Premiere CS6 -Unknown Error Compiling- in Export, Rendering and Project Trimming

[nima]

Hello,
this is an ongoing problem that persisted on any version of Adobe Premiere Pro I worked with, including CS5,5.5 and the latest 6.
I am stuck with a feature film on a CS6 Timeline, getting an Unkown Error during rendering and Media Encoder exports.
I get the same error if I attampt to create a new trimmed project with Project Manager.

I tried everithing I could:

- Replace the media at the point of the error/crash (even though the error seems to happen randomly in dirrerent portions of the timeline)
- Disable MPE
- Reset Secutity and permission on files
- change hard drive
- Create a new sequence
- Disable second monitor

I have to bring an export of my film and a new trimmed project by tomorrow to a color house and I am currently stuck.

I managed to render the entire timeline before exporting. Redering would stop randomly, generating the same "Unkown Error in Copiling Movie".
Although I rendered the entire timeline by creating different IN-OUT with the work area selection.
After a long and tetious rendering process I managed to have the entire timeline "green" and ready to go.
I figured that this way the exporting process would have been successful. Unfortunatelly not.

I switched to Premiere Pro for its ability to edit R3D media, but what's the point if we cannot export the project? And neither trimm it to a file that I can give to a colorist?

Here some details of my workstation and source media:

- MacPro 12cores 64Gb ram
- Internal 6Tb raid for source media
- 4Tb Dulce Scratch drive
- Editing 4K and 5K R3D Media natively

If anyone found a solution to this problem, please help.
Thanks

 

[Mike Harrington]

Have you tried not using media encoder...just rendering from PPro? As in not queing it?

Also the first thing to try with PPro errors like that is....open a new project...not sequence...and import the sequence from the old project. That solve about 85% of mystery problems in adobe

 

[nima]

Also the first thing to try with PPro errors like that is....open a new project...not sequence...and import the sequence from the old project. That solve about 85% of mystery problems in adobe

Thanks Mike, I'm gonna try this in a minute!

 

[Mike Harrington]

you may have already found this link...

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4661398

A corrupt piece of media could also be the culprit...but can still play back fine...mixed codecs ect can sometimes cause this

Another option is to dynamic link the whole shebang to AE and render out of there...as it is a completely different render engine. Some fades ect ect will not make the transition though....

And remember a straight render is different then media encoder in some ways...

another thing to try is export the project as a FC XML and import that XML into a new project....

good luck

 

[Mike Harrington]

if the render crashes in the same spot...it is likely the underlying media at that point....

I think that is every trick I know....

List your codecs/formats as well...there are other more specific things that it could be

 

[nima]

you may have already found this link...

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4661398

A corrupt piece of media could also be the culprit...but can still play back fine...mixed codecs ect can sometimes cause this

Another option is to dynamic link the whole shebang to AE and render out of there...as it is a completely different render engine. Some fades ect ect will not make the transition though....

And remember a straight render is different then media encoder in some ways...

another thing to try is export the project as a FC XML and import that XML into a new project....

good luck

Thanks for looking into this. Yes, I found that post few hours ago and tried every option, but no luck.
I also, as you suggested, opened a new project and imported the old sequence. After I started the export I got an error at the very beginning.. damn it.
I don't think there is any corrupted media in the timeline. I have checked carefully every file, any possible gap, removed effects, no mp3 audio tracks...
I am gonna try to dynamic link on AE.
When you said that I almost started to smile again.
I'll work on this option and I will post results tomorrow. It appears that many PPro users are having the same problem with different type of media source.

 

[nima]

if the render crashes in the same spot...it is likely the underlying media at that point....

I think that is every trick I know....

List your codecs/formats as well...there are other more specific things that it could be

Unfortunately the error appears randomly.
At some point I though it could have been a REDimportserver problem, but I'm using CS6.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I have a mixed timeline with 4K, 5K and 2K 120fps media. All RED native media 2:1 scaled to frame size.
I tried to export different codec, from H264 1080HD 24p to simple NTSC 24p and few other combinations. It looks like it doesn't matter what codec I use to export.

 

[Mike Harrington]

You have manually installed the import server and plugins right?
Cs6 doesn't fix this...as a matter of fact every upgrade overwrites them and you have to re install the import server and plugins with the ones from adobe labs

 

[nima]

Yes, I updated the last import server not so long ago.
It should be the latest one.
Before reinstalling the import server I will try to send everything to AE. The last time I updated the red import server all the media went offline (and gave me problem when I tried to relink). In the end I had to go back to the previous import server to fix the problem.

I will try al the options we discussed tomorrow morning.
Thanks Mike

 

[Mark Pavy]

I've lost count of how many times Media Encoder has caused me problems. Interestingly I've never ever had After Effects crash/lock during export!

Agree with all of Mike's tips. The other thing that I seem to remember fixed a problem export from Premiere was to clear the cache, you'll probably lose that green rendered bar, however it's not necessary for export.

 

[Mike Harrington]

Yup the green is only for tape output....
As a matter of fact....if you are having problems you should disable 'use previews' in the render output settings

The new import server is critical however....if your media went offline when you updated it, you should update then reimport the sequence into a new project.....
Just make sure that import server is the latest if you are using epic footage....or I 100% guarantee problems
Good luck

 

[Elsie N]

I've had this problem before and IIRC, I went back and realized I had mixed 5k and 4k or 3k footage but had not scaled everything to fit the timeline setting. I subsequently scaled everything to uniformity. I seem to remember that AME worked after that.

 

[nima]

I posted this issue on the Adobe Premiere Pro forum as well, in order to have an opinion from Adobe users or Adobe itself.

At my the question "How can I fix the Unkown Error problem in Exporting?"
Adobe replied: "Why do you need to output?"

Wonderful

http://forums.adobe.com/message/5071340#5071340

 

[nima]

I've had this problem before and IIRC, I went back and realized I had mixed 5k and 4k or 3k footage but had not scaled everything to fit the timeline setting. I subsequently scaled everything to uniformity. I seem to remember that AME worked after that.

Thanks Elsie. My footage was all scaled to frame size, and considering the random nature of this problem I don't think it is actually related to any clip in particular.

I finally found 3 temporary solutions for this problem:

1- Mike idea of using AE instead of PPro worked perfectly. Thanks Mike. After Effects managed the output without errors.

2- With the timeline fully rendered I could export with Media Encoder by "matching sequence settings". By default it will generate an mpeg file that is good enough if you need to preview the cut on a TV or simply pass it around

3- Export XML and load everything into FCP and output from there. No Errors.

Of course this does not solve the PPro problem, but at list I could have few exports ready without loosing my mind.

 

[Mike Harrington]

PPRO is no magic bullet...
its good but it has its issues like everything else...

I just wish there error messages were more descriptive....then at least you could identify the problem.

 

[Kevin Monahan]

I posted this issue on the Adobe Premiere Pro forum as well, in order to have an opinion from Adobe users or Adobe itself.

At my the question "How can I fix the Unkown Error problem in Exporting?"
Adobe replied: "Why do you need to output?"

Wonderful

http://forums.adobe.com/message/5071340#5071340

To be fair, my reply was in reference to your request for color correction, where only an EDL is really needed. You didn't mention any other outputs that were needed at that time. Of course you'd need an output for other reference needs.

Just a little miscommunication is all.

 

[Joel Arvidsson]

I get the famous compiling error sometimes and with the 2014 version its really hard to get something exported. Anybody else experience this? It does not crash rendering on the same spot. So its random.

 

[Stephen Matthews]

I was getting it but found out it was my GPU acceleration not working, unchecked it and everything was fine plus 6 times longer renders WOOOO!

I'm on the phone with support now I think it may be caused by me opening an old CC project in 2014, but it's been an hour and the tech is asking what camera I shot the R3D's? on.... gonna be a long day.

 

[Joel Arvidsson]

I did also convert a project from previos version. Hopefully its only then it gives problems.

Haha last time I talked to Adobe It took about an hour for them to write down my email. I kid you not. A few days later another represent called me up that actually did understand. But he could only confirm that he also got the same stutter playback on 3k. It is still kind of funny you can playback 5k with easy but not 3k. I have not tried 3k with gpu debayer thoe. Sorry for this little spin off.

 

[Stephen Matthews]

Might be cancelling CC subscription, if changes aren't made and soon. Turns out my gtx 560m is no longer supported even though it still works with gpu acceleration on CC it's won't on 2014. So I either get updated colour science and new features 1/4 res playback with crazy long render times(gpu acceleration works for playback but not render or export, I get the unknown error if I try), or fast renders with old colour science, less features and 1/8 res playback. Rather disappointed that an update makes my workflow slower rather than faster. Their solution buy a new graphics card... thanks really helpful.

I'm in the process of getting a desktop anyway but I would still want my laptop to be able to work on files on the go when I'm on site or traveling.