Create optimized and proxy files in Final Cut Pro for Mac

During import, Final Cut Pro either creates an alias file that points to the media file in its original location, or creates a copy of the original media file. After the files are imported, transcoding, optimization, and analysis are performed in the background.

1. In Final Cut Pro, do one of the following:

   • Import a file from a compatible file-based recording or storage device, or from your Mac: Connect your device to your Mac, turn on the device, and choose File > Import > Media (or press Command-I), then navigate to and select the media you want to import.

   • Import a file from a tape-based camcorder: Connect your device to your Mac, turn on the device and set it to VTR or VCR mode, then choose File > Import > Media.

   • Import from an archive: Choose File > Import > Media, select a camera archive from the list on the left, click Open Archive, then navigate to the files you want to import.

   See Intro to importing media in Final Cut Pro for Mac.

2. Use the settings on the right side of the Media Import window to choose how you want to organize the imported media in your library:

   • Add the imported media to an existing event: Select “Add to existing event,” then click the pop-up menu and choose the event.

   • Create a new event: Select “Create new event in,” use the pop-up menu to choose the library in which you want to create the event, then type a name (for example, “Chris and Kim Wedding”) in the text field.

   To learn more about events, see Intro to libraries in Final Cut Pro for Mac. If you want to import media into a new library, you must create the new library before importing your media.

3. In the Files section, choose a storage option:

   • Copy the files to the current library: To duplicate the files and place the copies in the current library storage location, select “Copy to library.” You can set storage locations for each of your libraries. See Set storage locations in Final Cut Pro for Mac.

   • Link to the files at their current location: Select “Leave files in place.”

     Note: If you select this option, Final Cut Pro creates symbolic links (also called symlinks), which are special files that point to the media files. If you later copy or move clips between events, only the symbolic links are copied or moved (not the source media files). To replace the symbolic links with the actual source media files, select the events and choose File > Consolidate Event Files.

4. Do any of the following:

   • Create optimized files: Select the “Create optimized media” checkbox.

   • Create proxy files: Select the “Create proxy media” checkbox, then select the proxy format and frame size. For details about the settings, see the “Transcode” section in Import settings in Final Cut Pro for Mac.

   Note: If the original camera format can be edited with good performance, the “Create optimized media” option is dimmed. If optimized and proxy media are already available, the “Create optimized media” and “Create proxy media” options are dimmed.

   The files are transcoded in the background, after the import process is complete.

5. Click Import Selected or Import All (the Import button changes its name based on your clip selection).

   The import may take a while, depending on the options you selected. You can see the status of all the background processes currently running in the Background Tasks window.

1. Do one of the following:

   • Control-click one or more clips in the Final Cut Pro browser or events in the Libraries sidebar, then choose Transcode Media from the shortcut menu.

   • Select one or more clips or projects in the browser, then choose File > Transcode Media.

2. In the window that appears, do any of the following:

   • Create optimized files: Select the “Create optimized media” checkbox.

   • Create proxy files: Select the “Create proxy media” checkbox, then select the proxy format and frame size. For details about the settings, see the “Transcode” section in Import settings in Final Cut Pro for Mac.

   Note: If the original camera format can be edited with good performance, the “Create optimized media” option is dimmed. If optimized and proxy media are already available, the “Create optimized media” and “Create proxy media” options are dimmed.

3. Click OK.

   The transcoding process may take a while, depending on the options you selected. You can see the status of all the background processes currently running in the Background Tasks window.

   Tip: MP3 audio files from projects created with versions of Final Cut Pro earlier than 10.0.4 can be manually transcoded to WAV audio files using this process.

Media you drag from the Finder into an event or the timeline is automatically organized, transcoded, and analyzed based on the import settings you specify in Final Cut Pro settings.

1. To specify import settings, choose Final Cut Pro > Settings, click Import, and select the import settings you want to apply to your media.

   See Import settings in Final Cut Pro for Mac.

2. To import one or more files, select a file (or Command-click multiple files) in the Finder, then drag the selection to the timeline or to an event in the Libraries sidebar.

You can use the Info inspector to create a proxy file for a clip or to see whether a proxy file exists for a clip. If the file you’re viewing in the Info inspector doesn’t have a proxy file, you see a red triangle.

1. Select a clip in the Final Cut Pro browser.

2. If the inspector isn’t already shown, do one of the following:

   • Choose Window > Show in Workspace > Inspector (or press Command-4).

   • Click the Inspector button on the right side of the toolbar.

     

3. Click the Info button at the top of the inspector.

   

4. Scroll down to the bottom section of the Info inspector, then click Transcode Media.

   

5. In the window that appears, do any of the following:

   • Create optimized files: Select the “Create optimized media” checkbox.

   • Create proxy files: Select the “Create proxy media” checkbox, then select the proxy format and frame size. For details about the settings, see the “Transcode” section in Import settings in Final Cut Pro for Mac.

   Note: If the original camera format can be edited with good performance, the “Create optimized media” option is dimmed. If optimized and proxy media are already available, the “Create optimized media” and “Create proxy media” options are dimmed.

6. Click OK.

   The transcoding process may take a while, depending on the options you selected. You can see the status of all the background processes currently running in the Background Tasks window.

   Tip: MP3 audio files from projects created with versions of Final Cut Pro earlier than 10.0.4 can be manually transcoded to WAV audio files using this process.

The proxy file is created, and a green circle appears next to the proxy item in the Available Media Representations section, indicating that the proxy file for the clip is available.

You can delete optimized or proxy media files at any time, no matter where they’re stored. Original media files are not deleted, so you can always regenerate optimized and proxy files from the original media.

1. In Final Cut Pro, do one of the following:

   • Delete optimized or proxy files for one or more clips: In the browser or the timeline, select one or more clips.

   • Delete optimized or proxy files for one or more projects: In the browser, select one or more projects.

   • Delete optimized or proxy files for one or more events: In the Libraries sidebar, select one or more events in the same library.

   • Delete optimized or proxy files for a library: Select a library in the Libraries sidebar.

2. Choose File > Delete Generated [item] Files.

3. In the window that appears, select any of the following:

   • Delete Optimized Media

   • Delete Proxy Media

4. Click OK.

   The selected files are deleted from your storage device.