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Activity Forums Apple Final Cut Pro Looking for project naming conventions to prevent updating wrong version

  • Looking for project naming conventions to prevent updating wrong version

    Posted by Ariane Fisher on July 13, 2015 at 11:30 pm

    We currently name projects:

    LNAME_FNAME_PROJECT TYPE_EDIT DATE

    But twice now, upon receiving a recut request an editor has updated a version that was not the most recent version. Obviously, diligence is required and this shouldn’t happen, but I thought you guys may have some suggestions for workflow or naming conventions which would prevent this.

    We do a very high editing volume, so it needs to be scalable.

    Many thanks in advance.

    Don Smith replied 10 years, 10 months ago 5 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Noah Kadner

    July 14, 2015 at 1:54 am

    I’d let the computer track the creation and modify date personally. Expecting the editor to do it as part of the filename leaves too much opportunity for it to not happen consistently. You could also consider a third party tool such as:

    https://www.digitalrebellion.com/proversioner/
    https://focalpointserver.com/about/fcpx/
    https://www.arcticwhiteness.com/finalcutlibrarymanager/

    Noah

    FCPWORKS – FCPX Workflow
    Call Box Training

  • Bret Williams

    July 15, 2015 at 3:35 pm

    I don’t rely on mod dates. I simply name all v1, v2, v3, and so on. Every export has that label at the end. Even the final master file so there’s no confusion.

    Sometimes I keep all the previous projects in a keyword collection called “backups” or “previous versions” and have a keyword collection for the current project called “current version.”

    In either case I always duplicate the project after a approval export and let the duplicate be the backup, and increment the current project to a higher version number. If I’m duplicating something with compounds or multicams that are likely to change, I’ll make the duplicate a snapshot so that any changes to the current project doesnt affect it later.

    I put my projects in a separate event called “sequences” and usually only have one other event called “media” but larger jobs that are ongoing might benefit from more events. Especially now that we have Library smart collections.

    None of this will replace diligence or prevent user error of course.

  • David Hudson

    July 15, 2015 at 6:38 pm

    We do basically the same here:
    1. each timeline is incremented RC 1
    if you use the space before the version number FCPX will update that number automatically!!
    (RC-short hand for rough cut FYI)

    2. Also use separate event for all cuts/sequences
    and use keyword collections to control abit more
    ie: Work cuts, Current cut, Alt cuts etc.

  • Don Smith

    July 15, 2015 at 7:02 pm

    I never change the primary name of the Project. I ‘Duplicate Project as Snapshot’ and keep editing the original. That way, there’s never a doubt which is the most current cut. No looking through Snapshots for date and time but if you had to look for a former version, the date and time will guide you.

    NewsVideo.com

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