Changing optimized Media settings

[James Ewart]

Hi Jeremy

what I’m suggesting is cutting in Proxy but not bothering to ‘Optimise Media” so when I finish my cut in Proxy I switch playback to “use original or optimised(no optimised it will surely choose original) and change render settings to Pro Res HQ (for example) and then I will be exporting direct from native files as opposed to the Compressed pro Res.

But I guess you may be suggesting if my original files are AVCHD it won’t make any difference?

J

[Jeremy Garchow]

[James Ewart] “what I’m suggesting is cutting in Proxy but not bothering to ‘Optimise Media” so when I finish my cut in Proxy I switch playback to “use original or optimised(no optimised it will surely choose original) and change render settings to Pro Res HQ (for example) and then I will be exporting direct from native files as opposed to the Compressed pro Res.”

But why make Proxy files? Why not just cut native to begin with? This is what you have to ask yourself. Proxy is worth it when drive space is low, or performance is needed with larger source materials.

[James Ewart] “But I guess you may be suggesting if my original files are AVCHD it won’t make any difference?”

If your files are AVCHD, FCPX is going to need to rewrap them to h264 .mov. Why not just make them optimized at that point? Why make a Proxy movie of an already highly compressed format?

[James Ewart]

Um well…um…err…well because I thought FCP handled the edit faster if it was cutting Pro Res proxy files rather than native.

Some guy at Apple once told me the recommended workflow was to always Optimise Media but I started thinking if the original files were very high quality than ‘Optimising” to Pro Res might be compressing the files if they come form a proper HD source file and that it might be better to cut in Proxy (for performance sake) and then export from Native when off line/proxy is finished.

For some reason I have always thought cutting native was not a good idea.

Kind of finding an old online/online workflow like in 7.

[Jeremy Garchow]

[James Ewart] “Um well…um…err…well because I thought FCP handled the edit faster if it was cutting Pro Res proxy files rather than native.”

With AVCHD material, it’s not going to handle it that much faster. With larger raw materials it will.

I would suggest to optimize and not create Proxies for AVCHD material as long as you have the storage. If you are going to go through the time to process every frame, Optimzied is better served in the long run, rather than proxies, with AVCHD material.

[James Ewart] “Some guy at Apple once told me the recommended workflow was to always Optimise Media but I started thinking if the original files were very high quality than ‘Optimising” to Pro Res might be compressing the files if they come form a proper HD source file and that it might be better to cut in Proxy (for performance sake) and then export from Native when off line/proxy is finished.”

You certainly could. It is up to you and your workflow needs. FCXP makes it really easy to change between Proxy and Original, and then also create optimized. The only penalty is drive space. You could easily run some tests for yourself. Make sure to include export tests. I always optimize h264/avchd.

[James Ewart] “For some reason I have always thought cutting native was not a good idea.”

It depends on your source material. Native h264 is one of the more difficult formats to cut natively, and also provide real time effects. Other formats are, how shall I say, better ‘optimized’ for real time editing.

If your source material is ProRes already, or any of the other codecs I mentioned, then performance is going to be good as FCPX can cut those formats natively very well, which is why it won’t let you create optimized media for those formats.

[James Ewart]

Thanks.

I suppose I thought creating Pro Res proxy from AVCHD would save me a lot of storage (by not creating optimised) given that it brings in the original media anyway.

Then export from original for the master having applied all the colour and effects and titles to the proxy version.

Probably over thinking it?

best

James

[James Ewart]

“If you are working with R3D raw, or umpteen hours of DSLR h264, creating optimized media will make your editing experience much more enjoyable.’

But to clarify when you export FCPX will use the original files rather than the compressed Optimised Pro Res?

“If you are using XAVC, ProRes Alexa files, XDCam HD, DV, DVCPro HD and a few others, then Optimizing won’t even be available.”

Really? I did not know that. So we are talking definite need for Mac Pro here no?

[Jeremy Garchow]

[James Ewart] “I suppose I thought creating Pro Res proxy from AVCHD would save me a lot of storage (by not creating optimised) given that it brings in the original media anyway.”

And it will. If storage is an issue, then Proxy might be worth it for you.

Tip: After FCPX is done making the OPTIMIZED media, you can trash the original copy in the Original Media folder.

If you notice, after you make optimized media and you right click the footage in the Browser and select “reveal in Finder” it point to the optimized media, not the original media.

Jeremy

[Jeremy Garchow]

[James Ewart] “But to clarify when you export FCPX will use the original files rather than the compressed Optimised Pro Res?”

If you made optimized media, FCPX will use the optimized media. If there are any render files in the Project, FCPX will use those render files which are in the format selected in when you setup the Project.

[James Ewart] “Really? I did not know that. So we are talking definite need for Mac Pro here no?”

No.

[James Ewart]

OK all very interesting.

BUT

Not sure what you mean by trashing optimised version.

Then what do you export?

And do we know for sure that even if I don’t and leave the Optimised version there when I export FCPX will take the best quality stuff for export. IE use the original files?

Sorry for being obtuse

[Jeremy Garchow]

[James Ewart] “Not sure what you mean by trashing optimised version.”

You trash the ORIGINAL version, not the optimized version. Have you brought in one clip and made a Proxy and an Optimized and see where it ends up in the Finder? It might help to teach you what FCPX is doing and where the files go.

[James Ewart] “And do we know for sure that even if I don’t and leave the Optimised version there when I export FCPX will take the best quality stuff for export. IE use the original files?

Sorry for being obtuse”

I think you are getting confused between Proxy, Original, and Optimized.

Proxy = ProRes Proxy
Original = a .mov in the original camera codec (AVCHD = h264)
Optimized = a ProRes movie made from the camera original material.