Footage Export

Exports List  |  Node Inputs  |  Export Data  |  Export Parameters  |  Display  |  Media Export Parameters  |  Export Preferences

The Footage Export node can be used to export modified media clips, image-based representations of masks (as generated by the Roto or Keyer nodes), z-depth data generated by the Z-Depth Solver or optical flow data generated by the Optical Flow node.

Multiple exports can be created and managed in a single Footage Export node if desired, each exporting different data in a different format. The Footage Export node is divided into five separate sections:

(1): The Exports List

(2): The Node Inputs

(3): The Export Data

(4): The Export Parameters

(5): The Display options

Exports List

The Footage Export node can export the data in the tracking tree in multiple formats. Each export is shown in the Exports List:

A single export will be generated automatically when the Footage Export Node is created, but additional exports can be added by clicking the button.

An export can be renamed by double-clicking on its name with the left mouse button and entering a new name. By default the folder generated by the export will match the export name, but this can be overridden by editing the export parameters.

To delete an export, select it in the list by clicking with the left mouse button and then click the button.

Clicking the button will export all data in the Exports List.

Node Inputs

By default, data from all upstream nodes connected to the Footage Export node will be exported. To ignore data from specific node inputs, the tick-boxes in the Inputs List can be used to turn the data off.

Export Data

The Export Data panel covers several sections, each containing export information for a different type of data.

Footage

The Footage panel displays the name, node input, export format, and path for each footage clip to be exported. Individual clips can be included or excluded from the export by ticking or un-ticking the box next to the clip name.

To rename a clip for export, double-click in the Clip Name column and enter a new name.

By default, footage clips are saved in the clips folder at the export location.

To change the format or path of the exported files, select one or more clips in the list by clicking with the left mouse button and then click the button. This displays a popup window where options can be set to change the clip filename and format.

Further details of media export parameters are available in the Media Export Parameters section.

Masks

The masks panel displays the name, node input, export format, and path for each mask clip to be exported. Individual mask clips can be included or excluded from the export by ticking or un-ticking the box next to the mask name.

To rename a mask for export, double-click in the Clip Name column and enter a new name.

By default, masks are saved in the masks folder at the export location.

To change the format or path of the exported files, select one or more clips in the list by clicking with the left mouse button and then click the button. This displays a popup window where options can be set to change the clip filename and format.

Further details of media export parameters are available in the Media Export Parameters section.

To export masks generated by the Roto or Keyer nodes used upstream, the mask node must be attached directly to the Footage Export node, as shown here:

Z-Depth

The Z-Depth panel displays the name, node input, export format, and path for each z-depth clip to be exported. Individual z-depth clips can be included or excluded from the export by ticking or un-ticking the box next to the clip name.

To rename a clip for export, double-click in the Clip Name column and enter a new name.

By default, clips are saved in the zdepth folder at the export location.

To change the format or path of the exported files, select one or more clips in the list by clicking with the left mouse button and then click the button. This displays a popup window where options can be set to change the clip filename and format.

Further details of media export parameters are available in the Media Export Parameters section.

Optical Flow

The Optical Flow panel displays the name, node input, export format, and path for each optical flow clip to be exported. Individual clips can be included or excluded from the export by ticking or un-ticking the box next to the clip name.

To rename a clip for export, double-click in the Clip Name column and enter a new name.

By default, clips are saved in the opticalflow folder at the export location.

To change the format or path of the exported files, select one or more clips in the list by clicking with the left mouse button and then click the button. This displays a popup window where options can be set to change the clip filename and format.

Further details of media export parameters are available in the Media Export Parameters section.

Export Parameters

The Export Parameters are used to define the location at which all export data will be saved.

By default, each export will be saved in the export folder inside the project, and the name of the exported file will match the name specified in the Exports List.

To override these values, click the button. This will enable editing of the Export path. Clicking the button will display a file browser where the path can be located.

Before exporting, the overall scale of the scene can also be adjusted using the Scale edit box if required. This will affect any z-depth data that is exported, either as unnormalised distances from the camera, or as a 3D geometric object.

A frame offset can also be applied before exporting to adjust frame number if desired.

Display

These options are available to adjust what is displayed in the Cinema and Viewer windows. They do not affect what is being exported.

Viewer proxy: This menu can be used to adjust the resolution at which z-depth data is displayed in the Viewer window. Reducing this from Full to Half, Third or Quarter can speed up display of high resolution depth maps if required.

Transparency: This option controls the transparency of grey-scale z-depth data in the Cinema window.

Grey-scale gamma: This value can be used to adjust the gamma ramp to display grey-scale z-depth data in the Cinema window (default value is 1.0).

Show depth map: When enabled, z-depth data will be displayed in the Cinema and Viewer windows.

Show optical flow: When enabled, optical flow data will be displayed in the Cinema window.

Show ground: When enabled, the ground plane will be displayed.

Show horizon: When enabled, the horizon line will be displayed.

Media Export Parameters

The format and export path of media files can be changed by clicking the button. This will display a popup window where media parameters can be adjusted:

File

Path: The path for clip export. This defaults a location inside the export folder names appropriately for the media type: ./clips for footage clips, ./masks for masks, ./zdepth for z-depth clips, or ./opticalflow for optical flow clips. Clicking the will open a file browser where an alternate location can be specified if desired.

Template: The template string used to create the exported files. This defaults to %c.%e which corresponds to the clip name, followed by a period and the file format extension (such as dpx or tif).

Variables which can be used for format substitution are:

- %f - Export Format name

- %c - Clip filename

- %n - Clip name

- %e - File type extension

- %d - Original source material folder

- %u - Unique export number (auto-increments on each export)

- %i - Clip in point

- %o - Clip out point

Padding: The number of digits to use to represent frame numbers when constructing clip filenames. Ticking the Source option will use the same padding as the original source clip.

File Format

Pass Through: When enabled, the file format for the exported clip will be the same as the original source clip.

Format: The file format for clip export. Note that not all file formats are available on all platforms.

Bit Depth: The bit depth of the exported file, If a file format supports multiple bit depths. By default, the bit depth will be the same as the original source clip.

Exporting Quicktime files on macOS

When exporting Quicktime files on macOS, the following additional options are available:

Codec: The codec to be selected used to encode the image, when quicktime (MOV) is chosen as the clip format.

Quality: The quality of encoded image data, when quicktime (MOV) is chosen as the clip format. Note that this is only available for certain codecs.

Please note that whilst PFTrack is able to read Quicktime files, not all Quicktime codecs are currently available for export. Further details on Quicktime support on macOS are available in the Quicktime section.

Exporting Media Foundation files on Windows

When exporting Media Foundation files on Windows, the following additional options are available:

Bit Rate: This controls the bit-rate of the exported movie file, measured in MB/s. It defaults to the bit-rate available in the input media, but can be adjusted here if desired.

Exporting Z-Depth Data

Z-Depth data can be exported in a variety of formats, including image-based OpenEXR files, or 3D objects in the Alias|Wavefront OBJ, Autodesk FBX or Alembic file formats. Additional options related to these files are available:

Near/far planes: These values specify the near and far camera planes used when exporting data.

EXR Bit-Depth: This menu defines the floating-point bit-depth used when exporting OpenEXR images.

Normalize: When this option is enabled, z-depth values will be normalized to the range [0..1] representing the distance between the near and far planes.

Invert: When exporting normalized z-depth data, this option can be used to invert the black/white colour gradient used to represent normalized z-depth values.

Coordinate system: When exporting in Alias|Wavefront OBJ format, these menus can be used to select between left and right handed coordinate system, with either Y or Z as the up direction.

Exporting Optical Flow Data

Optical flow data can be exported in the OpenEXR format:

The channels in which optical flow data is stored can be specified as follows:

- OpenEXR RGB image, which will export a floating-point image sequence where the horizontal and vertical flow values are stored in the RED and GREEN channels, and the BLUE channel encodes pixel occlusion. Either the forward or backward flow field can be selected for export.

- OpenEXR UV image, which will export a floating-point image sequence where the horizontal and vertical flow values are stored in the U and V channels. Either the forward or backward flow field will be exported. Either the forward or backward flow field can be selected for export.

- OpenEXR RGB+UV image, which will export a floating-point image sequence where the original pixel colours are stored in the RED, GREEN and BLUE channels, and the horizontal and vertical flow values are stored in the U and V channels. Either the forward or backward flow field can be selected for export.

- OpenEXR motion image, which will export a floating-point image sequence where both the forwards and backwards flow field are stored in the FORWARD.U, FORWARD.V, BACKWARD.U and BACKWARD.V channels;

- OpenEXR RGB+motion image, which will export a floating-point image sequence where the original pixel colours are stored in the RED, GREEN and BLUE channels, and both the forwards and backwards flow field are stored in the FORWARD.U, FORWARD.V, BACKWARD.U and BACKWARD.V channels;

Export Preferences

The default location where exports are saved can be adjusted in the Preferences window, along with the default media clip format, Quicktime codec and other options.

The default export folder is set to project:/export which corresponds to a folder called export located inside the project folder.

Default Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts can be customised in the Preferences.

Export All	Shift+E
Show Depth Map	Ctrl+D
Show Optical Flow	Ctrl+F
Show Ground	Ctrl+G
Show Horizon	Ctrl+H