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The best way to create proxy files for editing
Hi,
What is the best way to create proxy files for editing? I’m thinking Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy). The original material is DVCPRO HD 1080i50, shot on Panasonic P2 cards, and copied on to hard drives. But as there is about 400 hours of it, I desperately need to find a clever way to make smaller proxy files for editing.
I would also like to make the proxies at a smaller resolution than 1080i for the editing process.
I guess it’s possible to import the media and then batch export it to the proxy format, but Is there a better way?
jo E
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2 Replies
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You can either use FCP’s batch export or you can use Compressor to do this.
DVCPro HD looks like it’s a little north of 19TB for 400 hours, ProRes Proxy at 1920×1080 is about 6.5TB, at 1280×720 it goes down to 3.4TB.
To do this in Compressor, I’d make a preset and set that as my default, along with a default destination. Then I’d drop a couple of dozen clips at a time into Compressor to break it into batches. Or you could make a droplet of your preset & destination & drop a couple of dozen shots at a time onto the droplet. If you go this route, you may need to use Automator to remove any excess text that Compressor tries to add onto the back end of your file names.
In FCP, simply select all of the shots you want to export, right click & choose “Batch Export”. In the batch window, you can choose the encoding settings & destination for the entire batch. Your FCP manual has full details.
You will probably want to test all of this out first with a small batch & a test project. And allow a couple of days (weeks?) for encoding!
Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/ -
[Arnie Schlissel] “If you go this route, you may need to use Automator to remove any excess text that Compressor tries to add onto the back end of your file names. “
If you create a custom destination in compressor you can configure it so that no extra text is added to the export filename…
Stephan
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