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FCPX - Proxy workflow + bg render files?

D

dkouts

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 20, 2009
31
0
Hi all - been watching the FCPX saga from the sidelines.

Watching tute videos and reading forums etc while waiting for the next Mac Pro and while it looks like FCPX is exactly what Im after, I have some questions...


I shoot mostly AVCHD and dont want to fill up my hard drives with ProRes.
Does the automated 'proxy' on ingest create smaller files than AVCHD to work with? And come export time, will FCPX automatically swap out the proxies for the original .mts files?

By the way - how is AVCHD to edit on the new iMacs, smoothness wise?


Also - all those little automated background render files that are created every time an effect setting is changed or a transition tweaked - are those disposed of or so they sit on the hard drive taking up space too?

Can they be manually deleted as part of archiving or something?
(And the proxies too?)

Thanks
 
B

berndkiltz

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2010
47
2
Pfalz, Germany
Hi, I've been using FCPX for some projects now -

1) To work with proxy is the best thing to do. Workflow ist really great, and the quality is ok.
2) It does NOT automaticly go to the mts files on export, you have to press CMD , to switch to "original Files" and it takes some time to render then. But then it uses only the Avchd files.
3) It will render in Apple ProRes 422 - which are big files. But you can delete the render files when you are done with project. or better:
Use the "duplicate project" to copy everything to your backup drive and chose "don't include render files".

I personally think that FCPX is a great (...little buggy) Programm, and for what I do it is much faster than FCP7 or Premiere Pro. Get the Video tutorial from Larry Jordon - its awesome.
 
acearchie

acearchie

macrumors 68040
Jan 15, 2006
3,264
104
berndkiltz said:
3) It will render in Apple ProRes 422 - which are big files. But you can delete the render files when you are done with project. or better:
Use the "duplicate project" to copy everything to your backup drive and chose "don't include render files".
Click to expand...

Surely won't it final render out the project in what ever format you have selected from the share menu?

Thanks for the tip though, I saw a lot of people getting confused with the Proxy files.

On a side note, to the OP, I don't see why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist with ProRes. Hard drive space is cheap and it will make for a much easier editing experience. How much are you planning on filming? I only have a 1TB capture scratch and that allows to me to easily work on several big projects at once at the full quality that it will be exported at.
 
B

berndkiltz

macrumors member
Oct 6, 2010
47
2
Pfalz, Germany
I Thought so (it would render in max Quality) but it doesnt. Double checked that. It uses the proxy Files, unless you set the preferences to "Use Original or Optimized Media". Kind of sucks, but that's the way it works.
 
martinX

martinX

macrumors 6502a
Aug 11, 2009
928
162
Australia
I watched a Phillip Hodgetts presentation and it seems to me that if you check the "proxy files" checkbox (somewhere there in all that), FCPX will create ProRes and ProRes Proxy files at the same time. You can then use the proxy files or the full Pro Res files. This would be useful if you were editing on a lower spec machine for the simple cuts and then moving the project to a better Mac for finishing.

There doesn't seem to be a way of starting off with proxy files and then creating final output by telling FCP X to go directly from source files (say, AVCHD) and create the final output in full ProRes. I know what you mean and I know whey you want to do it because it's exactly what I want to do too.
 
M

mBox

macrumors 68020
Jun 26, 2002
2,357
84
acearchie said:
On a side note, to the OP, I don't see why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist with ProRes. Hard drive space is cheap and it will make for a much easier editing experience.
Click to expand...
Currently working with ProRes 4444 from R3D exports. Yes these files are huge but again hard-drives are so cheap now.
 
M

mBox

macrumors 68020
Jun 26, 2002
2,357
84
martinX said:
Oh, now, that's just showing off!
Click to expand...
Nope its my @$$ on the line if I dont get this workflow going.
I went ahead and purchased FCPX without the usual corporate way.
And that is to wait a few months before buying anything new.
Sure its 300 bucks but its still a purchase no different than buying a 20 dollar plug-in. Gotta justify all costs here :p
Anyhoo the test is to do all initial on a Mac Pro then hand off the whole project to other editors to work on anything from Mac Pro to MacBook Pro.
today is day two with tests.
I havent even got around to using the Proxies yet.
Ive been checking all options off so I dont have any weird files hangin around after I move the project.
 
martinX

martinX

macrumors 6502a
Aug 11, 2009
928
162
Australia
I see. On the Hodgetts tutorial he mentioned that projects can be picked up and moved easily in fcpx. From what I recall Randy made it just like I wanted: every single file associated with a project is in one folder. Hopefully it does work as well as I think it does.
 
M

mBox

macrumors 68020
Jun 26, 2002
2,357
84
martinX said:
I see. On the Hodgetts tutorial he mentioned that projects can be picked up and moved easily in fcpx. From what I recall Randy made it just like I wanted: every single file associated with a project is in one folder. Hopefully it does work as well as I think it does.
Click to expand...
There are a few tutorials out there on this subject.
I havent tried any of them just getting it done my way till I break something.
On my home system I did manage to lose a GoPro project somehow.
Not worried since I know where the original footage resides but still wondering what I did wrong that time.
I cant do that at work :p
 
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