Automatically combined separate AVCHD video files into one

[hayleyt34935229]

I imported 6 video files from a continuous recording (broken apart for file size reasons) and PremierPro recognized it as one long video and imported to the timeline as such. I recently needed to make space on my SD card, so I transferred the 6 video files to my hard drive. The next time I opened up my project Premiere could only find the first of the 6 videos and the rest are covered in blue stripes in the timeline. So originally the program recognized my 6 video files as one continuous shot, but now it only recognizes the first of 6 videos. Is there a way to resync the rest of the video files with all of my previously made edits, or must I re-edit the rest of the 5 video files?

[R Neil Haugen]

You might have  a problem there. Many AVCHD files from cameras have an allied database file that says which video stream goes with which audio stream, and which pairs of files are actually one clip. Which is why for AVCHD one is supposed to copy the entire folder structure of the card onto a computer's internal drives, and work with it from there.

It sounds like you worked by 'importing' just from the camera card plugged into your computer, then later copied only the video files across? Did you copy the folder structure or not?

Neil

[hayleyt34935229]

Thank you for the response. If I ever need to clear up space again in the future I will copy the entire SD card and all the attached files to my computer hard drive.

[R Neil Haugen]

Glad to hear Mtd got you running again ... and yea, working with AVCHD can be a bit more complicated than say, mov or mp4. When I first got my GH3, as it had a vastly higher bits-per-second rating with AVCHD, I was expecting to use it a lot. But as with many others, I found that with a GH3 it actually recorded more noise in AVCHD than in either mov or mp4 formats. So even if the data-rate was higher, total program quality wasn't.

So I haven't shot much AVCHD since then, though I still process some every so often.

But noting the simpler workflow of the other formats, I haven't missed AVCHD. I do know several users who routinely run all their media through Prelude at ingestion, and with AVCHD, transcode to either Cineform or DNxHD/R so they have something that 1) holds all the original image quality 2) edits "like butter" and 3) has a simpler file structure on disc and for archiving.

Plenty of others work AVCHD every day of the week ... you just learn to deal with it.

Neil

[Meg The Dog · Accepted solution]

Import the six separate files.

Create a new, empty sequence. Drag the first clip of the set into the empty sequence, and when prompted to match the sequence settings to the properties of the clip, do so.

Now drag the remaining 5 clips into the timeline, in order. Verify the join points of the clips are seamless.

When done, export the sequence with Match Sequence Settings checked.

You've now created one continuous file made up off all the smaller sections.

Link the newly exported file to the missing clip in your project.

MtD

[hayleyt34935229]

Thank you so much! This worked perfectly and you explained it in a manner that was very easy to follow. You just saved me a couple hours worth of re-editing footage.

[Jim_Simon]

Step 2C will solve this.  (At least in the future.)

Premiere Pro Troubleshooting Guide