Transcode

To transcode is to convert media from one codec, container or set of parameters to another — for example converting H.265 streaming files to ProRes 422 HQ for editorial, or converting ARRI RAW to DNxHR for offline proxy generation. Transcoding is essential at multiple stages of post-production: ingest (camera originals converted to editorial-grade mezzanine codecs), proxy generation (high-res masters down-sampled to lightweight editorial proxies), VFX delivery (final-resolution plates converted to 16-bit OpenEXR), and final delivery (master files compressed to target streaming or broadcast specifications). Transcoding can be either lossy (visual quality decreases each generation, especially if going to a smaller-bitrate codec) or lossless (if the target codec supports lossless encoding, like ProRes 4444 XQ or DNxHR 444). Multiple-generation lossy transcoding causes 'codec stacking' artifacts, particularly visible on text overlays, gradients and high-saturation areas — best practice is to avoid intermediate lossy transcodes when possible. Tools for transcoding include dedicated apps (Adobe Media Encoder, Telestream Vantage, Colorfront Transkoder, ffmpeg), workflow systems (Avid Media Composer's AMA workflow, DaVinci Resolve's Media Page transcoding), and cloud services (AWS MediaConvert, Frame.io transcoding). On-set DITs run their own transcoding pipelines to produce deliverable dailies overnight, often in parallel across multiple machines.