Hello everyone,

I have just decided to try and expand my knowledge and start experimenting with After Effects.  Trouble is, I'm not sure of the best, or most efficient, way to get footage into the program.  Do I import into AE first, then export to MC, or the other way around.  Can I import my finished sequence into AE and add effects that way?  Any workflow ideas would be appreciated!

Brad

 You can do it either way. You can create a composition from scratch entirely within AE, or you can export a sequence as a QT ref (if AE is on the same platform as MC) and bring that into AE for finishing and polishing, then back out to Avid. Keep in mind that throughout the process for NTSC SD work, the file field order must be "even (lower)" field first.

 I to use ae and you can use it all ways you descriped dependes when you decide  you need to use it  i  end up needing a effect in the middle of the edit so i export  effect and reimport

 Hi Larry,

Thanks for responding.  Just to make sure I understand, I take the same QT ref I would import into Sorenson and import it into AE.  After adding effects to the sequence I then 'export' another QT ref back into MC and then export again to Sorenson or can I skip the import back into MC?

Sorry for the additonal ?'s.

Brad

I use AE also.  Depending on what your needs are the "right" way will be most likely cut in Avid, export clip that requires treatment, work on it in AE, reimport into Avid.  I usually export the clip with handles which vary in size depending on how locked off the cut is.

If you need to have your composites prior to cutting, import into AE, work on them there, then batch import them into Avid to use as original clips.  While this helps you during the edit, if your AE work is complex you will inevitably spending needless time processing material you won't use.

And in answer to your last post, you can't export a QT ref from AE.  It has to render the effects to something.  Since a QTref points to the original media this can't be used.

If you're dealing with SD, export QT animation, and if you're using HD export QT DNxHD. 

 Thanks for your quick reply.  I am only working with SD.  Let me give you an example:  I assemble a 30 minute sequence of football highlights.  After completing the sequence I want to add effects to make it jump.  Can I add different effects to different parts of the sequence or do I have to apply the effects to each individual clip within the sequence?  Thus following your flow of exporting each individual clip and then re-importing into Avid, then assemble the sequence.

 My workflow is to do what effects I can do within the Avid sequence with the Avid effects tools, and then export the sequence into AE for "dress up and enhancement". I do not export individual clips to AE. Then an export from AE and an import back to Avid.

 OK, I think I'm up to speed with this.  I can apply an effect to one play in my sequence in AE without it being its own clip and without the effect being applied to the whole sequence.  Thanks to both of you for your experienced input!

Is there a way to set up a Send to> command to After Effects in Media Composer. Or is that only possbile with Automatic Duck software?

Thank you.

You can to a limitted degree.  You can't with the fully integration that Adobe products have, but you can save a setting that exports in your format of choice.  You will still then have to separately launch AE and import your exported file.