Premiere Pro CC: A Better Way to Merge

Posted on August 10, 2013 by Larry

Premiere Pro CC: A Better Way to Merge

The following write-up was contributed by Greg Popp.

I just completed editing a 10 minute dramatic narrative in Premiere Pro CC. My source footage was transcoded 4K ProRes 422 files (from Canon 1 D-C 4K Motion Jpeg footage) merged with dual system audio within Premiere Pro (as everyone teaches, yourself included).

However, I’m not sure everyone realizes just how limiting merged clips are within Premiere.

No Replace Edit functionality.
No Match Frame. That’s right. Does not work.
Marker comments are NOT retained. As soon as you click on another clip, the marker comments are lost.
No out-of-sync indicators for either linked or unlinked clips. None.
No making subclips in the project panel (using the source monitor).

That, in my opinion, is a crippling list.

Here’s a better workflow with absolutely no downside. You do need the brilliant PluralEyes 3 from Red Giant.

First you copy your video and audio into separate folders on your external drive.
Next open PluralEyes 3 standalone. Two easy steps later and you’ve selected and placed all of your media in the timeline. One click and you’re synced up.
Next, click on “Export Timeline”, choose “Other” and “Media files”, and click “Copy Video” with audio replacing the original audio.
Create a new folder (say Synced Clips), and perfect duplicate files are created with the new audio.
Open Premiere Pro and import those files. No more problems.

I verified with Red Giant that the duplicate clips are exact copies. So once you create those, you could delete the original files to avoid double the storage requirements.

Making those files and importing into Premiere takes no longer than having to select each clip within Premiere and individually creating a merged clip.

Just thought I’d share this with you Larry, as you do SO much for all of us filmmakers.

– – –

Larry replies: Thanks, Greg!

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21 Responses to Premiere Pro CC: A Better Way to Merge

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Lamees says:

November 29, 2016 at 6:55 am

Good Day,

Just following about this issue.

I’m currently assistant editing in Premiere pro 10.3 and I am new to assisting in Premiere (I’m an Avid Fan 🙂 )

I have an issue with the merged clips as well. I was supplied Apple Pro Res LT with synced up audio but they were a few frames out in some of the shots, so I have to redo them myself.

The issue I am having is that I place my In point where the board is on the video and the sound of the clapper in the audio. I am quite familiar with syncing, so I rarely mess it up.

I notice that once merged. the audio is a few frames out, and inconsistently so.
Is there another way I can sync my audio in Premiere?

Reply
- Larry says:
  
  November 29, 2016 at 8:37 am
  
  Lamees:
  
  Merging clips is the preferred way to sync clips – though you can easily edit them unsynced, you just need to be very careful when moving them.
  
  If merging isn’t working, I suggest contacting Adobe Support.
  
  Larry
  
  Reply
Ben says:

June 10, 2017 at 3:35 pm

What happens when you have turn your audio over to post? Are original sound files names saved? If not, post sound is not going to be happy.

Thanks

Reply
- Larry says:
  
  June 10, 2017 at 4:50 pm
  
  Ben:
  
  Not to worry.
  
  Merging affects how clips are linked inside Premiere. It does not change the actual media files or their names.
  
  Larry
  
  Reply
  - BEn says:
    
    July 12, 2017 at 12:48 pm
    
    Thanks for getting back right away. I was confused (my fault) to which article I was responding to. I thought I was responding to Greg Popp’s article using PluralEyes to prevent the limitations with Merged Clips. I was curious whether or not PluralEyes retains the original sound file names when it’s time to create EDLs for post sound? I know the OMF route is a possible delivery solutions if file names are lost but it has it’s limitations.
    
    The main issue I’m scouring the internet for and leaving bread crumbs along the way is a bug I’ve expereinecd with Merged Clips, specifically with markers. Markers on Merged Clips render them selves “globally” un-searchable, meaning when I search in the “Filter Bin Content” it ignores Merged Clips. You can click on a Merged Clip and search markers within it but you can’t type in a key word in hopes of populating all the clips in your project that contain that key word. I’ve gone through all the trials of of writing and not-writing xml data to the original file but that didn’t solve anything. The only way global search works is if the markers are on the original imported media but that doesn’t solve any problems.
    
    Thanks for what you do, Larry.
    
    Reply
    - Larry says:
      
      July 12, 2017 at 12:55 pm
      
      Ben:
      
      Great question and I don’t have an answer. Perhaps another reader will suggest one. You might also contact Support at Red Giant, who publishes PluralEyes to see if they have any ideas.
      
      Larry
      
      Reply
      - Ben says:
        
        July 12, 2017 at 3:42 pm
        
        Thanks. Will do.
Wesley Claggett says:

December 19, 2017 at 1:28 pm

Here is a super problem that you haven’t noticed or someone would have said something.

When using plural eyes 3 or any other version of plural eye (if editing with R3D files) before the sync you have the option to edit the RAW video clip, once you sync, that option does away and now you are forced to color and edit the look of what is synced. very very poor decision in my opinion. they need to fix that asap!!!!

Reply
- Larry says:
  
  December 19, 2017 at 1:32 pm
  
  Wesley:
  
  Do you see this as a Red Giant/PluralEyes problem, or a Premiere problem? I’m happy to send your comments to the appropriate developer.
  
  Larry
  
  Reply