When do I use Proxies? (As opposed to Optimized Media)

Hi All!

I always have used Optimized Media whenever I edit and cache colour-processed clips to improve my playback speeds. A friend recommended that I consider using proxies instead but am still muddied by his explanations.

When does proxies really matter and if so, how would it play a role in a typical workflow?

Thanks in advanced and my apologies if this has already been asked.

Anthony

Proxies and Optimized Media serve the same purpose.

In 16 and earlier, OM was just...easier. It was built-in.

In version 17 and later, there is a new Proxy process also built-in.

And OM now are available to other timelines and harder to check if present. I think proxies are the direction BM is steering to.

Proxies become important when the raw media is too hard for your machine to handle.

Or if you're in a team edit environment, the sub editors may be working on proxies who then hand off sequences to an online editor who relinks to the master clips on a more powerful machine.

If you can playback the raw media well enough, I wouldn't worry about it.

It would be nice to get a clear explanation fo the pros and cons of Optimized vs Proxies as they seem to be 2 different routes to the same thing.
I'm setting up a multicam and tried at first to do it with proxies because in my experience the visual quality was a lot better even with what looked like more reduced file sizes. However with the Multicam, setting it up was much more complicated than OM and I eventually ran into some problems maintaining the connection to originals. I switched to Optimized and it was a piece of cake. In OM I only used half resolution and ProRes LT but it seems to be running fine and still looks OK. Just going to quarter res or PR422 Proxy looked crappy though.

Simply put, Leonardo, use only a built-in process.

In 16 and earlier, that means Optimized Media only.

In 17 and later, you can use either OM or Proxies.

Thanks jim,
Interesting So if went ahead with 17 would my proxy process have worked better?
My problem with the proxies only happened as soon as I added B roll to the Multicam on V2. After that it started getting very dicey going from proxies to originals and back again. B roll also had proxies. It has been problem with OM.

( Hope this isn't hijacking nukunukoo's thread . Hopefully its relevant to him.)

leny

Thanks jim,

( Hope this isn't hijacking nukunukoo's thread . Hopefully its relevant to him.)

leny

Not at all Leny =) very helpful at that!

I'm using 17 Studio and hopefully 17.1 when the M1 16" MBP and Mac Mini Pro comes (sold all of my Apple gear and am using a PC at the moment with the Speed Editor).

Doing Proxies at the moment, I'm assuming it creates the clips automatically since I don't see how you optimize it manually like I do with OM. But since I'm also a Final Cut Pro user, my mind gets a bit over-bandwidth'd on workflows from time to time. =/

Would be nice if there are some visual cues (like in Color Processed) to indicate that proxies have already been made available (and complete) for clips on timelines.

Many many thanks y'all

Anthony

Page 18 of Resolve 17 PDF (Help menu) explains...

"Managing Proxy Media"
"You can check the status and location of all your proxy media in the List view of the Media Pool."
"Right-click on any column heading and click the checkboxes of “Proxy” and “Proxy Media Path.”"

it started getting very dicey going from proxies to originals and back

That's why I recommend using only a built-in process. Switching is then a single click operation, and it always works.

For better or worse this is what I was doing with proxies. i matched them by file name here rather than timecode but you could use other options. There might be easier ways to switch back & forth between Proxies & Source though. OM is way easier.

In Media Pool Select your Timeline & Rt Click >Timelines >”RECONFORM FROM BINS”
in “Conform From Bins” >”Choose Conform Bin”> “Master”>Check “the appropriate “Proxy Folder”
in Conform Options > uncheck timecode (if your not matching that way) > Check only ” Loose file name match” (Will ignore file ext name) - click OK
Now all the clips in your timeline should change to be the be the Proxies
To double check select & check in Metadata upper right)
3 TO LEAVE PROXIES & ENABLE ORIGINALS Use same path used to enable proxies:
Select Timeline in media pool >Rt Click > Reconform from Bins >“Master”>Source BIN

Its a little more complicated in a MultiCam because you need to go to the "Multicam view not the editing Timeline. ( a perfect example for why I asked a question about Multicam Nomenclature in a previous post.)

Hope that's helpful.