Is it possible for me to reasonably complete this project?

[kruegkyl]

TLDR; working on a project with huge .mxf files, need to know if my system is even capable of handling them.

Basically I freelance edit for an ad agency that mainly makes ads for social. We have ties with a client that had a TV ad made by a diff ad agency. They asked us if we can make a few edits to the vid and we agreed before fully understanding the scope of the project (our bad).

Originally they had sent over a 3TB + Google Drive before we requested physical drives for the footage and assets. Got the drives but they were formatted incorrectly and not compatible with PC.

I used HFSE Explorer to access the files and extracted them onto a compatible drive, had to go through and manually re-link all of the assets unfortunately because whoever edited the first few cuts was pulling from a ton of different drives.

I finally got all the assets linked, but now it's looking like I have no access to any previously made proxy files so I'll have to proxy the files again myself. The largest file I saw was a 60gb clip (probably around 3 mins in length) the footage is all shot .mxf so the files are huuuuuuuuge.

I have a budget freelancer's setup that's capable of editing 4k files no problem but I've never yet encountered files THIS big. Every time I load premiere the screen just blanks out and stays like that until I restart my PC like 5 times (pic attached - see "media pending' pic).

I was able to get the project open a few times, and when I tried to proxy the footage, both Premiere and Media Encoder crashed (tried about 20 times).

I've spent the last 5 hrs doing everything I can think of in terms of cache clearing. preference resetting, etc.

I don't think transcoding the footage into a diff file format is a good idea because since this is a TV ad, I'd assume the .mxf files are there for a reason and wouldn't want to send over the project with .mp4 formatted vids (idk really first time doing anything for TV so not super sure of the protocol there).

I've attached a pic of my specs as well, would anyone be able to tell me if this is even possible to do on my PC? And if so what are some next steps that I can take in order to speed this process up as much as possible? Anything would be greatly appreciated thanks!

[Richard M Knight]

I think you may be short on memory.

[Toxos]

Hey there,

It sounds like you've got quite a challenge with those massive .mxf files for the TV ad project. Your PC setup is good for regular 4K editing but handling files of this size is pushing it. Here are some friendlier tips to help you out:

Check Your PC Specs: Your computer has an i7-9700K processor and 32GB of RAM, which is decent for editing but might struggle with really large files like those 60GB .mxf clips.

Go Easy with Proxies: Since the original files are too hefty to handle directly, try using proxies. But don't overload your system, create proxies for smaller batches of files or even one at a time.

Proxy Settings: When making proxies, choose a simpler codec and lower resolution that's easier on your PC. This helps keep quality up while giving your system a breather.

Speedy Storage: Store your project files, cache, and proxies on a speedy SSD rather than a slower HDD. This can make a big difference in performance.

Take It Easy on Premiere: Don't load up too many assets at once in Premiere Pro. Keep your project organized and focus on smaller sections to avoid overwhelming your PC.

Keep an Eye on Resources: Check how your PC is handling things by monitoring CPU, GPU, and RAM usage. This can help you spot any performance issues.

Update Everything: Make sure your operating system and editing software are up to date. Sometimes updates can bring performance improvements.

Stay Positive: If things are still tough, consider seeking help from someone with more powerful hardware or professional post-production services.

I hope these tips make the editing process a bit smoother for you. Hang in there, you got this! If you have any more questions or need further advice, feel free to ask. Good luck with the project! :clapper_board: