Editing 4K, 6K, or 8K footage natively will choke most systems. Proxies let you edit with lightweight files and automatically swap back to full resolution for export — zero quality loss.
Creating Proxies
- Select your media in the Project panel
- Right-click > Proxy > Create Proxies
- Choose your preset: ProRes Proxy (Mac) or GoPro CineForm (Windows) at 1280x720 or 1/4 resolution
- Set destination — a dedicated proxy drive keeps things organized
- Adobe Media Encoder queues and transcodes in the background
Toggling Proxies
Add the Toggle Proxies button to your Program Monitor toolbar (click the + icon). Blue means proxies are active; click to switch to full-res for color checks or detail review.
Why This Matters for 8K
At Southbound Studios we shoot primarily on RED cameras at 8K resolution. Without proxies, even a high-spec workstation struggles with real-time playback. Our proxy workflow lets editors work at full speed on standard hardware while preserving the full 8K quality chain through to final delivery.