Linking Multiple Video Items?

Question

"Up to 24 audio items can be linked to a single video item in the Timeline. [...]
When you create a merged clip, or link multiple items together in the Timeline, the video item is considered the anchor item to which the sync of all other linked audio items is compared."
--(FCP User Manual, Vol. II, Chapter 14, Linking and Editing Video and Audio in Sync)
So here's my question: How can I (at least in effect) make an audio item the "anchor", and have several video items linked to it?
Specifics:
I have audio-only clips captured from our master DAT tapes. Typically, each DAT clip represents one slate #, for which there might be 3-5 takes. I want to be able to put that DAT audio onto a temporary timeline, then sync up the video from the various individual takes (which were each captured separately) on the Video1 track immediately above it. Then -- and this is the part where I'm having trouble -- I want to link them all and drag everything back to the Browser to create a single, merged clip.
This single, merged clip would consist of the continuous DAT audio for that slate #, plus the corresponding chunks of video for each of the 3-5 (or however-many) takes we did of that particular shot. But right now I can only create a merged clip from timeline items which are officially Cmd-L Linked, and of course that Link command doesn't work if I have more than one video item selected -- even though all the video items are on the same V1 track.
So, is there some sneaky way to make FCP treat multiple video items selected on a particular track as if they were a single video item? That would solve my problem, allowing me to create the merged clip described above. (As opposed to having to Blade cut the start and end of each take on the Timeline, then separately select and Link each take, then individually drag each newly-linked take over to the Browser, thereby creating way more separate merged clips than I'd like to have to deal with right now.)
Would love to hear any suggestions or alternate strategies.

Answer 1

An editor friend I just spoke with suggested much the same thing, after first confirming that as far as he knows there's no way to fool FCP into treating a bunch of video items on a timeline as if they were one.
On further reflection (and after some testing) I seem to have 3 ways to proceed, each with pros and cons. Did a test using a 4.5 minute captured-from-DAT audio clip, to which I first synched the 5 separately-captured video takes for that particular shot in a new timeline.
Option 1:
As suggested, export this "sequence" as a QuickTime file, either a reference one or self-contained, then re-import back into the Browser as a new clip.
Pros:
- fairly straightforward operation;
- creates a new, stand-alone media file (when using the "make self-contained" selection) with video and the good, direct-from-DAT audio locked together for all eternity.
Cons:
- slight wait time for that file to be created;
- that same new media file takes up more of my unfortunately-not-unlimited disk space, which will then require more general housekeeping and "management" to keep organized. (At just under 1GB, the self-contained version of the test file takes up 50% more space than the DAT file and the related original video captures combined -- presumably because this new file has to fill in a bunch of extra blank video between the actual picture takes. The reference file version is about a third that size, around 350MB.);
- when looking at the new clip in the Browser, all my logging info is lost: Description, Scene, Shot/Take, Reel #, and Log Notes, as well as the "poster frame" for the thumbnail;
- and you're right, the timecode is also lost (in both versions), which is a worry should I ever need to recapture from the DV tapes.
Option 2:
Simply close the sequence and store it in the Browser in a new Bin called "DAT-synched clips". Open the sequence when I need to chose a moment, the best take, or whatever, from that particular shot -- and only then create the new merged clip which in turn can be used in the actual sequence to which that sync shot belongs.
Pros:
- saves some work in the short term;
- doesn't take up any extra disk space
Cons:
- feels like it might slow me down during the actual "creative" phase of the editing;
- requires another organizational layer within my Browser window;
- just feels clunky and inelegant somehow.
Option 3:
Bite the bullet, and razor blade the individual takes on the timeline, allowing each one to be properly Linked to the DAT audio, then drag all the takes to the Browser (in one multiple selection) to create new merged clips to work from and compare.
Pros/Cons:
- although requiring a lot of extra clicks, this process didn't feel quite as onerous as I'd thought it might (though ask me again in a couple of days);
- it creates new clips with all the Browser info (even the poster frame thumbs) of the originals;
- timecode is obviously unaffacted as well;
- no new demands on drive space;
- will just have to stash the original clips in new sub-Bins labelled something like "Clips w Original Audio".
Anyway, that's how I'm thinking of going for now -- but would still appreciate any insights, warnings, or alternate suggestions -- especially time-saving ones!
(Of course the obvious time-saving suggestion would be: next time you go to the trouble of sending a line out feed from the DAT machine to the camera's line in, make sure the camera isn't clipping the hottest audio from each take -- all of which sounds fine on the DAT cassettes, even though the audio captured from both appears to be peaking at the exact same level. Go figure.)