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783Final Cut Pro User Guide
You can create optimized and proxy media during the import process or in the browser,
after the media has been imported. You can also create a proxy file for a clip using the
Info inspector. After transcoding is complete, the optimized and proxy files are stored in
your Final Cut Pro library or in an external location you define. See Set storage locations in
Final Cut Pro.
Create optimized and proxy files during import
During import, Final Cut Pro either creates an alias file that points to the media file in its
original location, or creates a copy of the original media file. After the files are imported,
transcoding, optimization, and analysis are performed in the background.
1. In Final Cut Pro, do one of the following:
• Import a file from a compatible file-based recording or storage device, or from
your Mac:
Connect your device to your Mac, turn on the device, and choose File >
Import > Media (or press Command-I), then navigate to and select the media you
want to import.
• Import a file from a tape-based camcorder: Connect your device to your Mac, turn
on the device and set it to VTR or VCR mode, then choose File > Import > Media.
• Import from an archive: Choose File > Import > Media, select a camera archive from
the list on the left, click Open Archive, then navigate to the files you want to import.
See Intro to importing media in Final Cut Pro.
2. Use the settings on the right side of the Media Import window to choose how you want
to organize the imported media in your library:
• Add the imported media to an existing event: Select “Add to existing event,” then
click the pop-up menu and choose the event.
• Create a new event: Select “Create new event in,” use the pop-up menu to choose
the library in which you want to create the event, then type a name (for example,
“Chris and Kim Wedding”) in the text field.
To learn more about events, see
Intro to libraries in Final Cut Pro. If you want to import
media into a new library, you must create the new library before importing your media.
3. In the Files section, choose a storage option:
• Copy the files to the current library: To duplicate the files and place the copies in
the current library storage location, select “Copy to library.” You can set storage
locations for each of your libraries. See
Set storage locations in Final Cut Pro.
• Link to the files at their current location: Select “Leave files in place.”
Note: If you select this option, Final Cut Pro creates symbolic links (also called
symlinks), which are special files that point to the media files. If you later copy or
move clips between events, only the symbolic links are copied or moved (not the
source media files). To replace the symbolic links with the actual source media files,
select the events and choose File > Consolidate Event Files.