• Feb 04, 2012

• Creating a Multi-Format Export Queue in Premiere Pro

• by David Smith in Adobe

• Genre: Video
• Level: Intermediate
• Time to Complete: 15-30 minutes
• 0 comments — Start Discussion

Adobe Premiere Pro has a brilliant workflow for batch exporting multiple versions of an edit, making it much easier to generate copies for smart phones, the web, tablet devices, TiVo boxes, you name it, in one action. 

In this article I am going to explore how to export a sequence for back-up and for Flash web delivery in one batch workflow. Normally you would want to export the whole sequence, but in this instance we are only going to export a small section, to save you time waiting for the files to compress, etc. 

Step 1 - Set Export Parameters

Using an open sequence set the work area start point to the start of the partial sequence you want to export by dragging the handle until you see it snap to the start of the sequence. 

Tip: Use a section that has a variety of media types and levels if you can, so that the sample is a good cross-section of your sequence.

Then do the same with the workspace end point, about 20-30 seconds later in the sequence.

step 2 - export Media 

With the sequence selected in the timeline press Command-M to open up the Export window.

Step 3 - Setting the Source

On the left of the export window is the Source and Output options. 

In the source window set the Range drop-down menu to Work Area, so that just the work area is exported. 

Tip: If you set the Range to 'custom' you can use I and O to set in and out points and modify the range of video yet further. Useful if you're testing export settings first.

Tip: You can simplify things further if you use the Crop tool and crop the video being output. This will ensure an even faster export and allow you to focus on a detail of the video clip, such as small text on graphics compressed for the web, for example.

Step 4 - Set Formatting for a Back-up

Now return to the Export Settings to select the formats for export. Start off by selecting standards for a full quality export. Just in case something terrible happens to your project, this is a great back-up option—just in case.

To ensure a compressed file that matches the current sequence choose the Match Sequence Settings option from the presets menu.

Name the file Master Backup HQ and save it to the desktop. 

Use the Summary to get an overview of what's being set. 

Choosing Use Maximum Render Quality rendering will keep the quality of the exported video as high as possible. However, it will add significant time to most project exports, so use it only for this kind of option. 

Clicking Export will begin the process of exporting this video now. Instead, click theQueue button to add this workflow to a batch list of exports in Adobe Media Encoder. That way I can do something else (like catch up on sleep while the batch is working). 

Media Encoder opens with your video listed in its batch window. 

Return to Premiere Pro and using the same work area, repeat steps 1– 3 then continue to step 5. 

Step 5 - Set For Flash

OK, so the next format for export is Flash Video. I plan to add this video footage to a .FLA project using Flash CS5 at a later date. 

Set format to Flash from the drop-down menu.

Flash has 2 compression standards: the older FLV which is great to use for compositing as it can incorporate Alphas. And F4V which is a newer H.264 format which better to use for streaming as well as being better at handling Metadata. Choose F4V for this clip. Note that F4V requires newer versions of Flash Player. Choose F4V for Web, 640x480.

Name the file Flash Copy and save it to the desktop. 

Choose to export Video and Audio for this one.

Cue points in Flash work similarly to Chapter Markers on a DVD. To set up navigation in the Flash file, play or drag the playhead to the desired point in the Video Preview window and choose "+" to add a cue point.

Name the cue point part 2 and choose Navigation from the type drop-down menu to finish the cue point.

The Gaussian Blur filter is a great way to even out any noise on the video, which in turn will create a smoother image for compression. As we are significantly compressing the quality of this image, adding a blur value of 2-3 should be enough. Use the output preview window to keep you right here. 

Add this setting to the queue. 

Step 6 - Batch Export

In device central, both export settings are listed. Click Start Queue to begin rendering and exporting the Batch list. Your progress is tracked by the yellow bar at the bottom of the Media Encoder Window.

Once complete, check the desktop for both exported videos and play them back. 

If you are happy with the results, go back and reset the work area to match the full sequence and export all the media. This way a lot of time can be saved by avoiding the wrong settings. Try some other settings for yourself, using the same workflow.