Workflow Tips - After Effects

[Static]

Hey guys

I would like to hear your opinion about the following post-production process.

At the moment I edit my Footage like this:

RAW -> DNG's
DNG's -> Adobe Camera Raw (AE) -> Export Lagarith losless -> edit in Premiere Pro -> h.264

Now I asked myself - I usually correct my footage in ACR and set the contrast (in ACR) to minimum, to create a flat picture profile.
Then I work with adjustment layers for grading and so on. I create some contrast with the first adjustment layer, and thats exactly the point where you guys come in.

Does it really makes sence to set the contrast down in ACR and then bring it back in After Effects ? Or should I create some contrast in ACR ?


Thank you for youre help! 

[chmee]

its dangerous to lower the latitude (flatening) and bitdepth (8bit). you risk some heavy banding. are you on mac or win? do you really need acr? why dont you use rawmagic(mac) or raw2cdng(win) to get straight into premiere?

[Static]

Okay so I should add contrast in ACR ?

Now to put the DNG's directly into Premiere sounds exciting. I always tought only AE (on Windows) can put the DNG's sequences together - not Premiere.

Nevertheless After Effects is the "better" program to grade your shots (for example color finesse with all the scopes).


I would be happy about more opinions

[Rewind]

...for example color finesse with all the scopes.

Btw, you can use SA Color Finesse in Premiere Pro too.

However, ACR is still preferable way of interpreting raw files if you concerned in detail quality (based on my own experience and experiments) With ACR I can get perceptible better results compared to direct import cdng's into Premiere (debayering, highlights treatment, high frequency color detail)
Also, ACR has advanced bad pixel removal algorithms, which allows the users of 650D, EOS-M and similar automatically deal with focusing pixels in overexposed areas, which makes it arguably the only tool for initial raw processing for now (for those users)

[chmee]

in about 6 days adobe will give us a new update - hope, it will be better. but, imho the quality in premiere is good enough, acr cant hide lack of content by now its a choice of workflow and time you wanna spend. i prefer less time in editing and more on other things. honestly saying, i did the last shortfilm more than 10 years ago, so i'm no benchmark