Replacing proxies with DNGs in After Effects - Is there a faster way?

[Frank7D]

I edit in PPRO using MPEG4 proxies (.mov) and then import the project into After Effects and replace footage with the DNG image sequences. This can be time-consuming (not to mention tedious) when doing it one by one (Ctrl+H).
Has anyone found an efficient way to do this for large numbers of footage items?

[DFM]

Unless you're doing very extreme grades, for 90% of projects you'll get visually the same quality by rendering your cDNGs into a 'lossless' mezzanine format (DNxHD 10-bit, Edius, ProRes HQ) then using those in Pr as online masters. No need to go back to the DNG frames at the end, especially if you're exporting to an 8-bit codec.

[Frank7D]

That's definitely a viable approach; thanks.
I don't think the delivery bit depth should be the determining factor though; adjustments made to the look before it's finally "baked in" still depend on the latitude allowed by the source files.

[DFM]

It's true that having more bits gives you more wiggle room, but realistically it's very unusual to push footage far enough to notice the difference between 10b and 14b if it's being delivered online. If you really need every last atom of data (starlight filming, B-cam footage for Avatar 2, etc) then stick to cDNG proxies and pay the price in time and effort. Remember that if you're transcoding in AE there's nothing to stop you from making quick and dirty corrections to WB and exposure in there, so your 10-bit mezz files only need gentle tweaking in Pr/Sg.

I know I've said this before, but there is no plan for Mercury Playback Engine to support the flavors of cDNG currently being created by the various translator apps. If ML files are created that match commercial versions (BMCC, etc) bit-for-bit, or a major hardware manufacturer starts saving cDNGs that coincidentally match the stuff from ML, then you'll get fluid real-time playback in Premiere CC. Until then you have to jump through some hoops. I shoot MLV all the time but we have to be honest - Adobe has a lot to lose by devoting time and money into supporting an unofficial "hack". If it happens by accident because of support for something else, s'all good.