AVCHD & ProRes 422 Help

[scouser75]

Hi guys,

I need a bit of advice please.

I'm currently working on a big project using AVCHD files. I'm using Log & transfer to bring these files into FCP 7. Each AVCHD file consists of approx 30GB of footage and there are 13 files! This results in 390GB of footage being ingested.

The problem is, I also have the original AVCHD files on my HD so in total I have 780GB for just this one project and my HD is only 1TB.

Is there a way to make the ingested ProRes file size smaller and then at a latter time increase the quality of the final edited footage?

I know I can delete the original AVCHD files once ingested as I do have a backup of them elsewhere. But I also have other projects on my HD.

Right now I really don't fancy buying another HD.

 

[spinnerlys]

You can use proxy files at a lower resolution and than relink the finished sequence with higher resolution media you may have to import again from the source medium.

Look into the manual or help file of FCP to gain further knowledge.
http://documentation.apple.com/en/f...ws/index.html#chapter=10&section=2&tasks=true

Also why do you have your footage doubled?

The source files take 30GB of HDD space, the converted footage 390GB, but why is there another 390GB?

 

[Erendiox]

Like spinnerlys said, you should ingest your footage first in Prores (proxy), which takes up a fraction of the space in comparison to Prores 422. After you're done editing, just delete your proxy files and reingest the footage in Prores 422 for a final export.

 

[danimal99]

You could also try ClipWrap, which lets you use the original files without any conversion at all. I've only ever tried the demo which I think limited the clips to a minute, but it worked. Was a little crunchy on my 13" MacBook Pro, but not terrible. You might get impatient if you're used to how smooth FCP is with transcoded footage, though.

http://clipwrap.com/

 

[scouser75]

You can use proxy files at a lower resolution and than relink the finished sequence with higher resolution media you may have to import again from the source medium.

Look into the manual or help file of FCP to gain further knowledge.
http://documentation.apple.com/en/f...ws/index.html#chapter=10&section=2&tasks=true

Also why do you have your footage doubled?

The source files take 30GB of HDD space, the converted footage 390GB, but why is there another 390GB?

Thanks for the link mate :thumb: I'll look at it tomorrow.

As for the 390GB twice - I had to transfer my clients files onto my internal HD from his external HD. Since transferring these, once I'd converted the files to ProRes I went and deleted the original AVCHD files. But I still have his external HD for re-ingesting.

It's my first time working with AVCHD and I went about it in a very unprofessional manner

 

[scouser75]

Like spinnerlys said, you should ingest your footage first in Prores (proxy), which takes up a fraction of the space in comparison to Prores 422. After you're done editing, just delete your proxy files and reingest the footage in Prores 422 for a final export.

Thanks mate for the help :thumb:

I'm now ingesting in proxy mode

Now, once I've edited in proxy, I'm assuming I will only need to ingest the clips which have been edited?

If so, again assuming, FCP will ingest according to the original AVCHD timecode, right???

How would I re-ingest in ProRes 422?

 

[scouser75]

You could also try ClipWrap, which lets you use the original files without any conversion at all. I've only ever tried the demo which I think limited the clips to a minute, but it worked. Was a little crunchy on my 13" MacBook Pro, but not terrible. You might get impatient if you're used to how smooth FCP is with transcoded footage, though.

http://clipwrap.com/

Thanks danimal. I've looked at a few of these types of software and none of them were up to scratch. Even the ones I had to pay a fair bit for

 

[Erendiox]

Now, once I've edited in proxy, I'm assuming I will only need to ingest the clips which have been edited?

That's right. You just need to reingest the clips in the timeline.

If so, again assuming, FCP will ingest according to the original AVCHD timecode, right???

How would I re-ingest in ProRes 422?

Yes, timecode should be the same. To reingest in 422, you need to change your import settings in the log and transfer window. There should be a settings button in one of the top corners. Then all you have to do is right click on your media and reconnect to the appropriate files.

Also, don't forget to change the encoder for your sequence. Go to your sequence settings and make sure the codec is set to Prores 422 before you export your final edit.

 

[danimal99]

Thanks danimal. I've looked at a few of these types of software and none of them were up to scratch. Even the ones I had to pay a fair bit for

Well ClipWrap definitely works, so no issue there. But real-time editing AVCHD is not the best experience, at least on my MBP.

 

[KeithPratt]

As for the 390GB twice - I had to transfer my clients files onto my internal HD from his external HD. Since transferring these, once I'd converted the files to ProRes I went and deleted the original AVCHD files. But I still have his external HD for re-ingesting.

I'm confused...

What footage is your client giving you? It's not the same as the footage you're creating when you Log & Transfer the AVCHD clips is it?

As others have suggested, the following workflow would most probably be best:

• Log & Transfer the AVCHD footage as ProRes Proxy
• Edit
• Use Media Manager to create a new offline sequence and Batch Capture your timeline as (full) ProRes
• Archive your AVCHD footage as disk images and delete all ProRes transcodes

Or just split the difference and do the whole thing, start to finish as ProRes LT.

 

[scouser75]

Thanks guys. You've been a massive help :thumb:

I'm now in full swing of the edit and have freed up a MASSIVE amount of HD space.

Keith, the footage I was given is the same that I'm using Log & transfer for.

What I ended up doing was this:

* Keeping all my clients footage on his external HD.
* Using Log and Transfer and ingesting from the external HD.
* Using ProRes422 Proxy.
* Once edited I'll re-injest from clients HD in full ProRes.

 

[occamsrazor]

Could anyone kindly explain in detail to a relative novice how in the proxy workflow to "reconnect" to the original files?
I'm dealing with video files from a Canon 5DmkII camera, which are H.264 .MOV at 1080P. My desired workflow is as follows:

1. In FCP, Log and Transfer the video files, converting to ProRes Proxy codec to minimise disk usage.
2. Edit the project using the ProRes Proxy files.
3. On project completion, tell FCP to render/export directly from the original H.264/MOV files.

Is this possible? Sensible? Is it really necessary to transcode the original files to ProRes full at the end?

I can do (1) and (2) but can't seem to work out how to do (3)

I could actually edit direct from the original files without transcoding, but the editing is somewhat jerky due to the high data rate and H.264 format, so using the ProRes Proxy codec during the eidting process makes sense.