apple ProRes 422 A high-quality compressed codec offering nearly all ii. Frame Rate - 29.97fps [whatever your project is] the benefits of Apple ProRes 422 HQ, but at 66 percent iii. Field Order: Progressive of the data rate for even better multistream, real-time iv. Aspect Ratio: Square editing performance. Target data rate of ~147 Mbps at 1920x1080 and 29.97 fps. v. TV Standard: NTSC [NTSC = North America; PAL = Europe] About Apple ProRes vi. Profile: Main https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202410 vii. Level: 4.1 viii. Render at Max Depth - Don’t check. This does not add value ix. Bitrate Settings - VBR, 2 pass KEY FRAME RATE Target Bitrate [Mbps]: 10 Key frames are not the same as keyframes in the timeline. Max Bitrate [Mbps]: 20 [max is typical 2x target] When video is compressed, a complete version of every (higher bitrate numbers make larger file / frame is not included in the file. Instead, most frames just record the differences from the previous frame. Key frames higher number only needed if a video has a lot of motion or movement) are the ones that are complete frames. The more key x. Advanced Settings - Key Frame Distance frames you set, the higher the video quality, but also the With high bitrate numbers, the key frame distance is not very critical. larger the file size. You should choose a keyframe rate that considers the visual style of your movie; lots of movement, See sidebar Key Frame Rate cuts, or shifts in color and lighting will require a higher key c. Audio Tab frame rate because the movie will change a good deal from one frame to the next. i. Format - ACC ii. Sample rate - 48000 [48k best for video, but use 41k if your audio file uses 41k] Setting a higher key frame rate means using a lower number. For example, for a 29.97 fps video, one key frame iii. Bitrate - 256 every 10 seconds equals 300 key frames. One key frame for 3. Click OK to close the dialogue box every 1 second, equals 30 keyframes. 4. Click green arrow to render the video 10 second distances good for general purpose - 300 frames (29.97 fps) - 240 frames (24 fps) For with more motion, use more frequently - 150 frames (29.97 fps) or 60 frames or 30 frames For videos w/ high bitrate, key frames less critical

01.11.2018 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | SCHOOL OF ART | GRAPHIC DESIGN Spring 2018

ADOBE MEDIA ENCODER

C. Media Encoder: Export Settings for HTML 5 (makes small file size) C. Crop Clip 1. Customize Preset settings 1. Select clip in Queue Panel a. Video Tab 2. Select Preset Settings i. Format - H.264 3. Select Source Tab in upper left corner of window ii. Width x Height - 858 x 480 [can be bigger, but file size is key] i. Select Crop symbol at top of window under Source iii. Frame Rate - 29.97fps [whatever your project is] ii. Set Crop Proportions to same as the clip iv. Profile - High For example, HD is 16:9 v. Level - 3.1 iii. Grab crop box in video clip and drag vi. Bitrate Settings - VBR, 2 pass D. Trim Clip Target Bitrate [Mbps]: 0.8 [800 kbps] 1. Select clip in Queue Panel Max Bitrate [Mbps]: 1.6 [remember, this is 2x the target] 2. Select Preset Settings vii. Advanced Settings - Key Frame Distance 3. Select Source Tab in upper left corner of window Key Frame distance - 300 [at 29.97 fps, this sets key i. At bottom of window, below clip, drag blue playhead to frame every 10 seconds] your desired “in point.” b. Audio Tab ii. Click the left facing triangle above the duration bar. i. Format - ACC This sets the in point. ii. Sample rate - 44100 iii. Repeat for the desired “end-point.” iii. Bitrate - 64 E. ME: Export Settings for a Clip for Further AE Work (uncompressed, best for further work) II. Media Encoder: Importing a Composition from AE 1. Select clip in Queue Panel A. Adding an AE Composition 2. Click on Preset Settings - Once in Export Settings ... 1. Import Composition a. Format = Quicktime [extension will be .mp4] a. Double click In Que panel or click “+” symbol b. Preset = doesn’t matter; the setting will change below b. Select After Effects Project c. Video Tab c. Select the composition that you want to render i. - Apple ProRes 422 or 422 HQ (this changes Preset to “Custom”) III. Media Encoder: Importing Clips (compositions, footage, etc.) for ii. Width x Height - keep chain icon linked; Editing change one dimension if necessary and Exporting for Further AE Work iii. Frame Rate - 29.97fps [whatever your project is] A. Adding, Deleting and Duplicating a video clip 1. Add files with “+” symbol 2. Delete files with “-” symbol 3. Duplicate files with “Double Page” icon a. Duplicate a file when you want to output in various formats i. Select duplicated file ii. Click the Preset tab next iii. Select a preset from the dropdown menu B. Change Clip Resolution 1. Select clip in Queue Panel 2. Select Preset Settings i. Change Pixel dimensions, but keep aspect ratio For example, change 1920 x 1080 clip to 1280 x 720

01.11.2018 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | SCHOOL OF ART | GRAPHIC DESIGN Spring 2018

ADOBE MEDIA ENCODER

Resolution: Size of video in pixels VBR - Variable bitrate encoding: compresses data at variable rates Larger the resolution the harder to compress a file depending on the amount of motion in a video. This optimizes quality, but HD aspect ratio 16:9 takes longer to encode. 1920 x 1080 (1080p) 1280 x 720 (720p) Bitrate Settings: 858 x 482 (480p) VBR-2 Pass - This takes longer than VBR-1 Pass, but provides better qual- ity. Bitrate: Controls quality and viewer bandwidth Target Bitrate [Mbps] 0.5 When you produce a streaming file you have to choose a bitrate Maximum Bitrate [Mbps] 1 (2x the Target) Video bitrate - Mbps (megabits per second) Audio bitrate - kbps (kilobits per second) Advanced Settings: Use 10 second distance for streaming and Combinded - kbps general purpose 300 frames (29.97 fps) Bandwidth: Size of pipe between your data and your remote client (server) 250 frames (25 fps) 240 frames (24 fps) Compression: Compresses the size of video, audio and still images. Compression is lossy. Data is lost when files are compressed. Containers and Codecs H.264 is a good codec Codec: Compression/Decompression Containers it can be used with: Quicktime, Flash, Silverlight, MPEG-4 Video Codecs: H.264, MPEG-2, WMV Audio Codecs: MP3, AAC, WMV HTML 5 playback Image Codecs: JPG, PNG, GIF Codec: MP4 640 x 360 (or 848 x 482) Container Format: Also know as “wrapper.” 30 fps Determines which player can play a file. A container is like a shipping Date Rate 800 kbps container; it can hold different codecs. audio 64 kbps/mono

Delivery Options: Vimeo or YouTube 1. Progressive Download: Video distributed from web server rather than Vimeo or YouTube 720p streaming server. HD - 10Mbps target, 15Mbps max Video is cached locally on viewer’s computer 2 pass vbr High quality 256 kpbs stereo Takes time to download 2. Streaming: Distributed from a streaming server May or may not be cached on viewer’s computer If not cached locally, viewer must watch it in real time Must be lower data rate and lower bandwidth or the video will stop while playing. 3. Adaptive Streaming: Adaptively delivered based on viewer’s device and connection speed.

Bitrate Control CBR - Constant bitrate encoding: compresses data at the same rate all the way through a video no matter whether a video needs the same rate or not. For example, sections of a video with a lot of motion need more com- pression than sections with low motion.

01.11.2018 Media Encoder HTML5 Video | 640 x 360

Select Vimeo HD 720p 29.97 Change video width/height to 640 x 360 Media Encoder Video | 960 x 540

Select Vimeo HD 720p 29.97 Change video width/height to 960 x 540