To import an animation as an image sequence in Premiere Pro, you select the first frame file and enable the 'Image Sequence' option during import. This tells Premiere Pro to treat the series of numbered image files as a single video clip.
Understanding Image Sequences
Animations or VFX renders are often exported as a series of still image files, where each file represents a single frame of the animation (e.g., animation_0001.png, animation_0002.png, animation_0003.png, and so on). This collection of images is called an image sequence.
Importing an image sequence allows Premiere Pro to interpret these individual frames as a continuous video clip, making it easy to edit them on your timeline.
Step-by-Step Guide to Importing an Image Sequence
Follow these simple steps to bring your animation frames into Premiere Pro:
- Navigate to the directory containing your image sequence.
- Select the file of the first frame of your sequence (e.g., the file ending in
_0001,_00001, etc.). Ensure all files in the sequence are correctly numbered and in the same folder. - Once the first frame is selected, look for import options in the dialog box. Click the Options button in the lower left of the import window.
- In the options, find and click the Image Sequence box to enable this feature. This tells Premiere Pro to look for subsequent numbered frames in the same folder.
- Finally, click Import. Premiere Pro will then import the entire sequence as a single video clip into your Project panel.
Reference Source: Select file of the first frame. Click the Options button in the lower left. Click the Image Sequence box. Click Import. 12-Feb-2018
Why Use Image Sequences?
Importing animation frames as an image sequence is a standard practice because:
- Flexibility: You can easily adjust the frame rate of the sequence after importing it into Premiere Pro if needed.
- Reliability: If a single frame file is corrupt, it often affects only that frame rather than the entire video file, which can happen with compressed video codecs.
- Quality: Image sequences often use lossless or minimally compressed formats (like PNG, TGA, TIFF), preserving image quality.
Important Considerations
- File Naming: Your image files must have a consistent naming convention with sequential numbering at the end (e.g.,
myanimation_001.png,myanimation_002.png,myanimation_003.png). Premiere Pro relies on this pattern to identify the sequence. - File Format: Common formats for image sequences include PNG, JPG, TIFF, TGA, EXR, etc. Ensure the format is supported by Premiere Pro.
- Location: Keep all frames of a single sequence in the same folder for easy import.
By following these steps, you can effectively import your animation frames as a cohesive image sequence into Premiere Pro, ready for editing.
