Compress large video files for transfer

[Joe Marler]

Usually you can’t meaningfully compress most camera codecs since they are already compressed. Also ZIP, etc are doing lossless compression, which further limits the possibility. For collaborative work it’s usually best to transcode those to a smaller size for uploading.

To upload very large files you really need symmetrical gigabit fiber service with no data cap. Most cable-served ISPs have highly asymmetrical service, with upload rate often just 5% or 10% of the download rate. This stems from the original frequency channel map chosen for the cable infrastructure, which allocates far more RF spectrum for download. In theory a new technology called full-duplex DOCSYS 4.0 could allow symmetrical gigabit service over existing coax, and I think Comcast is testing it in a few markets. But widespread implementation is probably several years out.

FCPX starting with 10.4.9 has a new proxy system which allows creating H264 proxies with a smaller frame size, also a proxy-only library.

It’s probably better to FedEx a hard drive with the media, then create a proxy-only library with 25% H264 proxies, upload that as the basis for collaborative work. Then either side can relink to full-res media when needed.

See this Ripple Training video about 10.4.9 new proxy features starting at 11:32:

https://youtu.be/0j7zNEoc8tg?t=693

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[David Mayer]

Joe,

Incredibly helpful answer – thank you. I just set my import prefs to H264 at 50% – reloading the project. My Mac is 5 years old and this should really help. You suggested sending full rez media on a hard drive – did not understand doing that and then collaborating with 25% proxies. Oh – now I think I see. I was thinking send the editor 25% proxies because they will fit under the 20GB we transfer limit. But then he can’t output full rez optimized exports. But couldn’t he send me the EDL and I could do the final full rez export? In other words, can I use proxy as a way of compressing or zipping files to send to my editor? Final question for now is can I choose to export as proxy or export as full rez or will final cut always default to export as full rez?

[Patrice Freymond]

Hi, if you are still considering transfering your files, Swisstransfer will transfer 50GB for free. Alternatively you could use either Frame.io which has much more to offer than just speedy uploads and transfering or MASV.

hope this helps

Patrice

[Joe Marler]

David, it depends on the expected finishing workflow. You don’t need to send a hard drive if you will be finishing it. If your remote collaborator will be finishing it, he needs that.

Yes he can send you back a project XML, ideally based on a renamed project to avoid confusion when you load it.

If he adds media, then you’ll need those files.

The new FCPX procedure includes a guided process which takes care of non-video items such as audio and graphics. If you have two machines it’s good to locally test the proxy-only library on another machine before uploading it.

If you export as proxy, it will warn you then allow it. It exports in whatever mode (proxy vs original) is configured.

Also take a look at frame.io: https://frame.io

PostLab Drive: https://hedge.video/drive

KeyFlowPro2: http://www.keyflowpro.com

Unlike other NLEs, a lot of work in FCPX takes place before touching the timeline — rejects, favorites, keywords, etc. The issue arises how to reconcile that in a collaborative situation. There was a product called MergeX which did this, but it’s now owned by PostLab: http://www.merge.software

The Ripple Training media management tutorial has been totally reworked and includes a lot more advice about using the new proxy features: https://www.rippletraining.com/products/final-cut-pro/media-management-in-fcp-x-10-4-9/

[David Mayer]

Joe,

OK. Currently importing 30 min. of 4K footage. DJI drone quicktime files. With optimized and proxy both checked during import, transcoding and analysis takes forever. With proxy only checked, it is now going much faster. (So I can start editing sooner) This time I am trying H264 at 25%, also. In the 2 scenarios above, is the Master File or other high quality file that I export when the project is finished the same quality or different? Is the exported file optimized Pro Res media when optimized is checked during Import and not optimized or lower quality when optimize is not checked during import? Thanks again.

[Joe Marler]

The quality of the export does not vary based on whether you transcoded the original camera files to optimized media. The format of the exported media is determined solely by the options you pick for the export. The only purpose of transcoding to optimized media is performance, not quality. By default the internal render files are ProRes 422. There is no generational loss, no matter how many edits you do, since those are stored as metadata in SQL tables. An edited timeline clip is not re-encoded from intermediate render files but the existing render cache segments are marked invalid and it’s re-encoded from the original camera files as you edit.

[David Mayer]

man – this is so helpful – follow up if you don’t mind – the EDL backups or whatever they are actually called – NDL? – are stored by default in my Movies folder. If I open one of these a year later and have ALL of the media and resources, will i actually be able to rebuild the project fully?

[Bill Davis]

I’ve been using Frame.io’s new Transfer service with excellent results. It’s basically bit torrenting for grown-ups, in that it breaks whole folder data streams into packets and securely sends them in parallel in order to max saturate whatever bandwidth you have available. The transfer has full encryption between disassembly and re-assembly, so it’s super secure too. I’m lucky in that I’m on home gigabit fiber from AT&T (Speedtest shows 940Mbps down AND up) – so I was able to transfer 600Gigs of video content in about 70 minutes on my first test. It’s greatly enhanced my ability to remain working at pre-covid efficiencies over the past 6 months.

For what it’s worth.

[David Mayer]

that’s a lot for free – thanks

[David Mayer]

thanks again Bill, Patrice and Joe for the excellent advice