How to Create Proxy Files in DaVinci Resolve | Anamorphic Proxies

If your computer struggles with source footage from a cinema camera, proxy files are the way to go.
Proxy files are simply lightweight copies of your camera originals. You edit using the proxies, and then link back to source footage for color grading, delivery, etc.
The great news?
DaVinci Resolve makes working with proxy files INCREDIBLY EASY.
There are two main ways. One method doesn't work well with anamorphic footage. In this lesson, we take a look at both ways to create and work with proxy files in DaVinci Resolve.
#howtomakeproxyfilesdavinciresolve
#howtoworkwithproxyfiles
#anamorphicproxyfilesdavinciresolve

[@drakegostream]

Thanks, Write&Direct. I've had another problem with Proxy Generator App. I often shoot top-down product review footage which I need to rotate 180deg in Clip Attributes. And if proxies already generated in that App, they stay unrotated. Your method works great for that usecase.

[@writedirect]

Hey true! I didn’t think about this applying to that scenario as well. Bravo!

[@ThisIsLeeBird]

Yes!!! I just got 3 BMPCC4k’s, an atem mini pro ISO extreme (for my podcast studio) and I was going to look this up soon. That way I can use my iso files from the atem as proxy files and then add the BRAW files from the camera after. I am loving this BMD eco system! Thank you for this video 👍

[@writedirect]

Nice plan! Yeah, blown away by what Blackmagic has brought to the table. None of this was possible back when I graduated from film school.

[@ThisIsLeeBird]

@@writedirect yes Sir! Greatly appreciate all your videos and channel. It’s been a massive help for me coming from Panasonic now into pocket cinema cameras.

[@writedirect]

@@ThisIsLeeBird cool man! Are you using Resolve? BRAW and Resolve go hand in hand. It's beautiful. I cut with Avid and FCP in the past. Don't use either of them now.

[@ThisIsLeeBird]

@@writedirect yes sir! All blackmagic design. I’ve started messing around in it now, did a couple of test recordings. I love resolve!

[@charlesedmundadams5238]

Just what I needed, thank you sir 🙏

[@writedirect]

Cool man! Thanks for your support.

[@felixsimardt]

thanks a lot!

[@writedirect]

No problem. Thanks for watching!

[@ToTheSkiesProductions]

Well done!

[@writedirect]

Appreciated! Thanks for watching. Looks like you guys produce films?

[@ToTheSkiesProductions]

@@writedirect Probably similar to your setup. Some times I have to one man band it, other times a bigger crew. 🙂

[@ianhtavares]

Hey man, thanks for the video! I'm having some trouble however, when I convert my footage to proxy, the footage in my preview window gets really small, with black bars. Wish I could attach a photo here. This is giving me some headache honestly, because I have to toggle between proxies and originals whenever I want to play with any of the transform parameters. If I leave proxies enabled when changing scale, for example, my preview window doesn't show the true size/adjustments.

[@writedirect]

Hey! What's your source footage (resolution) and your project timeline settings? Also, which method are you using to create the proxy files? Thanks!

[@ianhtavares]

@@writedirectthanks for the reply! My source footage resolution is 5k 5120x2700, while my timeline settings is 4k UHD 3840x2160 (Davinci's free version). I create proxies by selecting the clip in media pool, ctrl clicking and then "Gerenerate Proxy Media..." It's been so difficult to edit like that, man..

[@writedirect]

@@ianhtavares sorry for my late reply. In your project settings under Master Settings > Optimized Media and Render Cache try manually setting your proxy resolution to original or something larger. It sounds like your proxy media was just created with a smaller resolution. You'll need to clear the generated media and create again.

[@PharaohsSilver]

Thanks for the great video, I have an issue with the rotation of videos, when I’m importing DR always assumes it’s landscape I can correct that using the clip attributes but if I create the proxy before modifying the attributes the proxies are in landscape and the clip attributes has no effect. This also renders the Proxy generator useless because I cannot rotate what the Proxy generator detects. So you have any tips for that ? Another question is fusion with proxy media, it seems to not take into account the rotation either and looks straight at input footage, the work’s around I found was using adjustment clips, but I’m not sure that’s the correct way. Could you elaborate on that please 😊

[@writedirect]

Hey! I apologize for my delay. So just like anamorphic footage, the proxy generator (at least in Resolve 18.6.x) isn't gonna help here. But if you select the clips within your media pool > right-click > generate proxy media. See if that will create proxy media in the right way for you. And remember, you can go into your preferences and project settings to change things like location, codec, size, etc. The second half of the proxy lesson gets into that.

[@PharaohsSilver]

@@writedirect First of all thanks for the reply I really appreciate it ! So that is to say they attributes need to be correct before the generation of the proxy inside of DR. Follow up, in the fusion page the proxy media does not seem to be the same, it seems to be pulling the original media without any attributes, when I render this causes a cropping issue, the only workaround I found for this was adding an adjustment clip to my timeline for the locations where I need to do fusion work, is this the correct way or am I missing somehting ?

[@writedirect]

@@PharaohsSilver for that specific step in fusion, that is not my specialty. I do almost visual FX. And the little I have done at this point has been an after effects. Fusion is on my to do list, but I can’t give you clear guidance there.

[@SmartMeditationFilms]

Thank you, I liked and subscribed. Sir does the free version of DaVinci resolve have the option to create Proxy's?

[@writedirect]

Thank you! Yes it does. In fact, it has most of what you’ll need. There are some things like voice isolation that it doesn’t have.

[@d.g.9624]

Thanks for the video, but it does not work for me, after all there is no option to generate proxy media in Resolve, is it because I have the free version of Davinci ? 🤦‍♂🤦‍♂

[@writedirect]

The free version will let you generate proxy files. What version of Resolve are you on? What source media are you working with?

[@d.g.9624]

@@writedirect I'm on 18.6 , and I can only generate the proxy files via Blackmagic proxy generator lite. In the Davinci resolve there is no option, i have don all the steps from the video. I have 4k 30fps h.264 8bit 200mbps shot on fuji xt3.

[@writedirect]

@@d.g.9624 I would need to test by installed non studio on a system, but I don't think proxy files are removed from the free version. When you right-click a clip in the medial pool, there's no option for proxy media? What about in your project settings? Does it give you the option to choose the type of files to create for proxy media? That's under Master Settings > Optimized Media and Render Cache.

[@d.g.9624]

@@writedirect There is only one option generate optimized media. Yes under Optimized Media and Render Cache I have the option for proxy resolution and format.

[@writedirect]

Hey @@d.g.9624 - Then you might be trying it from the Cut Page? Go to the Media Page or the Edit Page and try from there.