What is Movie Studio Zen ?

Proxy Video Editing

Proxy Video Editing is a process where you create lower quality Standard Definition copies of your original HD videos and edit/create your project in Sony Vegas Pro or Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum using these lower quality versions. Then once you have finished all your editing you then replace the SD Versions back with the original HD Video files and render your project with them. Proxy Video Editing should totally eliminate any lag in the Preview Window.

Workflow

Step 1

Create two new folders in the Master Video folder on your computer.
#1 HD Originals
#2 HD to SD Proxies

Find all the HD Videos you want to use in your Vegas project and drag them into the #1 HD Originals folder.

Step 2

Convert all the HD Videos into Standard Definition MPEG2 640x360p files. Please make sure you use the EXACT SAME FILE NAME for the HD Originals and SD Proxy Versions you create - this is extremely important, otherwise the process will not work. You can use any Video Converting program you like, but be aware that many of the "free" programs you can download often do not transcode accurately, leaving you with video that is out of sync and a pain to use. My program of choice is Media Converter 7 by Arcsoft. I have been using this program for a while now and it works beautifully for converting AVCHD Video. I have made a tutorial which teaches you how to use Media Converter to create your proxy videos.

Step 3

Set up your new Vegas project using the full HD settings that match your original source video. So if you are making a 1080p project, please set the Vegas Project Properties to 1080p - don't set to Proxy Video size.

Import the Standard Definition Proxy Video file versions from #2 HD to SD Proxies into Vegas and create your project just as you normally would.

Once you have finished editing, please SAVE the project using this naming format "Name of Your Project - SD Version".

Now close Sony Vegas down.