Codecs, bitrate and proxies: a video file guide

As quality rises, file management matters more. Three key ideas: codec, bitrate and proxy.

A codec is how video is compressed. H.264/H.265 keep files small — great for delivery but hard to edit heavily. Editing codecs like ProRes are larger but smoother to edit and preserve quality.

Bitrate is data per second: higher usually means better quality and bigger files; pick it for your delivery target. Intra-frame codecs store each frame separately (ideal for editing); Long-GOP saves space but is heavier to process. Proxies make heavy footage editable, relinking to originals for export — so even a modest computer can cut 4K smoothly. Good storage and backups complete the workflow.