This article was first published in the August, 2009, issue of
Larry's Final Cut Pro Newsletter. Click here to subscribe.

Wtih the release of Final Cut Studio (3), Apple has expanded the ProRes codec family to now include five members:

* ProRes Proxy
* ProRes LT
* ProRes 422
* ProRes 422 HQ
* ProRes 4444 (called 4-by-4)

Here's a table that illustrates the difference in file sizes of each version.

NOTES

* All versions of ProRes use variable-bit-rate encoding, so the actual data rate and file sizes will differ somewhat from this table. In most cases, they will be smaller.

** ProRes 4444 is listed without including the alpha channel. As alpha channel sizes vary wildly, it is hard to predict the ultimate ProRes file size.

Several important points to make:

1. ProRes can only be encoded (created) on a Mac. However, it can be played back on both Windows and Mac systems. However, encoding is VERY slow on non-Intel systems, and is not recommended.
   
   
2. ProRes is highly-optimized for multi-core systems. It provides a very fast rendering speed; earlier versions of ProRes rendered up to 40% faster on systems that I've tested.
   
   
3. All of these versions have exactly the same specifications EXCEPT for the data rate they support. Lower data rates create smaller files, however, with a trade off in quality.
   
   
4. All versions of ProRes support what Apple calls YUV (YCbCr) color space. ProRes 4444 also supports RGB color space.
   
   
5. Although Apple makes a point of referring to ProRes Proxy for creating very small files for off-lining projects. The process of converting an off-line to an on-line can be burdensome, especially when you could have compressed into one of the higher-quality ProRes versions and bypassed the entire off-line/on-line conform process in the first place. My guess is that ProRes Proxy files will best be used in Final Cut Server and other environments where long-term retention of a version of the file make small file size important.
   
   
6. With the release of ProRes 4444, there is no reason to use the Animation codec on system that have it installed, even if you don't need an alpha channel. (Alpha channels are used when you want to retain the transparency information in a clip.) With or without an alpha channel, ProRes 4444 creates smaller files, with higher quality, than does Animation. And, Final Cut Pro is optimized to play them back.
   
   Therefore, if you are exporting from After Effects, or Photoshop, with or without alpha channels, use ProRes 4444.
   
   
7. If you need to work with multiple HD formats, transcoding (converting) them to ProRes can simplify your entire editing process.
   
   
8. If you are working with R3D files, transcoding them to ProRes 422 HQ reduces their file size and makes working with them much easier than native R3D files -- and, I suspect, you won't be able to see a difference in quality.
   
   As someone pointed out recently, if you want to work with R3D files, use ClipFinder to convert them to ProRes 422 HQ.
   
   
9. My recommendation is that if you are shooting HDV, XDCAM HD, XDCAM EX, or DVCPRO HD, transcode into ProRes 422. If you are shooting R3D, HDCAM, HDCAM SR, or 2k formats, transcode into ProRes 422 HQ. While ProRes can also be used for SD projects, my suggestion is to work with the native codec, such as DV, rather than transcode into ProRes.

UPDATE - Aug. 30, 2009

Luca Immesi adds:

I enjoy your newsletter every month, it's a real valuable source. I'm a film maker and I am one of the Red, Redallert, Clipfinder alpha tester. In your last newsletter there's written to convert the R3D footage to prores 4:2:2 but now the right format is ProRes 4444 as R3D files are 4:4:4, this is suggested also by Red and Apple.

Larry replies: Thanks, Luca! Though it may be easier for some, especially those not going into heavy CGI work, to keep their file sizes smaller and transcode into ProRes 422 HQ.

UPDATE - Aug. 31, 2009

Uli Plank adds:

[Larry, regarding your comment on the llimited difference in quality between ProRes 422 and 4444.] Sorry, not true. ProResHQ is 10 bit only, so you'll loose some latitude for [color] corrections. It can be handled by doing a first-light correction in ClipFinder before transcoding.

But I'd rather use ProRes 4444, which is 12-bit, according to Apple's whitepaper.

Larry replies: Thanks!

Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.

The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. However, the author assumes no liability in case things go wrong. Please use your best judgment in applying these suggestions.

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