Multiple video encoding loss

Question

It's easier to explain my question using an example. Imagine you filmed a few short videos and want to combine them together in a sequence (probably with transitions and etc.). However, for some of this videos you also want to apply some video stabilization, color corrections and so on. So, first you edit these videos one-by-one to apply some stabilization/corrections and render them (first encoding). Then you use these edited videos to make a sequence and render a resulting clip (second encoding).

Since most video encoding formats are lossy, it seems very inefficient to basically double-encode videos, so I'm wondering if there is any common approach for this issue (apart from using lossless compression formats).

Answer 1

If you must encode at each step, use a lossless codec, or at least at a high bit rate and bit depth. But it's unusual and inefficient to perform intermediate encodings. A decent NLE will let you apply the needed transforms on separate segments or layers and only encode as a final step.

And note that rendering doesn't imply encoding in the final format. It may mean only performing some actions in the internal NLE format. If your layers can't be played out for preview because of hardware limitations, a render may permit that. But it doesn't commit you. You would still encode using the original elements in a final render.