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Editing using proxies in Elements 18

New Here ,
Feb 02, 2018 Feb 02, 2018

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Hi all,

    I've been having issues with adobe premiere elements 2018. Namely it crashes when I try to edit video (which kind of defeats the object but never mind)... Having done some research I have discovered that editing 4k video (shot from a GoPro) may be putting too much demand on my machine (apple MacBook Pro 2017) and causing instability a possible workaround was editing using proxies to reduce the workload.

I am not after winning an Oscar for editing, I just want to edit personal videos into something more watchable.

can anyone explain in very simple terms how I can do this in adobe elements 18? The easier the explanation the better. I have only just started editing and bought this software primarily because it got good reviews for being easy.

thank you

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Community Expert ,
Feb 02, 2018 Feb 02, 2018

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James,

Premiere Elements was never intended to use a proxy editing system.   A long time ago, there was a topic on this forum where someone did it anyway!  The procedure was to make low res exact, frame by frame, copies of the original, use them for editing and then replace them with the originals prior to final output.   I don't know if it really works.

Instead of a proxy system, Premiere Elements uses automatic internal previews that are created as media is added to the project.  In effect you are working with copies or "proxies" as you edit.  

"Crashing" should not be happening.  If the computer is strong enough for video editing, there is enough space on your drives, the project settings are correct and the source files are OK, Premiere Elements can be expected to work well.

Unless you've already worked through this on another topic, can you provide the following:

What is the processor in your computer?

How much space is on your drive for video editing?

What are the project settings and how did you set them?

What are the characteristics of your source files as reported in the (free) Mediainfo program.

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New Here ,
Feb 02, 2018 Feb 02, 2018

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Hello,

thank you for your help. I'm pleased to hear that it does it automatically. Ok, well I spent nearly three hours online chat with tech support with him remote controlling my computer to no avail.... here are the answers to your questions:

Macbook pro 13 inch 2017 2,3 GHz Intel Core i5 with 8gb memory

Im not sure how to tell how much space is on my drive for editing... how do I do that?

The project settings, I literally just started a new project. If it helps I am using video shot on a GoPro. checking the file information it is 1920 × 1080 H.264 AAC

Im a bit lost with this so any help you can offer would be great

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New Here ,
Apr 01, 2018 Apr 01, 2018

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I have a similar problem and was looking to use proxies as a work-around. My Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 (all updates) will not load video files: MP4, 4K, h.264, 30 frames per second, taken with a DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone. It returns this error message: "Add Media Failure, Error Message, The importer reported a generic error message." I'm using a 2017 Dell PC, 16 GB ram, Windows 10 with all updates. Adobe Pre18 works fine on other MP4, 4K videos but will not load videos from the Phantom 4. The videos play fine on Windows 10 Media Player. Will you please tell me how to use proxies or some other method to get Adobe Pre18 load and edit these videos?

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Community Expert ,
Apr 01, 2018 Apr 01, 2018

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Would you do one of two things please.

First, put a Phantom clip on DropBox or similar so that I can try it on my Windows 10 computer.  It should work!

Second, if you don't want to do that, would you download the (free) MediaInfo program and use it to examine the file structure.  MediaInfo has a "tree" view.  Cut and past the contents or a screen shot.

A likely possibility is that the Phantom is set to record a "variable frame rate".  Video editing programs like Premiere Elements can have trouble with variable frame rates.  You can change the camera settings, or use the (free) Handbrake program to convert it to a fixed frame rate. 

Another possibility is that the Phantom is set to record using the H.265 codec.  Premiere Elements will not edit H.265 clips and those will need conversion.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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There is no proxy feature in Elements.

Convert the files with HandBrake then import.

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New Here ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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Thank you for the HandBrake link. It does work but the final quality is poor. I don't like paying $150 for a program that says it will do 4K and now it won't work without some additional add-on. Pre18 worked before but now it won't. I've been experimenting and found it's not only the Phantom 4 Pro drone videos that won't load on Adobe Premier Elements 2018; it's nearly every other large 4K video file.  Is there a size limiting option somewhere in Pre18? For example, last month I created an MP4, 4K video on Pre18 using a collage of nine photos with a file size of 282MB; everything worked fine. This month, I tried to add another photo to the collage, but Pre18 wouldn't load the file. Since the file was created on Pre18, then why won't it load now? The only difference between last month and now is that I did update Pre18 about a week ago. The nine-photo MP4, 4K collage plays just fine on Windows Media. I bought Pre18 to edit 4K videos and the program says it will do that. Now it won't.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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Premiere Elements 2018 edits 4K video footage from most common consumer cameras.  There are exceptions, usually due to using H.265 instead of the more common H.264 codec.   There is not a file size limit in the software.  Something is giving you issues that are not common to most users.   

A couple posts above I asked if you could provide samples of the clips you are having issues with.   It is a slow week!  I have the time to see if I can figure it out.

Bill

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New Here ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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Examples are loading into Dropbox now. Should be ready in a couple hours and I'll send the link. These videos were all shot in H.264 codec, same as last month.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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I will look at them when they are ready!

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Community Expert ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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Photos dont behave the same as video.

Elements has a restriction of photo dimensions.

Its not the file size that matters but the resolution (height and width).

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Community Expert ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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Anne,

It may be that Premiere Elements once had a photo dimension restriction.   My experience is that it does not now.  My primary camera takes stills at 5184 x 3188.  Both RAWs and JPEGs of full size import into Premiere Elements with no issues.   A bonus is that if in Lightroom the option to record xmp sidecar files is chosen, Premiere Elements reads the xmp file as it is added to a project.

Bill

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Community Expert ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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Yes but OP does not use Lr.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 02, 2018 Apr 02, 2018

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Ann,

Premiere Elements, through "Add Media" will bring many still images directly into a project, including RAW, JPEG, PSD, TIFF and more. 

Using Lightroom has nothing to do with it other than one option to pre-process RAW and JPEG files. 

Bill

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New Here ,
Apr 03, 2018 Apr 03, 2018

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     -Here is a timeline created with Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 in February. At that time, everything worked fine. Now Pre18 either won't load it or will load only 1 or 2 frames out of the 9: Dropbox - 5.3 Creative, Timeline.mp4

     -Here is a smaller video that Pre18 will open and edit. This was taken March 31, 2018 with the DJI Phantom 4 Pro, 4K, 30 fps, h.264: Dropbox - 4 Rise & Reverse Away.MP4

     -Here is a video taken the same day, March 31, with the P4P, same specs, but Pre18 will not open it. It gives the error "Add Media Failure, Error Message, The importer reported a generic error message." Dropbox - 1.1 Dolly, North to South.MP4

    -I would greatly appreciate your ideas to get Pre18 to work again. And this morning when I tried to open Pre18, it won't open at all.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 03, 2018 Apr 03, 2018

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Dropbox only displays the "Download" button for the first.  I started a new project, put it in with the Add Media procedure and it automatically set up a 4K project.  It plays fine.  I can add images to the project.

Unfortunately I can't try the Phantom footage because DropBox is not providing an option to put it on my computer.   I can play them, but not download them.  I'm not sure what to ask, but can you try to put the Phantom videos on DropBox so I can download. 

If PrE won't open at all, it suggest hardware issues starting with the amount of drive space you have.

Bill

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Community Expert ,
Apr 03, 2018 Apr 03, 2018

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I waited and (oddly) DropBox allowed me to get the other two.  As with Ann, all three functioned normally.  My machine is not new but has an i7, 16GB of RAM and an SSD for editing.  Editing was not jerky.

For the fun of it, I output a 4K file to play on my 4K TV.  It was exceptionally clear and colorful!

Bill

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New Here ,
Apr 09, 2018 Apr 09, 2018

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I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling, used Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool and still having the same problem. My desktop is a 2017 Dell with 16GB Ram, 250GB hard drive space and an i7 processor. Funny thing is this worked until a month ago and now won't work. I also tried on my Samsung ATIV9 laptop where Pre18 worked before. It has also stopped working on my laptop. Everything stopped working after the last update! I give up. I'm very disappointed that many others have the same problems but Adobe cannot fix anything. Why do all the forums say Not Answered at the top?

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Community Expert ,
Apr 09, 2018 Apr 09, 2018

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"this worked until a month ago and now won't work" and "tried on my Samsung ATIV9 laptop where Pre18 worked before. It has also stopped working"

It is really hard when your computer is not functioning correctly.  Premiere Elements is sold to and used by many thousands.  The software is consistently the same.  The variable is the wide variety of computer systems and configurations.  

"Many others" is really a small fraction of the user base that gravitates to forums for help.  The rest are busy making videos. 

The goal needs to be to find out what is going on in your computers to stop ordinary software from running. 

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Community Expert ,
Apr 03, 2018 Apr 03, 2018

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Tested all three and load up just fine.

My machine si quite old do playback is jerky.

Might want to reinstall and Use the Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool to solve installation problems

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New Here ,
Apr 15, 2018 Apr 15, 2018

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LATEST

I've been very frustrated with Adobe unable to offer "fixes" to so many problems. This is verified by all the NOT ANSWERED comments at the beginning of so many threads. The error message "Add Media Failure, Error Message, The importer reported a generic error message" is probably the worst error message ever because it tells nothing and provides no clue where to look. However, I did find a fix to my problem of Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 not loading and not working. A friend suggested I look at the directory on my computer and see if there are fragments leftover from previous Adobe Premier Elements upgrades and installs. I was shocked to find over 30 "fragments," some dating back to four years ago when I first started using Adobe Photoshop. The Control Panel uninstall and Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool did not remove these fragments and they didn't show up on the program list in Control Panel. The last update must have been the conflict tipping point to render everything unusable. I manually removed everything that was labeled Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Premiere, restarted my computer and reinstalled Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Elements 2018. Now it works. I'm glad it's now working, but still very disappointed in Adobe that a cleaner or fix is not included in upgrades or new installs that takes care of these old, conflicting fragments.

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