Very slow video export

[PoliticalBonobo]

I have a project with an 18 minute film reel that I scored 5 cues to (using 5 separate chunks). I created a Song, loaded in each Chunk, and copied the Song to a new sequence Chunk. I am attempting to export video and all tracks from this new sequence chunk. It is incredibly slow, probably about 1 frame per second.

Video is SD (~640x480), and I'm using Windows h.264. My cpu is only getting worked to ~30% during export. Exporting audio alone works quickly and maxes cpu load to 80%.

I have a feeling my project is just too massive having 5 cues/chunks for one reel. I've exported in the past on smaller projects with no real issues. I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this or has recommendations. My hope was to provide the entire reel with all my cues to the client.

[PoliticalBonobo]

After watching Brian Ralston's spotting videos, I think I might stick to one cue per project.

[frankf]

I import the movie audio into a chunk I call Spotting where, after setting a start time to match the movie start time I lay markers for all cues in the reel. I then break my cues out into separate sequence chunks from the Spotting chunk. I work on each cue now in its own chunk and do a (real time) rough mix there. When I have all the roughs done I drag them back to the Spotting Chunk, to separate tracks if necessary, select them and invoke the Move to Original Time Stamp command. Then I export/bounce to QT movie, doing a mini mix with the imported narration or effects tracks and send to client for review. This is very fast once you do it a couple of times. I've never tried using the Song method you describe.

[PoliticalBonobo]

When I have all the roughs done I drag them back to the Spotting Chunk, to separate tracks if necessary, select them and invoke the Move to Original Time Stamp command. .

Ah ok. If you have a different tempo in a cue, does the conducter track get copied into your Spotting Chunk?

[frankf]

The Spotting Seq already has the original markers and the rough mixes have tempo, cc changes incorporated. Is that what you're asking?

[PoliticalBonobo]

So you already have tempos determined at each marker in the Spotting Chunk? For example, you might have Marker A cue be at 120 bpm, Marker B be at 85bpm, Marker C at 100bpm, etc. in the Spotting Chunk? The reason I ask is because when using my "cue chunks in a Song" method, I had a terrible time getting the tempos for each cue chunk to work out correctly when loaded into a Song chunk. It was a mess and I never really got it to work.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

In the song window you can line up chunks end to end or you can stack them one on top of another. I don't use that much but I've found stack to give better results. Hopefully this hasn't changed and my in for is still correct. Worth a try.

[frankf]

So you already have tempos determined at each marker in the Spotting Chunk? For example, you might have Marker A cue be at 120 bpm, Marker B be at 85bpm, Marker C at 100bpm, etc. in the Spotting Chunk? The reason I ask is because when using my "cue chunks in a Song" method, I had a terrible time getting the tempos for each cue chunk to work out correctly when loaded into a Song chunk. It was a mess and I never really got it to work.

Maybe I'm missing something. When you do your rough mixes in each chunk, the resulting mixes ARE at the correct tempo. The tempo of the Spotting Chunk doesn't matter, although I set it at 60bpm or 120bpm for visual reference and forget it. What matters is the each cue is placed at the correct location in the film's time line. Time Stamps here are a reference to that time line. Each soundbite created by DP has one which allows you to copy your rough mixes to the Spotting Chunk and align them exactly with your film for previewing the reel with all music cues and for movie export with cues for your client. That DP allows this workflow is one of its features that makes it stand out as a film scoring tool.


Frank Ferrucci

[PoliticalBonobo]

Maybe I should ask, how are you "copying" each cue chunk into the spotting cue?

[PoliticalBonobo]

In the song window you can line up chunks end to end or you can stack them one on top of another. I don't use that much but I've found stack to give better results. Hopefully this hasn't changed and my in for is still correct. Worth a try.

Thanks, I'll try playing with that. If I keep trying the "Song" method I'll post another thread if I get stuck.

[frankf]

I'm copying only the stereo mix audio tracks back to the Sequence chunk

[PoliticalBonobo]

I see now. So I assume you don't have MIDI data copying over, or if you do you print to audio first. That might be my issue: having too many MIDI/instrument tracks. Thanks for the workflow advice, I'll try it!

[PoliticalBonobo]

I just realized I never posted my solution to the slow video export.
It seems to be dependent on the Audio driver selected before bouncing. I have a few interface drivers, but switching to the Windows audio driver works fine for exporting video/audio.