Black screen when Toggle Proxies is ON

[TomPerys]

Hi

I have problems with toggle proxies. Iam new to PP so Iam sorry if this is stupid question but I didnt find any helpful answer so far....

See this image: Imgur

I made proxis with the options "QuickTime" and "1280x720 Gopro CineForm" (because someone was suggesting to use the cineform for proxies). I turned the toggle proxies icon on (blue color) but all video files or even photograps on my timeline are black and doesnt matter if I just click to some time on the timeline or if I try to play it.

Most tutorials suggest to change the render settings to software only to fix this error (or just close and reopen the PP). But this doesnt work at all. I tried to set the software only option or set the OpenCL back. I tried to close and reopen the PP. I even tried to install the most recent AMD drivers and restart. Nothing works for me. The only think that works is turning the proxies off. Then the videos and photos are back. But when I turn the proxies ON there is no way to fix the black screen. Or am I doing something wrong ?????

[MyerPj]

Did you try playing a few of the proxy files just using VLC or PotPlayer? Making sue they work.

Your photo barely shows the timeline, but it looks like you might have some 'danger' bars going across the clip which indicates no data from the clip.

do the proxy files play ok?

[TomPerys]

The proxie files plays just fine in VLC

[MyerPj]

In your project you can add 'proxy' fields to the metadata, that will tell you if they are attached and where PP is looking for them.

By the way, you drop the "Actual" file onto the timeline and not the proxy. AND you do not import the Proxies into the project only the original files are imported.

[TomPerys]

what you mean by that - "you drop the Actual file onto the timeline and not the proxy." ? In every tutorial there is just taht you import some videofile to your project, drag it to the timeline and then create the proxy and turn it on throught that toggle proxies icon and thats all. I didnt saw anyone would import the peoxy file and drag it to the timeline instead of the original file...

I see the proxy file linked to the actual video files in the project. Do I really need to replace all the "actual files" in the timeline fot the proxy files? If so, can it be done somehow in bulk?

I maybe find the problem with the black screen - I have one video file as effect in the very top video layer (its "Super 8 Film Look - Wide Boarder.mov") and when I turn the track outpud OFF (eye icon in timeline) it suddenly shows the video. Seems this effect somehow doesnt work in this toggle proxies mode. But still even when the video is visible (with the toggle output off for the effect layer), its still laggy. I tried to import the proxy file and drag it to the timeline at the end and even when its smaller (I need to change the scale for it to fit the screen) ist fast. So that proves what you are saying. But besides that the tutorials doesnt mention that, if I drag the proxy file in the timeline what happend in the final export? How the PP will know whats the master file if I only import the proxy file... the exported video will have same resolution as the proxy or am I wrong ??

[MyerPj]

OK, you have re-read what I said.

You do not import the proxy files, only the original. And also you drop the original files onto the timeline not the proxies (which should not be listed inside the project).

Start a new project,

Drop in your original video files (to the project window)

Select them and right-click them and under Proxy 'Create Proxies'

Let them create.

When done, drag one of the files into the timeline.

Make sure the proxy button on the program monitor is on (blue)

Does it work?

[TomPerys]

Ok, yes seems this worked well in new project.

But I did a lot of work on the existing project - there is a lot of video / photo files aligned with the audio and I cant do it all again from scratch. Is there anything I could to with the existing project?

[MyerPj]

Were those the same steps as you did on the project that isn't working well? If you did something different than may be related to what problem you are having using the proxies.

Make a copy of the current project and using that remove the effects, etc and see if you can find what is causing the problem. If so, then you can quit and re-open the original project and then have to work to fix it.

[TomPerys]

The only thing I did differently was that I dragged the original files to the timeline first and after that I created the proxy files and turn the proxies on.

[TomPerys]

Ok I probably see the cause, I applied also the Lumetri color changes. This seems to be ONE of the issues. When I delete this effect the preview is fast (I mean when I move the actual point in the timeline through this video file). When I try to play it ist still a bit laggy and thats because of the scratches video effect on the layer above that....

So without color change and effects its fast. But I guess this finding is useless because I need those color changes and old "dust scratches" effects so ....

EDIT: I just tried it on the new project, same video files, proxies then I add the Lumetri color changes and then I add the scratches file effect and it plays just fine and fast... so I have no idea what the difference.

[MyerPj]

You can try it on your test project that you made for the proxies, see how Lumetri affects things. You can turn individual effects off in the Effect Control Panel. Just click the little fx in front of the name, thus you still have the settings you made but it wont play back with them until you turn it back on.

You can add a Global FX button to the Program Monitor which will turn off all effect till you turn them back on:

[TomPerys]

Sure this works... but it doesnt explain why in the new project the video is fast even without furning the FX off. Not sure if the other video files could influence that. The new test proxy project is just one video file with that one scratches effects file. The existing project has way more video files and photograps on the timeline. So I even tried to delete all from the timeline so that I would have just the one video file with that scratches file effect and its laggy anyway. The new project however isnt.... what do I missing?

[MyerPj]

Might have caught some corruption in the original project. You can try a new project and then IMPORT a timeline from the original project, see if it runs better. Note what Ann said, things like warp and Lumetri for some situations slow things down. I've been working on a project with proxies and it's all working pretty well. One the few clips I've used warp or After Effects I export to a Cineform file and use that to keep things moving along quickly.

[Ann Bens]

You dont drag proxy file into the timeline.

You drop the original files from the Project window into the timeline and turn on the toggle for Proxies in the Program Monitor.

Your sequence settings should match the original files.

Premiere will now use the proxy files

On a side note when using Warp Stabilizer Premiere will use the original files: it cannot do its job on proxy files.

When it comes to export Premiere will automatically use the original files.

What effects are you using as your render bar is red: hence the lag.

[TomPerys]

Iam just using this boarder Super 8 Film Look - Wide Boarder on Vimeo and this scratches Super 8 downloadable scratches, dust and noise. on Vimeo ... the boarder is through whole timeline (all videos and photos) and the scratches are just above video files....