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How to online ProRes Proxy to ProRess 422 and above
Hello,
I am starting to shoot a feature documentary film. I am intersted in taking my AVCHD footage and converting into ProRes Proxy files for offline editing due to the sheer volume of footage I foresee shooting.
When I’m ready to online, I was wondering, how do I go about doing this? Do I keep the original AVCHD files stored on harddrive somewhere and transcode those to ProRes422. Or does FCP, through media manager, online the ProRes Proxy files that I have been using to edit with?
I’ve been searching the forums for more information on onlining ProRes but everything seems to vague to satisfy me.Thank you for your feedback,
Meg -
15 Replies
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Personally, since even a single firewire drive can play ProRes 422 files, I’d simply buy more drives and edit in the high res files from the get go. How much footage are you having to deal with time/wise?
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski.
8-Core 3.0 Intel Mac Pro, Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D, AJA Io HD, 17″ MBP, Matrox MXO2 with MAX Cinema Displays
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Meg,
I’ve done this, but on a very small scale. So keep that in mind:
Log and Transfer your footage using PR Proxy to transcode. Build your sequences and edit. Now Log and Transfer once again, this time using PR 422 to transcode. Make sure you tag using a clear naming convention (Proxy vs. 422).
Now dupe the project sequences, and reconnect the clips in the new sequences to the 422 versions.
As I said, this may not work for you based on the amount of footage that you will be dealing with. But as noted, this workflow works well for me.
-paul.
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Paul-
That’s a good way, but you can use the media manager to recapture just your final timeline. No reason to log and transfer the whole project and reconnect manually.
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You need to media manage your final cut BEFORE you reimport the footage.
Here’s the process in a nutshell.
– Backup your full cards. This needs to be done no matter what you do.
– Log and Transfer the footage as ProRes Proxy.
– Edit.
– When you lock picture, Media Manage the sequence using the MAKE OFFLINE option, choose the codec you want to reimport this footage as…ProRes 422. You will end up with a new sequence with only the footage used in the cut, with handles (yes, give yourself like 3 second handles).
– Use Log and Transfer to load all of the card backup folders. Just locate them…don’t transfer again. You are telling FCP where the folders are. Close L&T.
– Highlight the sequence in the Browser, or all the clips in the MEDIA folder that is created, and choose BATCH CAPTURE. This will bring up the Log and Capture interface, but don’t worry, it will now log and transfer the footage, and ONLY the small chunks of video you choose. It will recognize the IN and OUT points.Do a small test and see for yourself. I have done this with AVCIntra P2 and it works well.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Hi Shane-
Thank you for this. This was exactly what I was looking for.
The only other question that this raises is about whether I can rename the files when transcoding them through “Log and Transfer” or should I keep the file names exactly the same as they are numbered from the SD cards.Thanks again for your help!
Meg -
Hi Jerry-
Thanks for your feedback. While this is ideal, I’m concerned that I will run out of drivespace/money needed for all the footage I’m about to shoot. I’m looking at probably a maximum of 10 hours of footage/per month over a six month time period. Taking that footage and converting it into ProRes would certainly eat up a lot of hardrive space.
Anyways, I’m still exploring my options. Thanks again.
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Did you name them the first time?
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Hi Jeremy-
I’m just getting started so no I have not named them yet. Off the SD Card, the files are named 0001.mts and so and so forth. I personally would like a little more descriptive title such as “Tom_00010.” I know you can rename them in FCP’s “Log and Transfer” but I wonder, if the original files are not an exact match then this will cause problems later on when media managing.
I am just trying to get my head around this whole process before I begin.Thanks again for your thoughts.
Meg -
Changing the names when you ingest won’t hurt a thing. At least it doesn’t in the world of P2. Seriously, I’d test this. Ingest a few clips from a few cards, change the names, make a really basic cut, then Media Manage and try to Batch Capture.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
Meg,
[Megumi Nishikura] “I’m looking at probably a maximum of 10 hours of footage/per month over a six month time period. “
You do realize this is only 60hrs. At ProRes 1080, this equals around 3.5 TB which is about $400 in drives these days. Shane’s instructions work fine but it’s worth considering editing this in fullrez for $400. You could prob even use ProRed LT if your source is AVCHD.
CHL
Chi-Ho Lee
Film & Television Editor
Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Trainer
http://www.chiholee.com
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