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mikecox_
mikecox_
Inspiring
March 18, 2025
Question

Pr bogging down with huge media files

  • March 18, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 465 views
I have 490 video clips, ranging from 8GB to 40 MB, that take up 165 GB of the folder they reside in.
How do I manage them?
My ignorance may be obvious to everyone but me, but I'm a relative novice. I've never worked with this much media in a single project before.
The keywords in the question are: "bogged down.
Just creating previews takes forever. I thought previews were a one time thing but I alway have to wait for them.  But even after they are created they bog down.  This just isn't right.  I've hade my IT service "tune up" my system and it aways get a clearn bill of health.  So what can  do? I havent' experienced anything like this before. 
I'm using a Think-pad: i9-10885HH CPU @ 2.40 GHz, with 32.0 GB, 64-bit OS, x64_based processor.
Graphics: Opt for windows games On, accelerated GPI On,
Something I've noticed a lot, generally: Once or twice a day both my monitors, and ThinkPad screens go black for several seconds, then come back; just as they were. It's like they are resetting for some reason. It only happens when I'm working, and not always in Pr.
 

    2 replies

    R Neil Haugen
    R Neil Haugen
    Legend
    March 18, 2025

    The more assets to track, the larger the Premiere project file, and the more RAM/cache it takes to load it all in so Premiere can function. Past a certain point, everything    s   l   o   w  s     .  .  .   d  o  w   n .... 

     

    Because it's having to dump cache to load other parts of the project, then repeat over and over.

     

    Which is where Productions comes in. That's designed for handling massive data amounts without bogging down. Unlike stand-alone projects.

     

    In Production mode, you start by creating a new Production in Premiere. It creates a file on disc for the Production ... and then within the Production panel, which is similar to a Project panel, you create sub-folders to organize your project ... like media, sound library, graphics, sequences, finishing ... say.

     

    Then within those subfolders, you make projects ... to house assets! ... like you use bins in stand-alone projects. So a project for Day 1, Day 2, or say Red, then Arri, then Broll ... in the Media folder. And on and on in the other subfolders.

     

    You simply drag media from a media project to a timeline in the Sequence project to create sequences. No duplications, as Premiere tracks every clip back to its "home" project file.

     

    In fact, it's even awesome working method for small shops like me ... as within a Production, I can have folders for B-roll, sound libraries, graphics, and for different project types, clients, whatever.

     

    And all my audio libraries, graphics, special templated sequences, b-roll, everything ... is available for use in any project of the Production.

     

    I love working in Productions mode.

    Premiere Pro Productions Introduction

    Using Productions in Premiere Pro

    Adobe Long-form and Episodic Best Practices Guide 


    Jarle’s blog expansion of the pdf Multicam section: Premiere Pro Multicam

     

     

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...
      mikecox_
      mikecox_Author
      Inspiring
      March 18, 2025

      Thanks for sharing this, I'm definately curious. I am a rank amatour; why which I mean I'm mostly a "bobbyest", working on small projcts for friends and aquantnces, so it may be overkill for me, but I will dejinately check it out. Thanks again.

      Using Win 11
      R Neil Haugen
      R Neil Haugen
      Legend
      March 18, 2025

      Compared to many of the people I'm around online and when at NAB ... me too! Wowza, the experience and skills of many people I know are amazing.

       

      But there are some areas where my experience, background, and learning emphases have been quite productive. So like most people, there's some things I have good knowledge of, and many things ... not nearly so much. If at all. And in my experience, that's very typical.

       

      Where it bites is when, like this, you suddenly get a job or task a bit out of your normal routine. And I've been there/done that so many times I wore out the t-shirt and threw it away a long, long time ago.

       

      Productions is at first confusing, but it actually is quite easy to get going in it. And once you do, most users don't like "going back".

       

      One of the keys to mentally understanding is that it actually creates an entire folder structure on disc ... not just the "theoretical" organization of project panel bins.

       

      And you use that folder structure to organize the housing of projects, and organizing projects to house assets.

       

      It can be organized in virtually any way you find useful, so how you structure your folders and in them, projects, isn't as important as that you are consistent, and name folders and projects so you immediately see what will be in each.

      Everyone's mileage always varies ...
      Kevin-Monahan
      Community Manager
      Kevin-MonahanCommunity Manager
      Community Manager
      March 18, 2025

      Hi @mikecox_,

      Thanks for the message. It's a good question. It sounds like you want a smoother workflow with the media you are using. Perhaps you are talking about creating proxies (not previews). Is that right? You can use the "Ingest" procedure so you do not have to wait for these to complete before you start working.

       

      If you are still experiencing performance issues with proxy files, something else is amiss. Some people are experiencing a bug on dual monitor systems and versions of Windows have trouble moving clips around the timeline and editing to the timeline. That could be contributing to your frustration. Try updating Windows to be free of the bug.

       

      As for your GPU issues, you might try 1) launch with the Shift key pressed and delete the media cache from the Reset Options dialog box and/or 2) Finding and downloading the latest studio driver from NVIDIA or AMD and doing a clean installation of that.

       

      I hope the advice may help you.

       

      Thanks,
      Kevin

       

      Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community & Engagement Strategist – Pro Video and Audio
        mikecox_
        mikecox_Author
        Inspiring
        March 18, 2025
        I appreciate your response.
        I've worked with Proxies in the past, but not in this case.
        I dragged these clips into Pr from a SSD. I understand that is the same as using the Import option.
        I hadn't given any thought to the Ingest option. Is that common alternative to Import?
        I am as dumb as a stick when it comes to upgrading NVIDIA. I am totally lost on their website and I'm terrified of doing damage. But I have "Geek Squad" maybe they can do it for me.
        Using Win 11
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