Editing Software Do you work with PROXIES when editing and proper folder organisation?

[Beanie Draws]

Been messing around intensively with Davinci resolve, but not just that, playing around handbrake as well. I've been converting some large 1080p files down to 144p at 140bitrate to see if I can turn a once 40gb file, down to a manageable 1gb file while, using proxies to speed up the process.

I feel like proxies are often not discussed when talking about editing, and I wonder how many people edit with proxies, or even know what proxies are. For super long high definition footage that can easily bypass 100gb, proxies put a lot less stress on internal hard drives that are sometimes as small as 256gb.

So you leave your large uncompressed files on an external backup, convert all your files down (I'm currently using a program called "handbrake" but it seems davinci has a good compression algorithm as well) edit using the proxy low resolution files, and then once you're done, you switch out the low resolution with the high resolution.

So now I have a folder for raw footage, a folder for "proxies" and I just make sure that the filenames of the proxy copies are the same as the original, so witching between the files isn't so difficult.

If you have performance or storage issues, definitely give it a try, and if you've never heard of it... it really should be the FIRST stage of editing. Importing footage from your memory cards or whatever, duplicating the folder, giving the files appropriate and easy to remember name, and then compressing the duplicates down, and THEN begin editing with the duplicates. Few tutorials actually mention this until you start running into performance issues, but I think it's a good mindset to have from the very beginning of video production.

 

[SILTHW]

I made a decision to move to a pure Blackmagic workflow. The biggest advantage is that I don't need proxies if I work with Blackmagic RAW.

You are 100% right though. Logging footage well makes the process so much easier. Getting into the habit of doing so is one of the best things you can do. One of the things I like about Davinci Resolve is the logic of the pages give you a workflow. Start at Media, move to Cut (simple) or Edit. Go to Color. Add whatever is needed in Fusion. Finalize audio in Fairlight and then Deliver.

In the Adobe or Apple workflow I need multiple apps to do the same thing.

That workflow + Blackmagic RAW is simply a great experience and a really productive way to work.

 

[Beanie Draws]

I made a decision to move to a pure Blackmagic workflow. The biggest advantage is that I don't need proxies if I work with Blackmagic RAW.

You are 100% right though. Logging footage well makes the process so much easier. Getting into the habit of doing so is one of the best things you can do. One of the things I like about Davinci Resolve is the logic of the pages give you a workflow. Start at Media, move to Cut (simple) or Edit. Go to Color. Add whatever is needed in Fusion. Finalize audio in Fairlight and then Deliver.

In the Adobe or Apple workflow I need multiple apps to do the same thing.

That workflow + Blackmagic RAW is simply a great experience and a really productive way to work.

I just learned tonight that Davinci Resolve can't re-link videos if you re-name them at the OS level. I'm pretty sure you CAN relink re-named filed in premiere, but that's a good lesson to get all your organising and naming systems down BEFORE you import.

 

[SILTHW]

I just learned tonight that Davinci Resolve can't re-link videos if you re-name them at the OS level. I'm pretty sure you CAN relink re-named filed in premiere, but that's a good lesson to get all your organising and naming systems down BEFORE you import.

Yeah, that's traditionally considered to be a big no-no in the industry because files have the reel and take info in the file name. Think of it this way - the files (takes) are the property of the camera teams and the clips are the property of the editor, colorist and VFX house and no one messes with the other's stuff.

 

[IanDominicTV]

Honestly, I never used proxies at all.

 

[xyliavandyck]

I'm always using proxies, not only when editing and proper folder organization. However, I don't truly think that proxies influence the workflow anyhow when editing the folder organization. I use proxies only for my own privacy and online security. I've been using proxies since I first found out about them. I truly think it helps me be "private" while being online. Recently, I started using static datacenter proxy, and I think their services are of truly good quality, and the prices are also reasonable.