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FCP & EX1 – am I missing something?
Hello
I have an EX1 and work in FCP 6.0.5. When I want to import my footage, I just hook up the camera to my Mac Pro (2.66 HHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon) via USB, open up FCP and do a “log and transfer” session. Then I go for a cup of coffee while FCP imports the footage to my FW800 drive. I can then happily edit away.
Now, I’ve been reading a lot of posts about how to get EX1 footage into FCP and none of them are like this. They all use the Sony clip browser or the Shotput software..
Is the way I’m doing it wrong? I’m quite happy with this workflow but I’m afraid I’m missing something. Btw: the clips I import in FCP all have the proper settings, XDCAM EX 1080i50 (35 MB/s VBR).
thx
Michiel -
5 Replies
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With your work you’re not saving the original (BPAV) files that you may need later for use with a PC based NLE.
Good Luck
Michael Palmer -
Hi Michael
Thanks for your quick reply. I have no plans to move to a PC-based system. But my cameraman makes backups of the footage we shoot (we’re still getting used to the idea of not using tapes :), and he uses the Sony transfer software to do that, so I guess I always will have that option if I need it in the future.
Michiel -
I don’t have any plans either to cross over to PC but all the leaders here including myself believe the original BPAV is like the original tape master and it should always be available from an archive. If you have the Quicktime and your cameraman has the original then you should be safe.
Good Luck
Michael Palmer -
It’s never about plans. It’s about being prepared for what’s unplanned.
Can anyone imagine workflows that says it’s OK to erase your camera masters? The great thing about tapeless is that “everyone” can get the masters. Even if the cameraperson has masters, you can have them too. Especially so many are so nervous about the transient nature of storage, having different people with the masters is not a bad thing.
These days masters can be:
SDHC which are as affordable as higher end storage
Optical disk (DVD, DVD-DL, Blu-ray)
Hard drives (but I can’t trust this medium personally)What order one does things may depend on turnaround time. Doing ENG work with fast turnaround might be the most risk conducive behavior which would be similar to Michiel’s straight log an capture (although Calibrated software import of MP4 might be faster).
In any case an “unplanned” event need only happen once to result in thousands of dollars lost so always include preserving masters as part of the process.
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the Sony software will rejoin clips that span multiple cards and will also do some repair on the chance you end up with corrupt data.
The method you’re using by going straight into FCP is similar to a workflow a colleague of mine was using with FCP and his HVX200…When a client came back and wanted another project and needed material that was unused in previous projects, unfortunately in some cases, the original P2 data was gone and all the media archived was the QT selects from log and transfer.
As long as you are quite aware that there is no “master” copy to fall back on (you can’t go back to the media to grab the next-best take when you notice the massive advertisement on the garbage truck in the background)…your workflow’s value is assessed based on how well it works for you.
TimK,
Director, Consultant
Kolb Productions,
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