Convert ARRIRAW, ARRICORE and ARRI MXF to ProRes or EXR on a Mac
6 min read · Checked against Sequency 1.3 · Updated
Short answer
Import the ARRI MXF clip or folder of .ari or .arx frames into Sequency. In the ARRI SDK card, choose Native Parity with a Render Target for viewable files, or Scene Linear / ACES for EXR plates, then pick ProRes, H.264 or OpenEXR and export. Decoding uses the ARRI Image SDK 9.0.1.
Steps
- 1
Import the media
Click Import… (⌘I) and choose an ARRI .mxf clip, or a folder of .ari or .arx frames. Sequency reads the camera metadata, including exposure index and white balance, through the ARRI Image SDK.
- 2
Choose a Decode Intent
Open the ARRI SDK card. Native Parity renders with ARRI's processing to the Render Target you choose, such as the embedded camera look, the source log encoding or Rec.709. Scene Linear / ACES produces linear ACES data for compositing.
- 3
Speed up proxies (optional)
Set Proxy Mode to Half Resolution or Quarter Resolution to decode faster when you only need offline or review files.
- 4
Adjust EI and white balance (optional)
Override exposure index, Kelvin and Tint in the same card. They are applied by the SDK during decode.
- 5
Pick the output and export
Choose ProRes or H.264 for viewable files, or Image Sequence → OpenEXR for plates, then click Export Selected… (⌘E) or Add to Queue.
Recommended settings
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dailies with the DP's look | Native Parity, embedded / camera look | Uses the look the camera recorded. |
| Editorial proxies | Native Parity, Rec.709, Proxy Mode Half | Fast, light, viewable. |
| Log for grading | Native Parity, source log target | Keeps LogC for a later grade. |
| VFX plates | Scene Linear / ACES → OpenEXR | Linear float data for comp. |
What ARRI media Sequency reads
ARRIRAW and ARRICORE in MXF from ALEXA 35 and later cameras, ARRIRAW HDE, and numbered .ari and .arx frame sequences. ProRes recorded by ARRI cameras also opens through macOS's own decoders.
Why Native Parity
Native Parity asks the ARRI Image SDK to produce the image ARRI's own tools would produce for that target. That keeps dailies consistent with what the DIT and the camera monitor showed.
Questions
- Which ALEXA cameras are supported?
- Anything the bundled ARRI Image SDK 9.0.1 decodes, including ALEXA 35 ARRIRAW and ARRICORE. Numbered .ari ARRIRAW frame sequences from earlier ALEXA cameras are read too.
- Can I get LogC out for grading?
- Yes. Use Native Parity with the source log render target and write ProRes 4444 or an image sequence.