-
Doubting My Workflow Pattern…
In short, with a specific sequence / scene, I am cutting back and forth between two source files filmed simultaneously.
I have cleaned up the audio in Soundtrack, and the raw audio was replaced (not destructively to the source file, but no longer easily accessible in the timeline).
I have sent portions of the footage of both video files to Motion, largely to Stabilize the shaky footage. This has to be done in small clips sometimes, since the camera whip pans sometimes and removes my anchor point for stabilization. As well, I am applying several other filters and effects in Motion.
The thing is, if I ever want to change the length of any segment, even by a frame, I think I am going to be in for a world of hurt, since all my original cues in the raw footage are replaced by Motion and Soundtrack roundtrip projects.
I duplicated the source in the timeline before sending anything, but I am ending up with 10 layers of video and ten layers of audio, I’m silencing tracks and disabling video layers, and I don’t know if I could cue anything back up to the original source file if I wanted at this point.
Does anyone have a workflow they use in such situations to keep things organized and retain the ability to lengthen Motion roundtrip clips, etc.?
Thanks
-
6 Replies
-
There is a Stabilizing Filter in FCP. I would give that a try to reduce the amount you use Motion. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Stephen Smith
Utah Video ProductionsCheck out my Motion Training DVD
Check out my Vimeo page
-
Do you mean Smoothcam? I started using Motion because I found the Smoothcam so difficult to work with. What submenu is Stabilize under?
Thanks for the reply. And the tutorials.
-
Yes, Smoothcam. Sorry that it didn’t work for you.
Stephen Smith
Utah Video ProductionsCheck out my Motion Training DVD
Check out my Vimeo page
-
I suppose the question that might really solve things is…
When you have a Motion project in your FCP timeline (after ‘sending to’) it more or less makes that Motion clip independent of the source footage, from what I can tell.
Suppose I want to extend the Motion clip 30 frames earlier at the beginning (or even one) – is there a way to re-link up to the source file so I can just access those frames as part of the same Motion project, and just extend the filters / titles / whatever back along with the underlying video?
My problems may be arising from ignorance of user-friendly shortcuts and workarounds…
-
Actually, I don’t think the Motion project makes the clip independent in the sense of creating a whole new self-contained instance of that clip; it is still referencing whatever footage was sent to it from FCP. (Assuming they haven’t been made independent, I think.)
Once it nests the Motion project into a .motn sequence, it then references that Motion project. If you needed to extend something, making changes in the Motion project should be reflected in Final Cut, although I don’t think it will automatically adjust the in and out points in the timeline- you might have to do that manually.
To be honest though, I’ve never had much luck with the Send To workflow. I usually have one sequence for editing, and then a duplicated one for sending just in case something goes wrong.
-
Correct. You can change the length of the clips and the project file in Motion. If it doesn’t change it in FCP for some reason just drag and drop the Motion project file into FCP. Best of luck.
Stephen Smith
Utah Video ProductionsCheck out my Motion Training DVD
Check out my Vimeo page
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up