What you can import
Bring your files in as they are. You don’t need to convert or organize anything first, because Ponder sorts it for you.
RED (.r3d), ProRes RAW and camera RAW photos aren’t supported yet, so convert those to .mp4 or .mov before you import.
You can also bring in videos from the web. Paste a link from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Vimeo, Pinterest or pretty much any other video site, and Ponder downloads it. If a post has several videos, Ponder brings in up to 10 of them. Each video can be up to 1080p, 60 minutes and 2 GB, and playlists and channels won’t work.
Before you import
A few things make the rest of the project go smoother:- If you recorded audio separately, import it with the video so Ponder can sync the two.
- Bring in scripts, briefs, shot lists and storyboards along with your footage, and let them finish importing before you give Ponder its first instruction. That way it can use them when it plans.
- For reference videos, paste a link in the chat or import the file. See Matching a style.
- Screenshots and images can be pasted straight in. See Paste images.
- If your footage is on an external drive, keep it plugged in while Ponder works and while you export. Unplug it and those clips show as missing until you plug it back in.
- Proxies are saved on your computer, so make sure you have disk space. If you run out, imports fail. See Proxies, processing and storage.
- There’s no limit on how much you can import, but the more footage there is, the easier it is for Ponder to mix things up. On big jobs, point it at specific folders.
Log footage and camera profiles
If you shot in log, add your camera’s color profile before any creative look, so your grade starts from accurate color. Ponder has profiles built in for S-Log3 (S-Gamut3 and S-Gamut3.Cine), LogC3, LogC4 and V-Log. Using a different camera? Import its .cube file as the profile. You can pick the profile in the clip’s Color settings in the Inspector, or just tell Ponder:These clips are S-Log3, S-Gamut3.Cine.The camera profile always goes first, and any creative LUT or look you add sits on top of it. To add a creative LUT of your own, see Color, sound, titles and graphics.
High-frame-rate footage
Ponder can play high-frame-rate footage as slow motion. Set the file’s frame rate, or ask:Play these 60 fps clips at 23.976 as slow motion.Clips in a sync group keep their original frame rate. You can also slow any clip down by changing its speed. To see how slow-motion clips come through in each editing app, see What carries over to your editing app.