"Compacting" a FCP project for archival

I know that there's a function in FCP, where you can re-render media (and add handles, if you like) and thus save disk space, but still being able to edit the project (but only with the re-rendered assets).
But I've forgotten what settings to use, to make sure you get everything you need along.
Aside from QT files, will also other assets (audio, stills, PSDs, etc) be transferred to the new location?
Should I think of something special when doing this, so that I won't loose any data?

What you are looking for is Media Manager. (File Media Manager)
The manual explains a lot about it. So read that part first.
Things to remember:
1. Media Manager works on the items you select in the Browser. So it is possible to media manage a few sequences at once.
2. In order to have only the used length of footage, the clips must have a reelname. Otherwise the whole original footage will be copied.
3. I had some troubles with Freeze frames and speedchanges in Media Manager in okder versions of FCP, so always check if everything came along, before you delete original footage....
Rienk

Similar Messages

Export to FCP Project and have 4+ channels of audio

I am trying to export my FCP projects for archive and maintain each track of audio as an independent track once it is converted to Quicktime format.
The process I have been using is as follows: FILE>EXPORT>QUICKTIME MOVIE... but it is just mixing everything down to two channels...
Does anyone know how to export and maintain each channel of audio, creating a QuickTime movie that had 4+ channels of audio.

Hi -
For FCP 7:
Click on your timeline.
Type Command - 0 (Zero) and click on the Audio Outputs Tab.
Change the number of outputs you want, and set the track pairs up as stereo or dual mono, as you want.
Click OK, a warning dialog box will come up that you can dismiss.
On the timeline, Option-Click on each audio track right below the auto-select toggle icon, and from the drop down menu, route the track to the desired output track.
When done, export the Quicktime movie.
The only way you will verify that all the tracks are there is to either open the exported quicktime in Quicktime pro and menu Window > Show Movie Properties. You'll see the additional tracks listed there -OR- just import the exported movie back into FCP and bring it up in the Viewer, you'll see all the audio tracks.
Make sure you restore your sequence back to two channel ouput, if you want, when you are done.
Hope this helps.

Archive a FCP Project to DVD (with used captures only)

Is there a way to backup a project with USED Captures only.
So, the FCP file with the used captures, delteing all the unused captures.
Would be a great option to use or make correction in the future!

Backing up to DVD is probably the worst type of archive, not just because of the limited data space available but because the disks do deteriorate as a vastly increased speed compared to tape.
Even hard drives, if used for archiving and just left on a shelf can fail because they are not used!
Tape is still the best and most reliable.
We've been experimenting with Bluray data backups but of course, always have a tape back up on top of that!

Archive FCP project to device?

So, I've been archiving audio, video, and graphics to our Superloader 3a like a mad dog. Everything's been going great -- until I tried to archive a FCP project. When I right-click on that asset, there's no "Archive" option. Shouldn't I be able to archive projects? Or, I'm I misunderstanding the purpose of the archive feature. Is it only supposed to be for content?
Message was edited by: Daro Walker

I think the main point of archiving in Final Cut Server is to free up space on a Device. Since project files are relatively small this shouldn't be a major concern.
~D

HT4589 Is there a recomended way to delete proxy and optimized clips once a project is completed and is ready for archive? also, can proxy and optimized clips be removed (to save space) once a project is ready for color correction and the original clips a

Is there a recomended way to delete proxy and optimized clips once a project is completed and is ready for archive? also, can proxy and optimized clips be removed (to save space) once a project is ready for color correction and the original clips are used

No, they are NOT the same as proxy or optimized.
When you add a clip to your timeline and, say, apply an effect to it, or superimpose a title on the clip, FCP X has to make many calculations to determine what color each pixel of each frame should be. If a section of your timeline is not rendered, it has to do all these calculations every time you play those frames. A render file has the frames already "calculated", so it plays fast and smoothly.
For simple compositions and a fast computer, you may avoid rendering completely - and you may also choose to only render the portions where playback stutters.
Render files can be safely deleted. FCP X can recreate them if needed (either automatically if you have "background render" on, or on demand, when you select the "render" or "render all" commands).

I have Video camera movies that are HD format.. I am doing editing work on them using Final Cut Pro, but using DV PAL format for the projects I am editing. When I then tried to copy my work done in FCP Project that's originally DV PAL , into a new FCP Pro

I have Video camera movies that are HD format.. I am doing editing work on them using Final Cut Pro, but using DV PAL format for the projects I am editing. When I then tried to copy my work done in FCP Project that's originally DV PAL , into a new FCP Project that is HD, and tried reconnect media with original HD movies (video), the sequence project got distorted for all the text, shapes used and all.. everything changed its orientation and scale.. Is there a way by which I can preserve my work done on DV PAL and switch it preserving its proportions, scale and orientation, but on a HD project sequence?? Appreciate your help and advice..

Yes. A couple of ways that might work.
First Way
What you need to do is load one of your hd clips in the viewer and edit into a new HD sequence. Does it display correctionly?
OK, select the clip in the hd timeline and copy (command-c). Now go to the HD sequence with the material that's distorted. Select all (command-a) and paste attributes (option-v) and choose basic motion and distort. That should maek things work. What won't work is anything that you've adjusted as far as basic motion or distort in your PAL sequence. That I'm pretty sure you'll have to redo.
Second Way.
Choose your original PAL sequence and do a Media Manage changing the sequence preset to the appropriate HD paramenters with the media offline. You then should be able to reconnect these clips with your original HD media.

Best Method For Importing Clips Between FCP Projects

What is the best method for importing clips between FCP 7.0.3 projects? I am wondering whether or not pulling the clips from the Capture Scratch folder is the way to go or will using Import from the new FCP project create a new folder in Capture Scratch with the imported clips? I have a new HD camcorder with different clips for different projects and Log and Transfer makes it so easy to bring them all in at once but now wondering how best to separate them into separate Capture Scratch folders for each project.

well, I simply either drag them in to the new/different project from the finder, or drag or copy and paste between open fcp projects. Never had any problems working this way. Just remember that if you delete a specific project scratch disk folder, you may be deleting media used in another project.

PROBLEM Compressing FCP PROJECT into file for DVDPRO

**this is my information...**
I'm EXPORTING a FCP project which is 45 minutes in length. I EXPORT it to COMPRESSOR. COMPRESSOR opens and shows the FILE in up LEFT box where I drag Presets. It gives me the PROJECT NAME but in the little picture box it just shows the FCP ICON. I know when I EXPORT a QT movie of a FCP project, a frame of the project appears in the little box where I drag the presets. This time it doesn't. So I don't know if that's an issue. I'm using DVD preset "DVD: Best Quality 90 minutes". It begins to compress the FCP file which takes roughly 2 hours. I check and it says it's "successful". BUT when I open DVDPRO and import the project to burn there is only ONE FILE not TWO FILES which would be the AUDIO and the VIDEO file. so DVDPRO does not recognize this and it won't burn. What do I do? THANKS for you help. Andy

Try exporting the sequence as a self-contained file using "current settings". This should result in one file with all the quality of what was on the timeline. Make sure this is in a folder located on your scratch (non-system) drive.
Then, open up Compressor, drag in the just created file, apply the "DVD best 90 minutes" preset making sure both the m2v and ac3 compressor actions are included and set the output directory to "Source".
Let it run.
Do you have .m2v and .ac3 files located in the same folder as the original self contained .mov file when complete?
x

Saving project for all versions of fce & fcp

I have been using fce on the move for a project but now i cant open in in final cut pro hd.
Is there any way of saving the project for all versions or older versions in particular.

Final Cut is not backwards compatible, but it might help if you give the exact version numbers you're talking about.

Best way to archive projects for future use

I use Adobe Premiere Pro CS4,but this is a more generic question. I shoot videos that people want to save for a long time. I burn my projects to DVD's (or Blue-ray discs if the client does not mind the cost). DVD's can be destroyed, lost, wear out. What is the best way to preserve these memories? I know that some people charge the client and use a dedicated external hard drive for each project. What technique is not too expensive, but will last the longest?
Thanks,
Lisa

OK, I meant to tack this question with my last one, my client wants me to take her 1 hour video and compress it to a format that she can store/watch on her own hard drive. What format would retain audio and video quality best, and not be enormous and still be able to run on a computer (ie not burned to a DVD or Blu-ray Disc)?
Second part to this question:
one of my projects is 5 years old - not done on a external hard drive - which means that I can no longer access the project for conversion purposes. What choices do I have if I only have a DVD disc to convert to a file that can play/be stroed on a computer?
Thanks

Upload FCP Projects and Associated Media to a Production

Hi,
This sounds very silly but I`m really disappointed and can`t figured out how to do it.
Is there a way to upload a *.fcp project and associate NOT ONLY the project but ALSO the Media that this project contains?
In other words, if I upload a FCP project and choose a Production to be associated the production is created but ONLY the FCP Project Asset is inside this production, not the whole medias.
A scan production (for the FCP file) also doesn`t work.
What works is uploading all media and associating to a production or do a Scan production into a directory with medias. But my FCP and Medias are in distinct places and a thought that FCP project could help me cleaning the Media directories (by uploading the project and after all medias are catalogued archiving them, so the rest in directories are useless).
The work around would be:
1- to do a Scan Production in the Media files and after that uploading a FCP project associating with that Production, but as I`ve said I can`t just scan the entire Media as it`s very messy and with this way I could be guaranteed that my important assets are catalogued (and archived) and the left ones in the messy directories could be quick filtered to exclusion and cleaning without worries.
2- to upload a FCP and associate to a production and after that manually move fcp associated assets to this production (this almost impossible because the limitation of 200 assets per page).
Can some one propose a better way?
Regards

No, you are correct, but unfortunately these are Elements (inside the FCP project) and not real Assets. So for instance, if you fill in the annotations on the Asset it will not show on the Elements (inside FCP projects) and vice-versa. You can`t do a lot of other things as well with elements as you can with assets.
So I would like to have a Production with all media created automatically when a FCP project is uploaded (or scanned).
Regards

Advice for keeping high quality files for archiving

I'm contemplating archiving here. I love reference files because they are pretty small in file size and don't compress. However, I have to worry that all my files will remain in the same exact place forever. I have found that is not always the case for whatever reason. Then there is self-contained reference files. A great idea...I don't have to worry about moved files but the file size is enormous. I do long videos (sometimes an hour or so) so file size is really important to me.
Is there anyway I can do a self-contained reference file but somehow reduce the file size or something? I know I'm throwing a bone here but I figured I would ask because my current scenario is not improving daily. I know I can put my hour or whatever to tape but that essentially is compressing it and I'm using valuable time. Any advice?

HI Lowsky, I been down this road some time back and my opinion is that if you are working in any workflows associated with CMFs (contemporary media format) in a tapeless workflow then storing your LONG TERM content as CMF's on spinning disk will eventually lead to misery and a hopeless state of anger and heartache. Spinning disk is not the long term answer.
refer here for lots of detail: I have post this detail in another forum at
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21284&page=6
*Archiving FCP Media Manager Projects, essence, import/transfer material.. etc*
Aside from many testimonials about DISK being faster (more accessible?) and convenient, storing content on spinning disk is a like as a child having all the toys you could imagine but only playing with your 3-4 favourites. (replace with any analogy). Simply you only need the stuff around on disk that you actually use a lot or currently.
I (and I'm not alone) don't trust and disk storage system unless you buy enterprise level disk arrays with some fault tolerance and smart disk array controllers AND that you have at least multiple instances of the content. I qualify ENTERPRISE disk systems - these at $USD5.00-$USD10.00/GB+. I mean those disk arrays from I,T. vendors, and M&E guys like Isolon, DDN, Apple, HP, Copan and their 40+ ilk.
The affordable stuff most of us is around $USD0.25-$USD0.75/GB - SATA and lowest end HBA's or simple controllers. Basically just spinning +power soaking heat dissipating buckets+ to put our content into. (USB | FW or the external JBOD disk enclosues with an HBA or higher FC disk arrays)
Most of these are enterprise disk storage systems that are out of the price range of many on this forum...
Devices like DROBO™ are cute but they are way way too slow (29MB/s when not busy consolidating itself ) and are very limited on their architecture for VIDEO work (useless). I gave mine away after a week to a photographer.
Alternatives like many sets of external and detachable and mobile spinning disks, leaving them spun down until use offer a great odea however unless the disk controller is savvy, you may as well have a bank of el cheapo Le Cie 1TB death disks and get on your knees and face the moon when you power them up.. (Good = luck with that!) mode=:rant
*Viable Archive Solutions for CMFs?*
After looking for viable solutions to by content storage problem after moving to a tapeless workflow with my HVX200 and P2, AND losing on two separate occasions a whole 1TB external disk (Le Cie).. losing most of the data of two drives (2 x 1TB over 4 months).. I have had it with disks!
For me, Disk storage should only be used like a +kitchen table+ for immediate and current and frequently accessed work. Like the +toy analogy+, hen not in use, put the toys away somewhere where they will not be damaged (the content objects) (like a large toy box or cupboard) that you can access with ease. (not the garden shed out the back nor the attic else it will never be used). This is workflow is simple enough..
My first thought for managing FCP media manager archives, P2 footage and final composites was to use BD's.. however the cost for the content that was wanted to archive was not cost effective. I had literally 100's of old video tapes, DV , HDV and ye old video8 rubbish that I needed to move to a CMF, all accessible via proxies and metadata (a la CATDV™ a mam from squarebox.co.uk). The restriction was COST of BD or DVD-DL media and worse the time of write and then access the material ESSENCE when I needed it.
I even looked for a while at many 100's of DVD-5's which in Hong Kong are as cheap as free beer coasters in a bar. I would buy them in canisters of 100's at a time. Simply these are cost effective using TOAST to make multivolumes self extracting archives, but are SOOOooooo slow to write and then access.
So I turned to looking at the economies and workflows of using LTO4 Ultrium data tape drive. I was quite surprised at the reasonable cost.
The cost of Ultrium LTO4 data tape media of to 800GB native for prices that are as cheap as $USD1.40/GB as pure media (the tape cartridge itself).It depend where you buy them and at what quantity. Of course there are the necessary offset/initial costs of the data tape drive AND the SAS HBA you will need for your mac. (LTO4 Ultrium @ $USD2700 and $USD150+ for SAS HBA). Much cheaper fo Ultrium LTO3 but lower data rates and capacities.
NExt year HP et al will have Ultrium LTO5 out at 1.5TB RAW/native capacity as their roadmap suggests.
THe uncompressed / RAW data rates of LTO4 Ultrium data tape drives for ARCHIVING material is for me between 105MB-109MB/sec (that's megabytes).. simply BLOWS any firewire 800 interface out of the water. There are many variables however essentially for people like us whose business is content creation or even the part timer who doesn't want to lose stuff, this is really worth a look. Again it will depend on the software you utilise. I use Tolisgroups BRU.
Just do the sums on the time it takes you to archive (or copy to another disk system [BD or DVD-5, DVD 9, et or a spindle) lets say 4 hours of DVCPROHD 1080P (110Mbs or just over 1GB/minute). You can see that this is a lot of content and will take a great deal of time.
This works out at roughly 240GB.
I think this will take over 500 minutes (6 hours? @ 2min/GB)+ to COPY on a FW400 interface and slightly less on a FW800 interface.
However it takes a mere 2200 second or 36 minutes using an LTO4 SAS Ultrium tape drive (with no tape mount/dismount timeloadlocate)!
On a lesser scale, a look at DDS tapes for the low end. These are despite rumours/myths are quite stable and work well with the right software on the mac and the mac laptop.
I am having great success with this archive and recall system using Tolisgroups BRU that is NATIVE for OSX.
I have posted some very recent information on the two SAS PCIe HBAs I am using (ATTOTECH and LSI) and the two tape drives I am using (HP and QUantum).
For LTO4 Ultrium SAS tape drives I would recommend only HP and ATTOTECH EXPRESSSAS as this is reliable and very stable and very fast for OSX.
I am very happy with this archive/recall workflow using LTO4 Ultrium data tape for FCP.
I have post this detail in another forum at
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21284&page=6
hth
w
HK

Best settings for archiving?

Hello everyone. I'm new to the Final Cut Studio suite of programs. I work for a church and we record each service as SD DV. The result is usually about 16GB per week. I was using ffmpegX and was able to make a MPEG-4 MOV file where the video was 8 Mb/s and the AAC audio 448 Kb/s and I got it down to 2.63 GB. We'd like to be able to grab clips for future FCP projects. I was curious to see if anyone knows of better settings for this using Compressor. Rendering the compressed MOV clips back in Final Cut takes a long time (I obviously only do a portion, not the entire 1+ hour file) and I was hoping for a better way to do this. I've also been checking out the Pro Res 422 in Final Cut 6 (we're on FC5); would Pro Res be good for archiving SD DV files to smaller sizes, or is it only good for HD?
Thanks in advance!

Ok, makes sense about the Pro Res 422. At least we would benefit from the ability to edit it several formats without rendering until the end. I thought I saw that as one of the features online. Correct me if I'm wrong.
We record to a FireStore, which is a FireWire hard drive that creates .dv files directly from the camera. So, we're not using tapes to begin with. We could, but one tape a week could get expensive. We'd like to store them digitally, but processing time upon edit is not a big deal because we don't edit them very often.
So, knowing that h.264 and mpeg-4 is going to chew up resources on the encode and decode, what settings would give us the best quality for a reasonable file size. We're at 16GB per service uncompressed, so anything 4GB or lower would be ideal.
Thanks!

Backing up FCP Projects to multiple DVDs?

I'm looking for a workflow to backup FCP projects to multiple DVDs. I want be able to put DVD 1, of 3 or 4, into the computer and click something that will put all the files in the write place as if I never took them off my computer and I can go back to FCP project where I left off. Similar to spanning, like with Disco, but I want everything to go in its write place when I click on some Apple action script. Is this possible? If it isn't some little third party developer could make some money.

Divide your salary by 2,000. Then double the result. This gives you a very rough approximation of the value of your time, including how much the company pays you, payroll taxes, insurance, overhead and so on.
Figure out how many hours you'd have to sit in your chair doing manual archiving before you cost the company more than $120.
I'd be stunned if it's more than about two hours. Three at the absolute most, if you're criminally underpaid.

Recording standard dvd from completed FCP project thru DVD STUDIO PRO...

OH, kind geniuses...
it boils down to this...I'm very FCP friendly...production is done...I'm aware of "compressor" issue...one question tho
...is it easier to compress thru Quicktime movie or the
standard compressor functions when project is completed...
BOTTOM LINE...is it possible to crank out a standard DVD copy of a completed FCP project QUICKLY/ EASILY...thru
DVD STUDIO PRO? i've went thru the manuals for ALL, and am
affraid I'm reading T.M.I. into it... THE question..."is there a simple Wham-Bam-Thank You-Maam way to get a simple
DVD copy from a completed FCP project THRU, (the dreaded)
DVD STUDIO PRO??? I don't need to re-learn digital electronic theory...just crank out a gawl-dern DVD I can
present to a perspective employer that needs a FCP editor...
"much gnashing of teeth & lament",
thanks folks!
G. Tirebiter
mac G-5 Mac OS X (10.4.7) final cut studio

whoaohohohohohohoh nnnnnnneleeeee(a keith jacksonism)
silal..............
way too much info, amigo....I have one track (2min total...
including "live-type" graphics)....we don' have no marks....
we don' need no marks....we don' got to cho you any steenking marks!!!!! (Alfonso Bedoya from "treasure of Sierra Madre"..adaptation)...I love that guy/scene...back to the problem at hand...waaaay too involved it seems, my
friend....tho, I high 5 you for the extensive work & effort.
I'm lookin' for quick & dirty...did get a response that basically gives me that...still left out some "see spot run"
info that my "little grey cells" aren't absorbing...I'm
sure it's MY ignorance & comprehension skills that are in question here...I guess I wanna' get outa' th' gate & grab th' hole shot before I dial in my ride...like I said..."see spot run"....another try would be appreciated but not necessary...thanks for you're valuable time...
they're in.......everybody's eggs...
DOH!....
G. Tirebiter
mac G-5 Mac OS X (10.4.7) final cut studio

"Compacting" a FCP project for archival

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