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Unveiling Proxy Editing: Enhancing Video Editing Efficiency
Essentially, proxy editing involves creating low-quality copies from high-quality raw footage, utilizing these low-quality proxy files during the editing process. When ready to export, the proxy files are replaced with the corresponding raw files.
For those utilizing older computers or low-spec machines primarily for web browsing and office software, offline video editing can be a game-changer.
Particularly, some video editing software consumes significant system resources, requiring ample RAM and hard drive space to function properly. Even on high-end machines, errors may occur when loading and editing multiple files simultaneously. Color grading and applied effects also significantly impact device performance.
Understanding Proxy Files in Offline Video Editing
Advantages of Offline Video Editing
One of the most evident advantages of Offline Video Editing is its performance enhancement. Depending on the proxy file size, you can choose any resolution, codec, and bitrate suitable for the specific hardware configuration of your device.
Proxy file sizes are significantly smaller than raw footage, which is extremely beneficial when using a laptop. As long as the proxy file quality is sufficient for viewing content, you can set smaller file sizes at sub-HD resolutions.
While editing videos on a laptop running on battery, you may notice that smaller proxy files consume fewer resources.
Limits of Offline Video Editing
Additionally, Offline Video Editing comes with its set of limitations. Before diving into the editing process, you'll need to transcode files into suitable sizes. Depending on the video duration and the amount of footage you're working with, this process can take some time.
Some nonlinear editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Apple's Final Cut X support offline video editing, but most free or budget-friendly video editors still lack this feature.
If desired, you can manually create files, mark and carefully store them.
Ultimately, the video quality (during editing) will also decrease. If you're using a high-performance laptop or PC, you don't need to create any proxies at all.
Some video editing software supports offline video editing
Certain video editing software supports offline video editing to speed up the process of transcoding raw footage, working with proxy files, and returning footage with high resolution upon export.
Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018
The process of creating proxy files is first handled to import footage into Adobe's premium video editing software.
Download Adobe Premiere Pro CC 2018 and install it here: Download Adobe Premiere
Final Cut Pro X
Apple's premium video editing software offers 2 options for offline video editing. Users can create optimized media using ProRes 422 or create proxy media using ProRes 422 Proxy codec. Both are optimized for use on Apple hardware.
Download Final Cut Pro X and install it here: Download Final Cut Pro X
Da Vinci Resolve
Da Vinci Resolve integrates its own workflow for offline editing. Simply right-click on the file, select Generate Optimized Media. The editing software prioritizes optimized files over raw footage, unless users specify otherwise.
Download Da Vinci Resolve and install it here: Download Da Vinci Resolve
Sony Vegas Pro
With Vegas Pro, simply import footage into the project, then right-click on each file, select Create Video Proxy. Click on the Preview Quality menu to change the quality, prioritizing files with lower resolution.
Download Sony Vegas Pro and install it here: Download Sony Vegas
Blender
Among the list of video editing software supporting offline video editing, Blender is the only free video editing software. Users can access Strip =>Rebuild Proxy and Timecode Indices to create smaller files from the files they select.
Download Blender and install it here: Download Blender
Create Proxy Media for Offline Editing Manually
If you're using video editing software that doesn't support proxy media, you'll have to manually create files yourself.
To create proxy media, you'll need to rely on video conversion software. The video editing software may have its own integrated encoder, such as Adobe Media Encoder integrated with Premiere Pro for many years. However, if an external converter is needed, you may consider choosing:
Handbrake
It offers the advantage of being open-source, free, and supporting a variety of formats.
Download and install Handbrake for Windows here: Download Handbrake
Download and install Handbrake for Mac here: Download Handbrake for Mac
Download and install Handbrake for Linux here: Download Handbrake for Linux
FFmpeg
It boasts the advantage of being open-source, free software, including command-line utilities for conversion, decoding, encoding, and supporting a variety of formats.
Download and install FFmpeg for Windows here: Download FFmpeg
Download and install FFmpeg for Mac here: Download FFmpeg for Mac
After converting to more manageable file sizes and resolutions, you can import these files into the video editing software, perform edits, and before exporting, don't forget to convert proxy files back to high-resolution originals.
The simplest way is to create a separate folder for your project, then create 2 additional folders named Raw and Proxy. Move the original files into the Raw folder, and the transcoded files into the Proxy folder.
Use footage in the Proxy folder to edit your video. Complete the editing process, save the files, and close the video editing software. Next, convert the files in the Proxy and Raw folders. Open the video editing software and load your project, then export the video as usual.
Here, Mytour has just explained what Offline Video Editing is. By using video editing techniques via proxy files, you can edit 4K footage right on low-spec computers. However, it's important to note that using this technique will also reduce the video resolution.
Additionally, to produce beautiful, high-quality videos, you should use video editing software from the top 10 best video editing software of 2018. Wishing you success!
