Using "Proxy Media"

[FSMBP]

I apologize for the dumb question but I'm just a little confused.

In FCPX, there is an option to transcode media to Proxy Media (aka Apple's ProRes). This obviously helps out during editing since you're using optimized media.

Here's my question: when I go to Export my project, which was edited using Proxy Media in FCPX, does it automatically Export using my original high quality media?

Thanks for any help!

 

[acearchie]

I don't know how much you know about video editing but the Proxy Media option transcodes the files to ProRes 422 (proxy) which isn't the normal flavour of ProRes that everyone talks about (that is just ProRes 422 or 422 HQ). A proxy file is essentially a smaller less computer intensive editable version of the original media. It can sometimes be used with large 4k RED files as you need a beast of a computer to edit it back in realtime. Most of the Apple computers today can handle the full ProRes 422 but if you want zero hangups for a quick edit then I would suggest going down the proxy route.

Sorry if you already knew that!

But FCPX will always export using the highest quality footage which will be the original media or whatever it sees as the original media which would be the clips that you first imported into the project.

Hope that helps!

 

[FSMBP]

I don't know how much you know about video editing but the Proxy Media option transcodes the files to ProRes 422 (proxy) which isn't the normal flavour of ProRes that everyone talks about (that is just ProRes 422 or 422 HQ). A proxy file is essentially a smaller less computer intensive editable version of the original media. It can sometimes be used with large 4k RED files as you need a beast of a computer to edit it back in realtime. Most of the Apple computers today can handle the full ProRes 422 but if you want zero hangups for a quick edit then I would suggest going down the proxy route.

Sorry if you already knew that!

But FCPX will always export using the highest quality footage which will be the original media or whatever it sees as the original media which would be the clips that you first imported into the project.

Hope that helps!

Ok, thanks a lot! My reason for "proxy" was that my external HD is filling up & I really need to have the space.

Good to know FCPX will export using the original media

 

[acearchie]

If you were looking to save space then unclick both create optomized video and proxy video so it will only work on the original media and render in the background.

I think, depending on how big the render files would be, this would save you the most space.

I would suggest after completing a project exporting at h.264 1080p and then delete the project which will save a lot of space.

Whilst it would be nice to be able to have the convenience to re-edit certain things I have found that in practice that over the past 2 years this has not happened to me on any projects that I had completed.

 

[FSMBP]

I Imported with "Proxy Media" as one of the options. I edited a test video & the output of the video was horrible (it didn't match the original at all).

My main goal was to import media, edit using Proxy media, then export using the original quality, basically Offline editing.

Apparently this isn't possible?

 

[acearchie]

Interesting, if this is the case then using Proxy media is actually rubbish!

I would suggest renaming the "Original Media" folder in Final Cut Events to "Proxy Media" and the "Proxy Media" to "Original Media". This is only temporary and should be good for export I hope.

If it works switch the file names back.

 

[martinX]

My main goal was to import media, edit using Proxy media, then export using the original quality, basically Offline editing.

This is how the manual describes it, but the manual is quite silent when it comes to going back from Proxy media to full quality ProRes. I'll keep my eyes open around the place to see if anyone knows how to do it.

 

[THX1139]

Whilst it would be nice to be able to have the convenience to re-edit certain things I have found that in practice that over the past 2 years this has not happened to me on any projects that I had completed.

I have to say that I kinda disagree with this. First off, hard drive space is cheap nowadays, so I don't get the point. I usually store the complete project for up to 3 years - then I usually dump it if I haven't done anything with it by then, or want to recycle hard drives (I use a VoyagerQ for my storage). I just finished redoing a title sequence because I came up with a few new ideas and decided to do a reedit on it. If I were to start from scratch, it wouldn't have been possible. This is the second project that I've gone back and reedited for one reason or another. But, if you're just doing a simple one off then by all means, dump everything. Except, sometimes it's worth exporting the project using the media manager and then burning that to disk if the file is small enough. I especially save files if it's a paid job. Never know when someone is going to comeback and want to hire me for a revision.

 

[acearchie]

I have to say that I kinda disagree with this. First off, hard drive space is cheap nowadays, so I don't get the point. I usually store the complete project for up to 3 years - then I usually dump it if I haven't done anything with it by then, or want to recycle hard drives (I use a VoyagerQ for my storage). I just finished redoing a title sequence because I came up with a few new ideas and decided to do a reedit on it. If I were to start from scratch, it wouldn't have been possible. This is the second project that I've gone back and reedited for one reason or another. But, if you're just doing a simple one off then by all means, dump everything. Except, sometimes it's worth exporting the project using the media manager and then burning that to disk if the file is small enough. I especially save files if it's a paid job. Never know when someone is going to comeback and want to hire me for a revision.

Sorry maybe I didn't make myself clear but for paid projects I keep all the project files just in case the client wants another copy etc. Even though I don't have to do this, like you have said, with HDD space being cheap it's better to keep a positive relationship with the client and have a copy a year later than not and have an extra 100gbs on my HDD.

For completed personal work I find that I make it good enough the first time and I don't find that I ever go back to the project files so I decided recently to delete all my old projects for little films I have done. I probably didn't explain that fully enough in my original post!