Adobe After Effects User Manual
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For best results, set a proxy so that it has the same frame aspect ratio as the actual footage item. For example, if the actual footage item is a
640x480-pixel movie, create and use a 160x120-pixel proxy. When a proxy item is imported, After Effects scales the item to the same size and
duration as the actual footage. If you create a proxy with a frame aspect ratio that is different from the frame aspect ratio of the actual footage
item, scaling takes longer.
In the Project panel, do any of the following:
To locate and use a proxy, select a footage item, choose File > Set Proxy > File, locate, and select the file you want to use as a proxy,
and click Open.
To toggle between using the original footage and its proxy, click the proxy indicator to the left of the footage name.
To stop using a proxy, select the original footage item, and choose File > Set Proxy > None.
Create a proxy
Use the Create Proxy command to create a proxy from footage or compositions selected in the Project panel or the Timeline panel. This command
adds the selected footage to the Render Queue panel and sets the Post-Render Action option to Set Proxy.
1. Open a footage item or composition in the Project or Timeline panel.
2. Move the current-time indicator in the Footage panel to the frame that you want to use as the proxy still item, or for the poster frame for the
movie footage item.
3. Choose one of the following commands:
File > Create Proxy > Still to create a still image proxy.
File > Create Proxy > Movie to create a moving image proxy.
4. Specify a name and output destination for the proxy.
5. In the Render Queue panel, specify render settings, and click Render.
Create placeholders for output
You can create placeholder files that can be used in different compositions. For example, you can create a placeholder for an item in the render
queue that will create a 24-fps movie and then drag that placeholder into a 30-fps composition. Then, when you render the 30-fps composition,
After Effects first renders the placeholder at 24 fps and uses this rendered version as it renders the 30-fps composition.
Drag the Output Module heading for a queued item from the Render Queue panel to the Project panel. After Effects creates a placeholder for
output in the Project panel and sets the Post-Render Action option for the item to Import & Replace Usage.
Additional resources for working with placeholders and proxies
Trish and Chris Meyer give tips on prerendering and proxies in After Effects in
Andrew Kramer provides a video tutorial with tips for working with proxies, output modules, and output module templates on the
Jeff Almasol provides a script on his
that creates, sets, and unsets proxies and placeholders.
Charles Bordenave (nab) provides a script on the
with which you can create proxies for multiple selected items.
Chris and Trish Meyer explain how to use Footage Proxies with RED footage in After Effects with
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