Rendering/Exportings

This is not a duplicate thread. Although I asked some of the same questions in my other thread. I can't seem to get a clear concept on what is going on. So, I'm sorry to keep asking the same question, however, I need this broken down for me. I have Googled and still find myself confused. Here is the deal;

When I am editing in Final Cut Pro am I using the master files? "Optimized," files I mean? Why do I not need to Render them when I'm exporting? On older versions, I had to do this, or the color grade, etc might not even show up.

Why is it now, that I can color grade, add affects, have background rendering off, go to export, and it export it with all the grades and affects?

This may sound like a stupid question but now I'm starting to think I had the wrong idea of what rendering even was.

Both of my MacBooks are the most powerful MacBooks they sell. I never run into any issues with, "Background rendering," turned off. In fact, I can use Logic Pro X, mix down the audio and master it, while having Final Cut Pro X opened. I do however, use optimized media.

When it exports, is there a disadvantage in exporting, 'Optimized media,' over original. I know to turn, 'proxy,' media off before exporting.

I want the highest quality export available, however, I also want one's that will fit on YouTube. I do own the latest version of compressor.

So, to sum this up; Break down real easily what is happening when I render, why I no longer need to, and am I just looking at preview files instead of the real thing? Also, am I exporting preview files or the real thing?

Render files are like a bounce in LPX, or a mix-down. When you have multiple sources of clips, photos, multiple audio files, graphics, titles, etc. in a Timeline, each element is an individual video stream from the hard drive to the CPU/GPU to FCPX. Thus you have multiple streams of media all at one time that FCPX has to deal with. This is why a lot of benchmark tests for RAID drive systems look at how many video streams of what format can be read at one time.

When you stack enough of this stuff on top of each other in a Timeline, it can overwhelm the hard drive's throughput capacity, or eat up too much RAM, or tax the CPU/GPU. Then you need to render.

The resulting "render file" is a very simplified file that mixes it all down into one video stream (source) and two audio streams. Or as you put it, a "preview" file, a bare bones data file, because they're easier and faster to load into RAM and playback often). It is functionally the same as an export, except it is specific to the OS and FCPX, to make writing time very short, and may not always be 100% resolution exactly. It is a proprietary code and not something that anything else can read/use. It is a temporary file. Thus, when you change something, it becomes useless and you have to render again.

Exporting on the other hand is a similar, but different story. You are flattening all your "layers", so to speak, just like with a render file. You are creating a flattened file so there is only one video and two audio streams (for stereo, six for surround), BUT it is written in a more complete, more standardized code, that conforms to the codec specifications you're writing too (ProRes, H.264, MPEG-4, etc). Plus, unlike a render file, it has header and footer data so other apps can identify it and use it. It has metadata (renders don't have metadata per say). It has a thumbnail, a poster frame, etc. And it can be written as a multitrack QT files (based on roles), which renders can't really do so well.

When you need to render depends on the complexity of your timeline, the codecs used in the timeline, and the hardware you are running on. Now, I have a rMBP and I can easily cause it to require rendering. But then I'm using heavy duty plugins like mObject that can bog things down. Do a heavy enough composite in FCPX on those laptops and they'.. require rendering to playback with any efficiency.

Also, playback, when it is stressing the hardware, FCPX will degrade the image quality on purpose to give you decent playback, good enough to edit with. It will do this much more so when set for "Better Playback" then with "Better Quality". But if FCPX would have to degrade it too much for playback, it will make you render things first. So that setting comes into play, also.

In FCP7 you technically weren't required to render before exporting. If you were not getting everything exported, there was a problem with the system. I never rendered before exporting in legacy FCP, but over the years saw bugs that could require rendering first.

Optimized Media is only a ProRes full quality version of the original media. It is only necessary if the original media would stress the hardware. GoPro clips on your laptop will play fine to a point, but add text, color grading, stabilization, fish-eye correction, and you'll need to render for any realistic, useful playback. REDCODE RAW will bog down a MBP quickly, even with a Thunderbolt SSD drive (I do this often). Mostly due to Long-GOP being very complex and CPU intensive for playback (every 8-12 frames must be read and processed to calculate and playback each individual, single frame), or do to massive proprietary data like REDCODE RAW 4K. Optimized converts it all to ProRes, which retains 100% image quality and fidelity and reduces the stress on the hardware required for playback. It also will export faster, as the Long-GOP format doesn't have to be dealt with, tying up valuable CPU time. So a laptop with a slow external drive, or too complex or large of a Library/Project on the system drive (and/or said system drive is too full), or a number of other issues.

Hi Justin,

Ben has given an excellent explanation. But I also see you are confusing proxy media and optimized media. So let me try and break this all down for you in simple steps.

1. Optimized media

When you create optimized media you create new high-quality files from your original clips.

- These new files are in the ProRes 422 format, which is visually lossless. This means you will work with video that has exactly the same quality as your original footage.

- Because ProRes is a perfect format for editing your computer will be able to play back optimized media much easier than if you would use the original files that have often been recorded in a highly compressed and non edit-friendly camera format such as H.264, AVCHD, XAVC etc, etc...

- ProRes 422 has a better color space than most common camera formats, that's why optimized media are also better for color correction or keying.

- You cannot switch between optimized and original media. If there are optimized media FCP X will always use these for editing and exporting.


2. Rendering

When you add effects, titles, color correction etc... and your computer has trouble playing back these effects, you can render the timeline. Rendering has no influence whatsoever on the quality of your final exported video. It is only used to achieve better playback performance when your computer cannot play back effects in realtime, and to be able see your video in the highest quality while playing it on the timeline.


3. Exporting

Exporting is creating a file from your timeline. You can export a a high-quality master file (usually ProRes 422), or any other format you choose. Wether your timeline has been rendered or not, this has no influence whatsoever on the quality of your exported file.


4. All this has nothing to do with Proxy media

Editing in Proxy mode is a workflow that is unique to FCP X. When you create proxy media you create new low-resolution files from your original clips. These new files are in the ProRes Proxy format.

- ProRes Proxy media are perfect for editing, they require less computer resources than optimized or original media, and they take up less extra drive space than optimized media. Proxy media are often used to achieve smoother playback in the timeline when working with very high-resolution original media or when working with multicam recordings with lots of camera angles.

- But because Poxy media have a lower resolution they also have a lower video quality. Proxy media are used only for smooth editing and should never be used for exporting. That's why FCP X will NOT automatically use proxy files you have created.

To work with the proxy media you need to set your Media playback to Proxy in the Viewer.

Then you do your edit in proxy mode using the ProRes Proxy files, and when it's time to export your timeline you MUST set your media playback in the Viewer back to Original/Optimized so FCP X can use the original or optimized media to export your timeline at the highest quality.

Again, it does not matter if you timeline has been rendered or not. Rendering does not have any influence at all on the quality of your exported file.

- Ronny

Thanks for the responses. I seem to understand better now. I have not ran into a situation where I need to render yet, however I do always optimize the media. Rather it be GoPro or Sony A7R. I did the same with the 5D Mark iii footage. It seems rendering never ends up being called for in my situation. I can see the color grades, effects, etc.

I only use proxy media when doing multi-cam editing, which is not often.

Hi all!
I have a question regarding exporting titles, and I hope you could help me
I'm making a video with text only, and I am using the typewriter tool of final cut express hd. I wanted to know what is the optimal highest resolution way to export it? when I use the compressor the text gets distorted. I tried also quicktime conversion to MPEG-4, but I am not sure exactly how to make sure it is the best resolution and a ratio 3:4.
Thanks for helping the ignorant..

Hi Ofri, welcome to the forum.

It's been years that I haven't touched FCP or FCP Express, but if you create a ProRes 422 progressive project with 4:3 aspect ratio and you drop your titles onto the timeline you should be able to export a high-quality master file that will look good. Then you can use Compressor to create any delivery format you wish. The more you compress the video the worse your titles will look.

BTW: you really should be using FCP X for this, much easier.

- Ronny

MUCH easier, and faster.

ronny courtens wrote: 1. Optimized media

When you create optimized media you create new high-quality files from your original clips.

- These new files are in the ProRes 422 format, which is visually lossless. This means you will work with video that has exactly the same quality as your original footage.

- Because ProRes is a perfect format for editing your computer will be able to play back optimized media much easier than if you would use the original files that have often been recorded in a highly compressed and non edit-friendly camera format such as H.264, AVCHD, XAVC etc, etc... - Ronny

I'm using a Sony PXW-X70 XDCAM that has AVCHD and XAVC Long Gop formats (not RAW) with 4K update coming soon. To my understanding, FCPX does not support Sony's XAVC Long Gop yet.
I have a newbie question in regards to Optimized ProRes 422. Please correct me if I'm wrong...
I understand that I can convert the original media to ProRes 422 and use it in either Optimized or Proxy during editing? In order to maintain the highest quality from my original format, should I export my master file as Optimized ProRes 422 or switch to my original format such as AVCHD, XAVC Long Gop, etc.? Thanks in advance for the help.....Ray

Yes, you can switch between Optimized (full quality) or Proxy (quarter quality).
You can NOT switch between Optimized and Original, you're going to use one or the other. But can use either with Proxy.
help.apple.com/finalcutpro/mac/10.1/#ver2fd7a8b94
help.apple.com/finalcutpro/mac/10.1/#verb8e6085b

During import, you can chose to create Optimized and/or Proxy.
help.apple.com/finalcutpro/mac/10.1/#verb8e5f6fd

Before export, you would switch FCPX back to working with Optimized or Original, which ever you decided to use. Otherwise you'll be exporting proxy quarter quality video.

Thanks for the reply and the great links. I briefly opened up the links that you gave. I will read them for a much better understanding. What you and Ronny stated seems to be pretty much straight forward. My biggest concern is that I want to export my master file in the highest quality. Is one better than the other for final output when it comes between Optimized or Original? Thanks again, Ray

Depends on the format of your original. Highly compressed codecs often don't transcode as cleanly. ProRes 422 will transcode over several generations and not lose a bit of image quality.

1- Format/codec of original media?
2- How much color grading and effects are you using?
3- Format/codec of desired exported files?

What Ben says.

If, as you say, your footage comes from GoPro, Sony A7R or Canon DSLR the answer is very simple: no there will be no difference in quality whatsoever wether you export from optimized media or from the original media.

- Ronny

Thanks for the replies,
Good points.... I know I'll be adding some effects, chroma keying, titles, music, etc. for much of my editing. As for exporting my final master file for those type of projects, I could try a portion in both Optimized ProRes 422 and Original to see if there is any quality loss. Of course I would need to make two separate files to do so. Thanks again, Ray

Keying will be easier with optimized ProRes than H.264 originals. At least in my experience. I also optimize anything I'm going to retime. Other than that, I use 7D and GoPro Hero3+ native clips all the time.

Thanks for the tips..... Ray